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

Loz01

When I was at school we had to keep our blazers on, top button done up and tie on even in the hottest weather! My friend passed out from the heat in our science room and we still weren't allowed to take our blazers off. The science teacher at the time had a plunging sleeveless top on!! The complaints absolutely flooded in and they finally relented and let us take them off as it was the hottest week of the year. Ridiculous.

maman

peachyprice wrote: »

We have a blazers on rule at DD's school, they're allowed to take them off during lessons but have to put them back on whilst walking around school, which I understand, blazers look smart. But as sweatshirts are never going to look smart it seems a bit pointless really.

Oh I really miss that 'rolls-eyes' smiley!

This rule has been around for years in many schools. IMO it's ridiculous that in most primary schools children make up their own minds when they're hot but when the get to secondary school at the age of 11 they have to be told what to do. In other areas of school life, pupils are expected to take responsibility for their behaviour and learning but when it comes to blazers (or jumpers:eek:) they have to obey orders.

I'm pretty sure I know where it's come from. It's the idea that as public/private schools have a tight uniform policy then if state schools ape them then children will magically achieve. That's why so many schools change the uniform/introduce blazers when they are trying to turn things around. Gove is having to issue guidelines as some of these uniforms have become so ridiculously expensive parents are getting irate.

I do have some sympathy/understanding with the idea that if children dress for 'work' then it will improve their mindset. What I can't stand is that they won't let children think for themselves. Even 'call me Dave' likes to take his tie/jacket off when he's trying to be a man of the people.

Rachel021967

My daughter's old school had the same rules regarding wearing of jumps. I don't know how much is hearsay but some pupils were using there jumpers as whips. Hence the enforcement of the keeping jumpers on rule.

fluffnutter

I think uniforms are pointless, full stop.

delain

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?

Ewww I can smell the BO from here :eek:

What a bonkers rule!

Lunar_Eclipse

Same outrageous rule at our secondary school.

Staff should also be treated like young children and be controlled in this way then.

It was one reason we didn't choose the school, it summed everything up that I didn't want for my kids. Are they ever going to be allowed to think for themselves? It's just absurd.

kjmtidea

My eldest has just started secondary school and he has to wear his blazer at all times, no one has given permission for him to take it off yet as apparently it isn't hot. I think it is ridiculous - how on earth does it help prepare him for adult life? I understand that he may have to wear a uniform but even then most places are flexible in regards to hot weather.

My younger 3 are still in primary school and their school makes them put their coat on before they are allowed out at the end of the day and they aren't allowed to play out at lunchtime without a coat or jumper on. All of my children take after their father in regards to having the body temperature of an oven so they absolutely hate these rules.

If I hear 'put your coat on or you'll get a cold' one more time, I may lose the will to live.

balletshoes

Lunar_Eclipse wrote: »

Same outrageous rule at our secondary school.

Staff should also be treated like young children and be controlled in this way then.

It was one reason we didn't choose the school, it summed everything up that I didn't want for my kids. Are they ever going to be allowed to think for themselves? It's just absurd.

the staff at my daughter's secondary school are treated this way - they are not allowed to remove jackets/roll up sleeves/loosen ties unless the Head says so.

Lunar_Eclipse

balletshoes wrote: »

the staff at my daughter's secondary school are treated this way - they are not allowed to remove jackets/roll up sleeves/loosen ties unless the Head says so.

Wow. Just wow.

Loosening ties I can understand, I don't see the need for that. Likewise, short sleeved shirts/blouses look smarter than sleeves pushed up. But jackets? I honestly don't understand how any adult (Head) feels they have any say over this with another adult. It feels like bullying to me.

All workplaces should have a dress code. But that should not include guidelines related to body temperature. Sounds like stupid people deciding on stupid rules to me.

anarchied

Umistboy wrote: »

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.

Thanks for your input, but do you really need to reiterate the point that the school was deemed outstanding by Ofsted? We believed you the first time.

OP, my secondary school enforced this rule. I asked to remove my sweatshirt one hot summers' day (I've always had particularly bad circulation and always felt the cold, so it must of been hot) and my teacher said under no circumstances was I to remove it. About 15 minutes later I woke up on my desk after fainting - and banging my head fairly badly in the process - and my temperature was 40 odd Celsius.. surprised I didn't have any lasting problems from that incident!