School Uniform?

babyemily

Hi I am hoping someone on here will be able to point me in the right direction. I have 2 children at the local secondary school, the school is in quite a well to do area and achieves outstanding from ofsted everytime they go in. Predominantly the area is small villages/hamlets with quite wealthy parents. I am not one of those I am afraid anyway the schools uniform policy is becoming stricter by the day and we are struggling financially to keep up with it also my child has dreadful Raynauds and is constantly in trouble over uniform - Our GP wrote a letter on headed paper which we gave to the school stating the need to keep warm and recommending fingerless gloves in class, thermals under her uniform, boots and thermal socks etc.. Yet the school say this is not uniform policy and she is not allowed to wear them. The uniform can only be ordered from a specialist supplier and is poor quality and quite expensive, it also gets nicked alot!!! But if they go in in a subsitute plain sweater whilst we order a new one they are made to take it off and stay in a t-shirt. Now the school has banned boots - Only plain black shoes and black tights or black socks. Coats can only be black or navy. We had a grey coat confiscated last week. Hats, scarves and gloves can only be black or navy and all PE kit is being examined to make sure it complies too..I cant afford to keep buying new kit and uniform and I am just wondering on how much the school can lay down the law on this.
I fully support the school uniform, dont get me wrong and my children are always clean and smart but I do feel this is becoming excessive. Can anyone offer any advice please? Thank you
I just want to add that my two are straight A* students who are never in trouble except for this.

bestpud

If uniform is being stolen, write their name inside the collar and/or waistband with a fabric pen and large letters so they cannot disguise it.

They also need to be careful what they do with their clothing as it can't be stolen if it's in their possession at all times. If my children lost or wrecked their uniform through negligence, I'm afraid they replaced it themselves - it focuses the mind if they are like my son and get through several a year!

I don't know how far they can go with uniform tbh, but your children probably won't thank you for making a scene about it.

I don't think it's unreasonable to ask that they wear shoes rather than boots but I don't see the problem with thermals under the uniform. Surely, a white thermal top under a blouse and jumper isn't going to show anyway? If your dd is regularly taking off her her jumper then maybe she doesn't need the thermals after all...

I'd take the glove issue further if she genuinely finds she cannot use her hands properly because they are too cold.

daska

Who is it at the school who is insisting on compromising your daughter's health and access to learning? Because that is what it is happening. Cold and stress are known triggers that must be avoided. Is it possible that the school don't realise the impact on her because the letter just went to her HOY or have you already spoken with the SENCO and Head? If so then personally I'd be keeping her home tomorrow and my first phone call would be to the Education Officer at your local council to explain why.

(Sorry, edited to make it clear that the keeping home was for if all avenues with the school had been investigated.)

daska

bestpud wrote: »

If uniform is being stolen, write their name inside the collar and/or waistband with a fabric pen and large letters so they cannot disguise it.

They also need to be careful what they do with their clothing as it can't be stolen if it's in their possession at all times. If my children lost or wrecked their uniform through negligence, I'm afraid they replaced it themselves - it focuses the mind if they are like my son and get through several a year!

I don't know how far they can go with uniform tbh, but your children probably won't thank you for making a scene about it.

I don't think it's unreasonable to ask that they wear shoes rather than boots but I don't see the problem with thermals under the uniform. Surely, a white thermal top under a blouse and jumper isn't going to show anyway? If your dd is regularly taking off her her jumper then maybe she doesn't need the thermals after all...

I'd take the glove issue further if she genuinely finds she cannot use her hands properly because they are too cold.

Boots help insulate your ankles and the tops of your feet, they provide substantially more protection from the cold.

mandragora_2

Don't keep her at home. It doesn't solve anything, and just puts your daughter in a difficult position. Ring the school and ask for a meeting with the Year Head initially. Explain the situation and your circumstances. Work with them, and anticipate that they will want to work with you, even if that hasn't been well communicated up till now. If doing this doesn't move things forward, and some sort of sensible compromise can't be reached, find out the name of the person on SLT who is responsible for pastoral/well-being, and request an appointment with them. They won't change their unform policy for you, but there will be a point where there can be a meeting of minds. Try to keep your daughter out of it as far as possible - she won't be the right person to communicate through - not good for her, and with the best will in the world, you may not be getting the full picture through the information you're being relayed.

ciderwithrosie_2

I think it's ridiculous and unrealistic of schools to lay down the law like this, your child has a diagnosed health issue and it's not like you are completely flouting the uniform policy you are trying to comply with it as much as possible. I would be writing to the governors, copying the head in on it and saying all that you've said here and asking for some compromise. If your child has a grey coat instead of a black or navy one, how is that affecting their learning or behaviour? Not being able to function in school because they are so cold will affect their learning. The only thing you can do is ask your kids to be extra vigilant with their stuff getting pinched/going missing and label it all with permanent pen/laundry marker. I used to write their names on the inside seams and places that the thieves wouldn't think to look but you'd know where it was.

