Change to Heber uniform?

[Fuschia]

Have other parents been told by their children that today assembly was told of major changes to uniform from December?

[MummaB]

No - haven't anything about that. Better hold off on getting stuff then if it's all changing. Surely we should get a letter soon if that's the case.

[Fuschia]

I am seething, assuming it's true.

My son said that it will be obligatory to purchase logo'ed polo shirts, no plain jumpers or polos will be allowed.

I would struggle to afford all that uniform for 3 children!

There is a code of practice on uniform produced by the National Governors Association and it specifically includes the need to consult fully with parents on uniform changes, to phase in properly, to have a reasonable balance between specified and generic items, not to restrict purchase to one supplier, and to consider carefully before a school sets up a system where uniform sales generate profit for the school.

Such a change by Heber would fall foul of every single one of those points.

[kristymac1]

The only info I got from my daughter (albeit yr 1 so 'info' used in the loosest sense) is that there's no jewelry and no trainers.

December would seem a strange/unfair time to change the uniform in a major way, surely if major changes are afoot, they'll wait till the start of the new academic year - or risk certain,justifiable uproar from the parents on the grounds of cost surely??

[Fuschia]

Km, a reasonable person might very well think that...

[melbourne groover]

The info I got (yr 2 child) was that everyone had to be in proper uniform, not that the uniform was changing. There are meetings next week so should all come clear then maybe.

[sunbob]

Do most schools have badges you can just sew on? I'm truly hoping that will be an option wherever my little one ends up next Sept. Although, I suppose you could buy the official clothes the first year, then cut the logos off and use them again.

[Fuschia]

My child is in year 5 so he is quite good at accurate reporting. I will investigate.

He also reported that crisps will no longer be allowed in packed lunches, which doesn't bother me too much as I don't think children should have crisps in school peaked lunches, but I am not sure I agree that a school should be dictating (and I am sure many parents will be very upset!)

[Fuschia]

School admissions code:

'Governing bodies should ensure that the uniform chosen is widely available in high street shops and other retail outlets, and internet suppliers rather than from an expensive sole supplier. They can use their own purchasing power to buy in bulk and pass on savings to parents. Governing bodies should not seek to operate as sole suppliers in order to raise additional funds through the sale of new school uniforms.'

[Smiler]

There has just been an Office of Fair Trading report on school uniforml with guidance for schools, says that as much as possible should be generic. I didn't think that schools were legally allowed to insist on uniform?! Or maybe that was just when I was at school.....

[redjam]

I heard from my Yr 3 daughter that children needed to wear proper black school shoes (i.e. not trainers) and they won't be allowed to have chocolate in their packed lunches. Neither of which I have a problem with, tbh.

I'll be a bit miffed about the polo shirts, if that's true, as this year - for the first time - I opted out of the logo ones and bought plain white ones, as my daughters wear them under dresses so you can't see the logo. Hey ho, that'll be a tenner wasted if they're going to be strict about that!

[katgod]

I understood it to be more of an amnesty- no trainers, proper school shoes only but you have til January to comply, which gives time to get it sorted. I think that is fair enough. The uniform has always been there and the vast majority comply. There are a few who don't and they are being given time to comply. It has always been the case that logo sweatshirts were required. It is hardly expensive blazers and multiple sports kits. Pretty much all schools have logo sweatshirts and I fully support getting those who don't comply to do so.

[Fuschia]

Sweatshirts isn't such a big deal, we have those (at ?7.50 each!) though good practice in schools includes pupils being allowed to also wear plain jumpers or cardigans.

But if plain white polos are no longer allowed. It would mean buying lOgo'ed ones from the school at ?6.50 each'

[JessicaCT]

Have just sent stiffly worded email to school suggesting they clarify (ie actually tell parents rather than children) and mentioning that I won't be forking out for new uniform till my son's grown out of the old lot. Suspect I may not be the only one.

Oh, and if you're after cheap Heber sweatshirts, the school's second-hand uniform stall (run by Sol and Louise - yr 5)has loads and only charges ?1 a pop. Not so good for the polos though as white tops don't really survive one owner.

[Fuschia]

Yep, I try to get sweatshirts second hand. Child no 1 less them continually. No joke at ?7.50 for new ones!

[wonderwoman]

Fushia, didn't hear the one about school uniform, but my son in yr4 reported the new policy about packed lunches,as from tomorrow apparently, no crisps, chocolates, sweets, biscuits, cakes but you can bring cheese and yoghurts. Although a bit strict and I agree maybe shouldn't be up to school to dictate, it seems to be a drive to encourage healthier eating and also in relation to nut allergies which many children in the school suffer from (not sure how true that is). I posed the question to my son about lactose/dairy intolerance and his reply was no one has that problem?? Also I'm sure they serve cakes and biscuits for desserts for their school dinners so have their caterers proof it's all free from nut exposure?? Reply was that this was probably going to be phased out of school dinners too! Apparently no birthday cakes will be allowed in future as well, they will just say happy birthday in class as they have a list of birthdays on the register, think this may be going a bit far though, shame :-(

[EDmummy]

There has always been a uniform policy but it has always been lightly policed. Fuschia, your son may not have been at the school under the previous Head when the uniform policy was first introduced (I was), and it was the case that shoes should be black, polo shirts and jumpers should be logo (we had a choice of colour initially).

