The High School "Wearing Sweatshirts At All Times Until Easter" Rule

lisawood78

My nieces school they have a weird one.
Polo shirts in the summer term, shirts/ties all other terms.
And of course the blazer.

rachbc

we have this rule year round at DS school - til kids started keeling over left right and centre in the heat wave then suddenly they decided that kids might know best whats happening with their own bodies

SingleSue

The boy's high school has a blazer which they have to wear at all times...even on the hottest day of the year. They are actually supposed to also wear a jumper underneath the blazer but they allowed that to be removed after last summer when people were overheating.

jellyhead

Eldest has finished high school now, but they were allowed to take sweatshirts off whenever they felt like it, or even not wear one.

They were not allowed to wear non-uniform sweatshirts though, and they extended that rule to black hoodies which a lot of the boys wore as coats, so those were banned. They felt it was very unfair that you could wear any other kind of outwear other than a black hoodie, but school wouldn't back down. The rule was to stop students from buying cheap alternative uniform from supermarkets

I can understand having a rule about blazers to be honest because once they get taken off they will be left on the backs of chairs, trodden on, squashed etc. and parents will complain about the loss and damage ... but sweatshirts are never going to look smart anyhow! as long as the tie is fastened and the shirt is tucked in, I don't understand why they would need to wear them.

Both of mine are still going out with bare arms and see no need for either a jumper or a coat. I'd hate to have rules saying they must wear warm items even if they feel hot. Both boys are naturally hot and are still sleeping with open windows and a sheet instead of a duvet.

It's so warm! I could understand a rule if the temperature was low or it was snowing.

sassyblue

rachbc wrote: »

we have this rule year round at DS school - til kids started keeling over left right and centre in the heat wave then suddenly they decided that kids might know best whats happening with their own bodies

That's terrible!

OP l think its a stupid rule, some kids are warmer than others it's awful to feel hot l can't imagine trying to study like it and in high school aren't they trying to prepare the students to think for themselves to be ready for the world?

Could the students get together and take it to the head that they wish to hold a ballot about this issue, it is after all NOT in their rule book (l hope they don't get reprinted as soon as this issue gets serious).

I would like to think if the students tackle the issue in a grown up democratic way then they might get the rule changed.

j.e.j.

gardenia101 wrote: »

I had a not in my DD planner yesterday saying she "must wear her school sweatshirt at all times from now until Easter". As I work in the same school I was collared by her tutor & told the same thing.

When I queried it (as I can't find it written in the rules anywhere) I was told it was because the pupils look tidier with full uniform on . They have to wear them when walking around school, & then have to ask each teacher if they can take them off when they are hot, & the teacher can then decide.

I cant help feeling it is all a bit bonkers - this applies up to Y11 (Y12 & 13 wear their own clothes but that is a whole other thread :rotfl:). Surely children can decide for themselves if they are too hot? My DD runs hot - her shirt is often damp under her sweatshirt & I feel for her being so uncomfortable when tying to study.

Is this a common rule at other high schools?

Good Grief! You know, I think even prisoners get more rights and freedoms than our schoolchildren :rotfl: What on earth is to be gained by forcing someone to wear a sweater in hot weather. How does looking sweaty and hot & bothered 'look better'?

Maybe when someone passes out from the heat they'll re-think their rules..

hgotsparkle

I had the blazer rule in secondary school - they could be taken off in lesson but had to worn when outside of the class room, though in extreme heat we were allowed to carry them. We had a loophole though, which I took advantage of, we didn't have to wear the blazer if the school jumper was worn, so I wore that all winter as it was more fitted.

pollypenny

embob74 wrote: »

At DD's school they have to wear blazers at all times but jumpers are optional.
I've never really thought about it but there could potentially be a lot of overheating children as spring comes in.
Just another reason I think school uniforms have become a farce.
Seems more of an opportunity for schools for school staff to be dictatorial IMO. I'd prefer a teacher to be more obsessed with a child's welfare/wellbeing and their education but I guess that's too much to ask!

I would have preferred not to waste class time with ties, trousers, make up etc.

Strangely, it's parents who want the smart uniform.

Umistboy

I work as a teacher in an Outstanding Secondary school and our head lets the parents choose on matters like this: they can follow the uniform rules the school set out or they can choose to go to another school.

Discipline is superb as students don't feel like they are in charge anymore. There is never any major complaints, problems etc in the intense heat and overall behaviour is deemed outstanding.

5 years ago it was the complete opposite and it all changed when the head made clear all the rules/expectations and stuck to them 100% in every single instance. That was the only change - that there will be no leniency and questioning of the schools decisions. Parents and kids simply recognise that if they don't like it they must go elsewhere.

On a side note, school reputation, attendance, student numbers, exam results, student behaviour and learning are all at all-time bests and have been for ~3 years now. Ofsted deemed the school "outstanding" in every single category.

Person_one

I prefer it when rules make sense, whatever the environment. I'm not a fan of blind obedience.

When I was at school, the rule was 'no coats on indoors'. Well, fair enough, but no allowances were made for the transition of going from outside to inside. You'd have a huge queue of children waiting to get in the door as teachers made sure they all took their coats off before crossing the door frame!

When was the last time you stood outside your front door in the freezing cold or the pouring rain and took your coat off before you went in your house? Madness!