It’s almost back to school time! Time to trawl the shops for school uniform bargains and pray that they still have Witchling 10 and Witchling 12 size shirts and blazers in stock!

I went to schools that didn’t have a school uniform. I never wore a blazer or a tie to school, while my sister did. We had a ‘dress code’, which, being true to myself, I flouted at every possible opportunity. We were supposed to wear blue or grey trousers or skirts and blue or grey jumpers. Shirts or blouses were supposed to be white or blue. No denim.
I found my old school photo from year 11 the other day (No I am not going to publish it here!) and I looked at my ’uniform’. On the day of the school photo I was adorned in a denim shirt and a burgundy cardigan with bright yellow buttons! Please remember that this was 1989 and I WAS at the height of fashion! Really! My sister’s picture from year 11 shows her in pristine white cotton shirt, black blazer and house tie. She looks cool and collected and really very smart. I looked a little like I had fallen in some superglue then rolled through an Oxfam shop!
It all got me thinking about school uniform. There are objections to it and there arguments in support of it. I thought I would share why I think school uniforms are great here with my avid readers (hello mum! Hello Sis!)
• Children wearing school uniform are more likely to take their studies seriously. They see their parents put on ‘work clothes’ and by donning their blazer they are doing the same.
• There is an argument that school uniform promotes school discipline and in an age when teachers are effectively powerless to discipline unruly children and many parents refuse to discipline them, this is no bad thing.
• Schools in the USA have reported that school uniforms actually reduce the amount of fighting and violence that can often arise when children argue over fashion.
• Children from less wealthy backgrounds are often the victims of bullying if they cannot afford the latest fashion brands and labels. School Uniform effectively negates this in schools.
• Children are easily distracted. Fashionable fads, and the temptation to make every outing through the front door a fashion parade, cause distractions. Unless your child is the next Jean Paul Gaultier, it’s probably not a good idea to allow them to spend more time thinking about their wardrobe than their homework.
• And speaking of designers…. There is a compelling argument that school uniform teaches children that their individuality does not need to be dictated to them by the hottest designer label or latest fad.
• School uniform doesn’t cost the earth. Buying sensibly from places like M&S, and Tesco or Asda means that back to school needn’t break the bank. Many schools sell their own sweatshirts and polo shirts. These are usually far cheaper than you could pay in the shops and the money benefits the school, and therefore benefits your child in the long run.
• Manufacturers are now cottoning on (see what I did there?) to the idea that kids clothes need to be made to last. School uniform these days is particularly good for being washable and extremely durable.
• Wearing school uniform helps a child feel that they ‘belong’ in the school and promotes school spirit.

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