I have managed to hand down many polo shirts to my younger child and to other children. With correct washing, they come up a treat and I have only had to throw away a handful over the last 7 years.

In the grand scheme of things, is this worth getting hot under the collar about before you have more information and have had a chat to relevant staff?

Wonderwoman, there are children at the school with fatal nut allergies and the policy around birthday cake has been shifting gradually over the years so I'm not surprised with the latest change. Lactose/dairy intolerance is not fatal and can be much more easily managed (been managing for 40 years myself to date).

[redjam]

I agree this really is not worth getting hot under the collar about. And I do believe a letter is going to go out very soon with all this info on so I think it's jumping the gun to complain about lack of communication.

I do feel rather sorry for the school sometimes - damned if they do, damned if they don't. I think healthy packed lunches is actually a very sensible policy (it helps us parents too as we should get less nagging for chocolate if it's not allowed), and I can see that the birthday cake thing is a pain for the teachers and potentially dangerous for those with nut allergies so I don't think it's the end of the world if this tradition dies out. Equally enforcing the school uniform code (which was already in place) doesn't seem unreasonable, though I agree it would have been helpful to say they were going to have a crackdown before we all bought the year's new uniform. But really, in the scheme of things, none of these rules seem remotely unreasonable to me.

[MummaB]

My son did suddenly recall assembly info this morning :-)

I can see you all know it's about wearing the appropriate school uniform (polo, jumper, black shoes) which he does anyway and I have no problem with - actually I thought they had to!

He doesn't have packed lunch anyway so no change for us. I think it's good of the school to try and encourage healthy eating.

Will look out for the letter regarding birthdays....happy to not have to bake and cut out 30 slices and wrap them in tissue! (bad mummy) but my son is really looking forward to bringing in something for class mates for his birthday (Oct), but he'll survive if the rules change for next year.

Regarding dietary restrictions - as nut allergy is the one main food allergy that can be potentially fatal most schools have a 'no nuts' policy and I'm sure the catering suppliers abide by those rules and regulations. The school can't manage foods coming in from home so it is up to us parents to make sure everything we bring in is nut free (even if only your child is eating it) - I always get a bit nervous about that and douple, triple check my cake mixture (though obviously I do try and bake from scratch...cough cough). For any children with other dietary restrictions (gluten, wheat, milk, egg, soya...the list goes on) this would be managed between the parents and the school/caterers directly with regards to the individual child as we can't start cutting out major food groups from the general school menu of course.

[Fuschia]

I spoke to Mr Block today and got a preview of the letter home. It is indeed the case that plain polos will not be allowed. And I do very much feel that it's not right for this to be announced after parents have already bought uniform for the year. Plain shirts will be ok, polo shirts not. At ?6,50 I won't be buying logo'd polo shirts I am afraid - and there is no way anything like that gets handed down on

Our family -my children are mostly boys, very active and continually covered in mud and paint, it feels like.

[Alec John Moore]

This recent Guardian article by Suzanne Moore prompted 14 pages of comments online:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/aug/29/school-uniform-kids-soulless-conformists?commentpage=2#start-of-comments

While it talks about secondary school unifrom of blazer and tie it does raise interesting issues around conformity, control and self expression. I know this thread isn't about that but since our kids' primary school in Camberwell had floated the idea of school uniform in the past I wonder what Heber parents think about the benefits or otherwise compulsory school uniform brings for children's behaviour and learning, what sanctions does or is the school allowed to apply and how does it affect children's ability to "express themselves"?

Alec

[Fuschia]

The recent Sutton Trust analysis of teaching and learning highlighted school uniform as having little effect on achievement

I can see other benefits to uniform

But I agree with the good practice laid out by the NGA and this announcement by Heber is not compliant

[Cora]

What is the reason behind enforcing a strict school uniform? Are school shoes better for them than trainers? If so, fine but if not why is the school getting hot under the collar? Do log'd polo's produce smarter, happier children - no. So what's the point? I can understand them saying logo'd uniform needed for school trips so it's easier to recognise the group but apart from that I would feel very annoyed that this is the sort of thing a school focuses on. Pointless.

[kristymac1]

We have never received any formal uniform list from the school and our daughter has just gone into yr 1. I have no problem with a strict uniform but it seems totally unreasonable to only communicate this after she has been at the school a year already and never has an issue been raised about her wearing a plain polo short and navy cardigan. As far as packed lunches are concerned, I wonder of along with no 'rubbish' in packed lunches (which I agree with btw), they'll remove cake/custard from the school dinners menu every day?

[dulwichgirl2]

Regardless if the content of the message, I don't understand why any school would announce things like this to children first. Any message (save perhaps the need for compulsory chocolate in lunches!) is likely to be the subject of Chinese whispers and subsequent confusion.