School Uniform

[Timbo]

Six years ago they amalgamated the two secondary modern schools in town and created one of those 'academies' right on the outskirts of the town. This meant we had a Grammar School on one side of town and the Academy on the other. The Grammar School kids had smart blazers, school ties...the uniform I was more familiar with from my school days. The Academy had the black trousers, black sweatshirt and white polo shirt of the modern school. The major difference in the schools as seen by the public was the journeys made by the kids to and from school. The Grammar School was orderly, kids walking in small groups. The Academy kids in larger groups, shouting, bawling, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

 

My daughter attended the Academy which hit the national headlines when it became one of the 'failing' schools schools that had the management removed and replaced. I have to admit I visited the school several times in the past to play 'merry hell up'. My daughter wanted to study history at university, however thanks to the 'modern thinking' at the school, would have to take basic history and geography at sixth form before even starting her A levels. The school of course had a state of the art 'audiovisual suite' yet I found that the kids were sharing text books one book between three kids.
" You wouldn't understand how university works!" a head of year told me.

 

Things have changed for the better and dramatically. The new management at the Academy have introduced quite a few changes and one of the most visible is a change in uniform. Where the schools students had once sloped and sidled their way to and from the school like a mass exodus of penguins it is fantastic to see the change in the kids.They walk proudly,heads held high in their new uniform blazers and ties. Gone are the droves of kids playing havoc in the streets. You actually see kids from both schools associating with each other in the coffee shops, which was something that never occurred before To be honest its a pleasure to see the changes and I'm looking forward to seeing how they reflect come exam time. The kids are a credit to the school and the community and I hope the school and community now get behind the kids.

[Hockham Admiral]

Hear! Hear! Timbo  :clap

[MauriceMynah]

In my opinion (and only my opinion) School uniform achieves two things. Firstly it gives an identity to a group of individuals for those individuals. uniform isn't necessarily about regimentation, but it IS about 'belonging'.

Secondly (assuming the school has got it right) it is the financial leveler. It conceals the wealth or lack of it to the outsider. The wearers can leave school at the end of the working day looking as equals.

Just my opinion for which those of you who are wrong are welcome to disagree.

[grendel]

Ah schools, a topic I could waffle on about all day. My daughter went to a local secondary school, my wife became chair of the PTFA, when our daughter was bullied we were categorically told they didn't have a bullying problem, and that our daughter was the only one who was being bullied - this despite the fact that all of the other members of the PTFA had children who were the only ones being bullied. after she was knocked unconscious with a teacher watching (who did not intervene) we took her out of the school and enrolled her with the only other one available.

This school was in special measures, it had a management team in and they fully admitted bullying happened, they also said that when it happened it was investigated and dealt with. (in fact at one point they were rated as the worst school in the UK).

my daughter thrived there, worked hard, teachers were in short supply but they were good teachers (one teacher taught 2 classes at once via a audio visual link up, with 2 classroom assistants (one in each class) to help, everything was very progressive. my daughter went on to become head girl there and passed her exams.

They did not do sixth form there, so she had to look round, her results were so good that she was taken on for the 6th form by a local Grammar school (rated in the top 10 of the country).

Her old school came out of special measures and went on to become an academy, they then introduced a uniform, there was only one problem - the young ladies who attended objected to the hand of friendship logo the academy adopted, that adorned the breast pockets of the blazers (ahem, not a great location to have a hand positioned).

Anyway the Grammar school tried to teach my daughter, she tried, but they had not accounted for the fact that she had done a different curriculum up to that point, there were gaps in her knowledge they didn't address which made progression on to A levels very difficult, my daughter failed at this top school.

after a year out she went back to college and re sat her a levels, this time managing a pass. Since then she has gone to University (this was the point they found she had a mild dyslexia which was what had been making her learning difficult previously. She finished her law degree earlier this year managing a credible pass.

All this goes to show that a bad school can teach someone who has the potential probably better than a good one that doesn't recognise that potential in the pupil.

Both myself and my wife went to Grammar Schools, and found them quite rigid in their teaching methods, I think a pupil gets the best from any school that recognises their ability and has teachers who do their best to bring the abilities of the child to the fore, rather than rigidly working towards exam results and league tables.