I was marked as a troublemaking parent when DS2 asked me to make his hair into dreadlocks, they were only short as he was just starting to grow them. He looked good I thought, he was still clean and presentable, still complying in every other way. I used to get almost daily phonecalls asking me when I was going to cut them off as it was in the school handbook about 'no extreme hairstyles', yet there were girls in his year with hair of all colours, cornrows etc. My standard reply was 'if my child was of ethnic background, we wouldn't be having this conversation' Plus there was actually nothing in the handbook at that time to say no extreme hairstyles. Low and behold, next year it appeared in there, but my son had had his dreads cut off by then anyway!

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

DD has Raynauds too. Initially there was no problem, but in the last couple of weeks, she has been threatened with two hour detentions for wearing gloves in the classroom and tops underneath her shirt (no jumper in the school uniform, only a blazer allowed).

Fortunately, following her getting hypothermia and mild frostbite last winter on the way home from school (and I think another couple of kids too), they now allow girls to wear trousers. Last year they were only allowed to wear knee length skirts and socks. She takes advantage of this to wear non regulation thermal socks and risks the chance of a sock inspection on Mondays.


Anyhow, all I had to do was tell DD to let the teacher know that the school is well aware of her diagnosed medical condition, has been since before she started there and if the teacher didn't accept what has already been said, she was more than welcome to telephone me and I would be more than happy to discuss medical conditions and the implications of the Disability Discrimination Act with her and the Board of Governors....



No trouble since then.


Perhaps you need to cut to the chase and contact the BoG direct and ask in direct relation to disability, rather than uniform policies.

LandyAndy

As others have said there isn't really any excuse for going against a medical recommendation from your GP. A calm face to face meeting with the headteacher would be my first action from here.

I'm sure there is a good answer to this but if you knew the uniform policy was for black or navy coats why did you buy a grey one?

Seanymph

Everyone is right - take issue under disability with them - but a few tips.

Most schools have a secondhand store they sell at very reduced rates to parents handed in by leaving pupils.

I am a member of freecycle and gave away my daughters uniform when someone advertised as needing some after she'd left. Leaving children have to get rid of their uniform somewhere...... ask at charity shops, leave a phone number say you specifically need that schools uniform.

I also learnt (in the last wretched year at school) that if mine lost a fleece at school and went and checked out at least 10 would be in lost property with no names, and they were rarely claimed......... So, if mine lost one, they went and got one. Maybe not the same one. But they went and got one.

I totally understand that isn't necessarily ethical before I get flamed - but the school secretary put me onto it, she had a cupboard FULL of unclaimed uniform and was only too happy to hand some out to kids who had genuinely lost their fleeces even if it wasn't the same one.

So if they lose one - tell them to go claim one! Most of them at our school didn't have names in them.

babyemily

Wow - So many replies Thank you all.

bestpud: I label all the uniform and always have done but it still gets pinched As for the shoe/boots thing my daughter has worn her boots with trousers so they look like shoes but this is still not acceptable. I dont know why you say she regularly takes her jumper off but she doesnt as she is always freezing - Her nickname is Smurf :rotfl:

daska & mandragora: I have spoke to the head teacher/head of year/form tutor etc... but uniform policy is uniform policy I am repeatedly told. I cant keep her home as she is doing exams and has a bright future ahead of her. I do like your idea of contacting the Board of Education. :T

ciderwithrosie: I agree re: the ridiculousness of it all but apparently from the time they leave their house to the time they re enter it they are representing the school - The daft thing is the sixth form dont wear a uniform and they all travel together!! You can imagine some of the fashions there x

Jojothetightfisted - I think I will have to go direct as you say as I do feel I am banging my head on a brick wall

Landyandy: There was no policy on school coats until recently. She has had a grey one since September but then I had to go and buy her a navy one 2 weeks ago which to be honest I couldnt really afford

Seanymph: I have checked with the school re: secondhand school uniform but they do not allow it to be sold as they feel every child should have their own new school uniform.

claire16c

babyemily wrote: »

daska & mandragora: I have spoke to the head teacher/head of year/form tutor etc... but uniform policy is uniform policy I am repeatedly told. I cant keep her home as she is doing exams and has a bright future ahead of her. I do like your idea of contacting the Board of Education. :T I think as your daughter has a Health problem they need to make an exception as much as I think schools do need to be strict with uniform otherwise there will always be children who take the mick

ciderwithrosie: I agree re: the ridiculousness of it all but apparently from the time they leave their house to the time they re enter it they are representing the school - The daft thing is the sixth form dont wear a uniform and they all travel together!! You can imagine some of the fashions there x

I dont think this is unusual, my school and my friends were all like this

Jojothetightfisted - I think I will have to go direct as you say as I do feel I am banging my head on a brick wall

Landyandy: There was no policy on school coats until recently. She has had a grey one since September but then I had to go and buy her a navy one 2 weeks ago which to be honest I couldnt really afford

That does seem unfair, you would think they would bring in any new policies in September?

Seanymph: I have checked with the school re: secondhand school uniform but they do not allow it to be sold as they feel every child should have their own new school uniform.

Do you have any friends in your area with older girls with no younger siblings who might have uniform to get rid of?