School Uniforms

[robh 10]

There's no reason why uniform should cost more than any other clothes unless the rules are so restrictive that someone gets a monopoly. My brat had to have a £70 blazer - because that particular colour only comes from one manufacturer. Even the "official" plain grey flannel trousers were twice the price of the same thing in a department store. The blazer is only used to walk the half mile to/from school in summer, they get left in the cloakroom on arrival. In winter they have an overcoat instead. However they look smart, there is no arguement about what he's going to wear for school and if they misbehave in the street people know which school to report it to - and let's face it, he's got to wear something and it's going to cost.

 

The alternative is worse in almost all respects, kids bullied for not conforming with the clothing rules set by the class bully (I think this is largely a girl thing). Bullying because "you've got trainers off the market" - or even £30 ones when the accepted norm is £70. Setting an expectation of all the clothes needing designer labels. One girl told me she would have to phone her bully every evening and be told, in some detail, what clothes she was to wear next day, resistance was met with violence. And then those high price items become targets for theft or deliberate damage.

 

Whereas girls bully for the clothes not being up to a standard boys are more likely to bully lads who are smartly dressed and well groomed.

 

My teenage daughter's non-uniform school clothes cost was higher than my sons expensive uniform - and she looked a mess most of the time. She was at Silverdale. They have a range of "uniform" sweatshirts - but the school only seems to pay lip-service to enforcing any kind of standard. Private schools almost universally have quite strict uniform standards - they must have a reason. Why should state schools be relegated to second best, why not aspire to the same standards?

 

The answer: Uniforms but affordable ones.

[BAZZO 11]

Sadly school uniforms don't iron out social differences.

At High Storrs in the Fifties you could spot by the badge design

where the uniform was bought.

The poor families went to the Co-op and the rich ones went to

Walsh's or Stewart & Stewart (expensive outfitters on

Pinstone St).

The whole High Storrs uniform was bizarre anyway.

The cap was half green and black -like an Irish harlequin!

[Lickszz 10]

My school didn't have a uniform in the years that I attended it. They have since re-introduced the uniforms. I prefer them and think they are a good idea.

[t020 11]

High Storrs doesn't have any uniform these days. Silverdale has just a sweater and trousers. Few schools have proper traditional uniforms these days. Most just have a sweater and trousers uniform.

[jesslicker 10]

ow da hell do u fink i feel i go to bklumin notre dame dea ties r a tenner!!! da jumpa is £30 tht £40 pound wit out trousers shoes nd shirts!!! i wunt mid if it wo nice buts bludy boogey green! we get dun 4 not avin our tie up 2 our collas! were not loud 2 take our mingin jumpas off unless da stupid smily face is hanging out of the window! i mean a yellow smily face i personally fink out skool take da mick!

[ADC_28 10]

Originally posted by jesslicker

ow da hell do u fink i feel i go to bklumin notre dame dea ties r a tenner!!! da jumpa is £30 tht £40 pound wit out trousers shoes nd shirts!!! i wunt mid if it wo nice buts bludy boogey green! we get dun 4 not avin our tie up 2 our collas! were not loud 2 take our mingin jumpas off unless da stupid smily face is hanging out of the window! i mean a yellow smily face i personally fink out skool take da mick!

 

Yeah, but no, but....

[saxon51 10]

Originally posted by jesslicker

............ i personally fink out skool take da mick!

 

They certainly do during the literacy lessons.

 

Er, I mean....day crtinli doo jurin litrasi lesns

[rubydazzler 11]

OMG!! what WAS that?? Sister Monica must be spinning in her grave!!!

 

[mshappy 10]

Originally posted by rubydazzler

OMG!! what WAS that?? Sister Monica must be spinning in her grave!!!

 

 

I couldn`t put it better myself. :clap:

 

Our local school is meant to have a uniform which is black trousers /skirt, polo shirt with school name on, sweatshirt with school name on and black shoes / trainers.

 

The kids actually appear to wear a uniform consisting of jeans, white trainers, burburry caps and berghaus coats.

[ADC_28 10]

Originally posted by Phanerothyme

My school days were spent being called a tramp because my (and many others') uniform was so obviously second hand. I think the snobbery just becomes more nuanced, but it is still there

 

I, for one, never wore a uniform in all my days at school. I never encountered this kind of one-upmanship and bullying but then when I was at school Nirvana were really big and the object of the exercise was to look as scruffy and unkempt as possible.

 

From what I've heard (and I've no particular reason to see this as being false) uniforms are being introduced so that schoolchildren can be identified more easily in cases of trouble on the way to and from school.

 

However, I'm glad I never wore a uniform as it allowed a degree of expression (sometimes to the exasperation of Those In Charge) which wouldn't have been allowed otherwise.

 

That said, I was never the victim of being called trampy as an insult, as might have been Phanerothyme. To be honest, I'd have probably taken it as a compliment!

[Tracie 10]

My school had a uniform - pleated navy blue skirt, white shirt and tie, a blazer with the school badge on the pocket and - wait for it - a straw boater with a navy band. Great. It must have cost my mum a small fortune though, I never thought about that at the time.

[saxon51 10]

That's terrible Tracie, what did the girls have to wear?