(I think part of the issue with the school that was in special measures was the problem that as a town with a local military barracks - this was the school a majority were sent to, every few years (usually just before exam times) the garrison changed and about 25% of the pupils left and took their exams elsewhere, and a new batch of pupils arrived to take their exams - I am sure this drastically affected their performance in the league tables.

Grendel

[grendel]

PS when I was at school the 6th form brought the whole school out on strike because the head decided to not allow the lower forms to watch the house plays one year. after several hours it was agreed that each would be performed twice, once to the upper school, then again the next day to the lower school.

Grendel

[Timbo]

I look back with horror on my own school uniform days. I moved from an inner city junior school where my own particular uniform consisted of the then fashionable flared trousers, with exactly six buttons on the waistband above the fly...less than six you were so uncool, to a village comprehensive school with strict uniform policy. Having moved house Mum and Dad were a little short of the readies to buy the school uniform, so I had to go in mufti...but wait a minute...did they let me go in jeans and my doc martins...oh no! I had such evil parents that they made me wear a two piece suit and tie...my life was ruined from that point on!

[grendel]

having had to wear a tie at school, I now only own 2 (one of which has father Christmas on and plays tunes) I was a stickler for school rules (so much that they changed them) until the 6th form I had the beginnings of a straggley beard (the school rules stated that in the 6th form you must shave), I pointed out to the many teachers who would give me gifts at Christmas and birthday like packs of Bic razors, that since I had not yet reached the 6th form, I was not obliged to abide by that rule. my first day back for the 6th form I appeared neatly shaven, the two following years are the only time in my life I have shaven, the rest of my life I have sported a beard (of various lengths)-once I was able to grow one that is - at one point I would plait it into two plaits on the corners of the chin) recently it has been more under control with regular trimming.

Grendel

[BrundallNavy]

When I saw the title of this tread I thought it was the dress code for the Forum meet up this weekend, SWMBO will be dissapointed

Doug.

[Timbo]

When I saw the title of this tread I thought it was the dress code for the Forum meet up this weekend, SWMBO will be dissapointed

Doug.

Errr...you don't have to tell her you know Doug! 

[Paul]

There has been a lot of debate locally about school uniform recently. Jamie has just started reception year at our local CofE controlled school and wears his uniform, typical first school style, grey trousers with embroidered polo shirts and embroidered sweatshirts. We could either buy from the school, or from Tesco with who the school had registered the design for the embroidery. Jamie's uniform, three pairs of trousers, three sweatshirts, five polo shirts, school shoes, socks and even new undies cost less than £100. Can't argue at that, in my opinion. If any of it starts looking grubby it will be replaced, it's cheap enough even though I would not call us "well off".

 

We have the old school system here still, reception plus two years at first school (infant school as I would have called it), across the road and change of colour for Junior school, then round the corner and another change of colour for three years at high school before we make a choice on school for his two years leading up to exams.

 

One of the schools we can choose has been openly criticised a number of times for the cost of it's uniform, which can only be bought from the school. £20 for an embroidered polo shirt (remember these are now 14/15/16 year olds so you'd expect it to be more than the infant uniform....), even more for an embroidered jumper and the blazer is £55, though classed as "optional".

 

Last year an OFSTED investigation found the school guilty of inflating uniform prices to discourage less well off families sending their children, and so improve their results, there being a proven link between less well off families and their children's academic achievements. The school was penalised, the head "resigned" and a new board of governors appointed by the local education authority. At the time lots of parents called for the uniform to be scrapped but OFSTED produced a number of reports that showed that academic achievement was clearly improved in schools where uniform was worn, than where it is not and it is one of their key proposals to improve failing schools.

 

 

[Rincewind]

 

and either an Afghan or a Great Coat with hair half way down my back.

Oh to be able to do that now, Dave!

[BroadScot]

What tickles me is....when they leave school to go to univeristy...anything goes  Uniform....what uniform

 

 

Iain.

[Timbo]

I had a uniform at University Iain!  Gandalf beard, long hair, Doc Martin 1490's, hand knitted jumper in loud colours, jeans and combat jacket. Accessories included nicotine stains, curry stains, trowel, notebook and pencil, pint of Abbot Ale or a Pernod and black.

[Polly]

I never liked the notion of school uniform. We educate children to think and develop their individual talents ( at best) then dress them all alike? Most of Europe and America manages without...