Why you should follow school uniform rules - Bubbablue and me

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.

Why you should follow school uniform rules - Bubbablue and me

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why you should stop moaning about school uniform - Bubbablue and me

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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6 Comments

  1. I agree with the uniform rules and I stick to them…..I laugh too every year when parents are outraged that their child has been sent home because they have the wrong uniform. You can guarantee it’s not kids who are new to the school either it’s cheeky so and so’s trying to just break the rules.

  2. I have to disagree when you say it doesn’t have to be expensive. Our school have changed the uniform this year from black skirts or trousers which could be bought from Tesco or Asda for a fiver per skirt, now have to be a special tartan design which can only be bought in one shop and they cost 18 pounds each. This is a school that has many pupils from very low income families. My girls now have to wear trousers for the whole year because I refuse to pay the ridiculous amount for one skirt. Schools have a right to set the rules for uniforms but they should be affordable for all and 18 pounds for one skirt is not affordable for everyone.

  3. I quite like school uniform. Makes it much easier when it comes to getting dressed each morning as you know what they need to wear. I can imagine it is frustrating though if the school is prescriptive about something like jogging bottoms having to be a non-standard colour if you’re struggling to get them in the right size though. I did bend school uniform rules a few times with Jessica though when she needed to wear extra layers to keep warm but the school were always ok with it.

  4. Absolutely agree! Until they leave school, they are my responsibility – so if they need uniform, it is my job to buy the correct uniform! I am struggling with the need for black trainers for PE – I don’t want to spend a fortune and Archie has narrow feet, so I want something cheap, comfy, safe…and can’t find any in black to fit the bill! It seems PE outside (which they do more in year 3 and beyond) is safe in trainers than plimpsols, which is fine. But I can’t find a reason for black trainers!! And I have no idea if this means black soles, or can it be black with a white sole. Or can I not just get him some plain trainers in any old colour!! I am actually stressing much more than I should…I might just email the head!!

  5. My son starts school in September, I was a little surprised at the amount of uniform, but wouldn’t dream of not getting it! Wearing uniform teaches them life lessons (which is what school is all about!)

    1. I totally agree. Our school doesn’t have that much which is essential, but all the top half has to be logo so it is pricy compared with schools that allow plain polos etc. Hope your son is looking forward to starting and settles in well

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