Why parents should take responsibility for school uniform rules

It’s nearly the start of the school year, which means everyone’s getting children kitted out in school uniform and new shoes.  For us, we’re struggling on finding royal blue jogging trousers, because the school suppliers only do size 7/8 and 9/10 and N is inbetween sizes. Hopefully navy or black ones will be ok until he grows a bit more and I can buy the right size.  Thankfully he’s all sorted for the rest of his next size up uniform.

But every year, September comes around and there are stories in the media about children being sent home from school due to the wrong uniform being worn. Backed up by annoyed parents who are moaning at the schools for being strict about uniform. Or suggesting that the school wasn’t clear about the uniform rules in the first place.

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Each year, I’m amused.  And astonished that parents can be so incensed about their darling children being penalised for the parent not following the school rules.  Because it is the parent’s fault.  They’re the adult in charge of making sure their kids are properly kitted out

Parents allowing their children to have ridiculous haircuts or dying their hair weird colours, when the school state these aren’t allowed.  If they want to do that, they could do the cut and dye at the beginning of the summer to let it grow out by the start of the school year.

Parents allowing (or more likely buying) unsuitable shoes like trainers or heels for school shoes when schools have clearly said black school shoes with a maximum heel. Trainers whether they’re black or not, are not school shoes.

Parents allowing buying skirts that are too short, or the wrong type of blouse, or any other uniform piece that isn’t uniform rule compliant. Read the uniform list, and if you’re not sure, ask other parents what is allowed, or even the school. Don’t just believe what your children say ‘everyone’ is wearing. And just because shops include such items in their ‘uniform’ range, doesn’t mean every school allows them to be worn.

These parents seem to have their head in the clouds.

School uniform excuses

‘I can’t afford to buy school uniform that’s on the list’. Ask around for second hand, buy from supermarkets.  It doesn’t have to be expensive.

‘The school wasn’t clear’ or ‘didn’t provide a list’. Really? Ask the school or other parents.  Or just buy safe – items that will never be on a questionable list.

‘Uniform stops their individuality’. That’s the point.  It puts everyone on an even keel without pressure to wear the right on trend clothing. When children start work there might be a uniform. It’s not going to turn children into robots, and it’s a lot less expensive than buying non-uniform that fits in with children’s asks and fashion.

If you don’t want to follow the uniform rules, then don’t send children to a school with uniform.

Most schools aren’t that prescriptive if they don’t ask for logo uniform or a specific type of skirt or trousers.  There’s flexibility on where you can buy grey skirts or trousers from.  So be grateful they can choose the style while other schools request only uniforms from their uniform shop with a specific pattern kilt or colour.

[bctt tweet=”If you don’t want to follow the uniform rules, then don’t send children to a school with uniform.” username=”etusty”]

It incenses me that parents don’t take ownership for their children being sent home.  Yes, their child misses school, but it’s not the school’s fault that they’re incapable of reading or following a uniform list.

At the same time, complaining and getting in the media to parade the child’s (frequently distasteful) haircut or (very obviously) non-school shoes all over social media. They’re making themselves and the child look stupid. Oh, and not forgetting wasting the school’s time by having to respond to the press, when they should be settling new students into school and dealing with other more important issues like teaching.

These children should be grateful they don’t have to wear brown like we had to!

Of course, sometimes it is hard to follow school rules, and even if we’ve tried, we end up being a bit on the edge of them.

I’m admitting that N moving into key stage 2 is causing me hassles because he supposedly needs royal blue jogging bottoms rather than the ‘plain, dark’ joggers he could wear for outdoor sport in the younger years.  The uniform supplier only sells age 7/8 which he’s pretty much grown out of, and then age 9/10 which is going to be up to 15cm too long in the leg, and god knows what the waist will be like.

After asking around other parents, I’m going to risk sending him in with navy joggers instead.  I’ve searched online for age 8/9 but can’t find any. If the school say no, then he’ll have to just cope in shorts until he’s grown.  I certainly won’t be kicking off with school or ringing up newspapers to moan about the school uniform list.

Maybe this school year, we’ll see more sense and fewer articles with parents moaning about school uniform.  But I’m not holding my breath.

Have you had any uniform issues with your children?  How do you feel about uniform?

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