Pupils should be allowed to wear tracksuits and trainers in the classroom “as standard” to make school uniform more inclusive and remove “barriers to activity”, a group of MPs has said. The Telegraph has more.
A new report urged the Government to permit sportswear and trainers “as standard” to remove “barriers to activity” in the classroom.
The Commons culture, media and sport committee claimed the change would allow children to move more comfortably throughout the school day.
Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, is already making it harder to enforce state-school uniform by limiting the number of branded clothing items to three.
The committee’s report, titled ‘Game On’ and published on Monday, also argued that kit for physical education (PE) lessons could act as a “barrier for engagement” among pupils.
It said: “We recommend that the Government issue guidance making clear that schools are expected to adopt PE kit and uniform policies that prioritise comfort, inclusivity and dignity – particularly for girls and pupils with protected characteristics.
“The Government should also promote more practical, activity-friendly school uniforms, such as allowing sportswear or trainers as standard, to ensure pupils can move comfortably throughout the day.
“These measures would help reduce barriers to activity, lower costs for families and increase participation, particularly among girls.”
The committee cited evidence that while boys were more likely to describe PE lessons as “exciting” or “engaging”, girls were more likely to see them as “embarrassing” or “stressful”.
The report went on to quote the organisation Inclusive Sportswear, which described girls’ PE kits as “mandatory over-sexualised uniforms” that provided a “lack of choice and comfort”.
Worth reading in full.
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“INCLUSIVE”——Basically means let’s drop to the lowest common denominator.
A longstanding problem with school uniforms – or purchase of – is that schools won’t accept / allow pupils to wear generic style navy / green / black / grey / burgundy / white school clothes. Items that are easily available from most supermarkets at a reasonable price and reasonable quality. No, not permitted, the parent can only / must buy from selective ‘uniform’ supply shops at a much greater price.
Children have been excluded from schools because they are not wearing more expensive designated clothing bought from the ‘approved’ suppliers / distributors…another lucrative cartel exploiting children.
That is the problem in a nutshell!
we found this when our children were in school.
There shouldn’t be a lot of physical activity in a classroom.
Are these morons suggesting that pupils take part in PE then spend the rest of the day in a sweaty tracksuit?
Phillipson, Reeves etc. are hard-line totalitarians. They are not incompetent well-meaning idiots. They need to be resisted.
I’m personally not that keen on uniform though I don’t have super strong feelings. But as others have also pointed out, a uniform is meant to be uniform.
The cheapest option would be the burka as it’s only a sheet of black material.
Please don’t put ideas into people’s heads.
Actually I’ve seen reports of a Muslim woman complaining about the burka saying that because of the amount of cloth it is very expensive and only the holier than thou types wear it because they want to flaunt their riches.
PE lessons embarrassing and stressful? You have no idea! In my girls’ grammar school (which will remain nameless and unplaced) we had to have games and PE outside in the summer, in the garden area opposite the school, wearing our white Aertex tops and maroon bloomers: in full view of the public, members of which did not hold back on their comments and wolf whistles.
I couldn’t care, to be honest, as I’m now totally indifferent about the school uniform issue because it doesn’t affect us. I can see the pros and cons. Here in the Netherlands neither primary nor high schools have uniform policies. In fact, it’s the same across most of Europe. Kids wear whatever they like and I think that’s easier and what most people prefer. I bet if you did a survey most kids and parents would agree.
They tend to prioritise individualism over conformity here and nothing bad’s happened, therefore where is the need or justification?
Ask Katherine Birbalsingh. She disagrees with you.
Ask the whole of mainland Europe. They disagree with her.🙄
Did you know that people are allowed to have a difference of opinion without resorting to snark? That it is actually a thing?🤷♀️
And perhaps brush up on your reading comprehension while you’re at it. I already said: “I can see the pros and cons.”
The whole point is that poor students wear one uniform (and that uniform is provided for free in the UK’s poorest households).
As a poor student (not that long ago) I was grateful I wasn’t competing against rich students wearing the latest trainers.
Yet strangely all the “poor students” over here somehow cope, and that isn’t a valid enough reason for them to suddenly introduce school uniforms over here in mainland Europe. Or do you not suppose there’s any hard up families in France, Germany, Belgium…What do these kids wear in the school vacation, do you think?🤷♀️
As I went through school in the UK and wore uniform I can see it from that angle, but as a parent with a school age kid over here where no uniforms are the norm I can also see it from this angle. I have a better ability to look at this issue objectively than most on here, compare the pros and cons of both sides, because I’m not biased.
But God forbid anyone wants to step outside the safe zone of the DS echo chamber and consider a different perspective from somebody who is actually in that situation. The ‘hive mind’ that inhabits this place with its “my way or the highway” attitude to anyone nonconformist who doesn’t toe the line…😆
There is no right or wrong on this topic, only those for or against, based on weighing up the advantages/disadvantages. Had I still lived… Read more »
Of course most people would agree – they have been propagandised.
What propaganda? The Dutch have never worn school uniform. Actually, some schools do it as an April Fool’s joke over here and it goes down like a lead balloon. The vast majority of Europe don’t bother. The UK is one of a few outliers in the continent.
Loving the ‘seethe and cope’ from people, like I’ve just suggested all schools should go halal 😁;
”In modern Europe, Britain, Malta and Ireland stand out as the only countries where school uniform is widely adopted by state schools and generally supported by national and local governments, although there is no legislation governing school uniform in the UK.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_uniforms_by_country
What don’t these idiots understand about “uniform”, as opposed to not uniform, but also the purpose of a uniform is to show that its wearers are all included in a specific group.
Uniforms are therefore by definition, inclusive. Wearing different uniforms, means not inclusive.
100% agree – it’s also a great leveller and stops the rich kids (and/or indebted parents) turning up in £300 trainers
Yep good point. ——At secondary school we had a blazer shirt tie, girls had skirts blazer tie and we all felt part of something. We had a School Orchestra and we put on Opera’s. I was in the Magic Flute and Yeoman of the Guard. There was respect to teachers and discipline. But today ofcourse respect and discipline are dirty words and respect is only to be given to the to rag and the trouble maker because it is society’s fault they turned out to be raga muffins
“ But today of course respect and discipline are dirty words…”
And the situation is so bad that legislation is needed to prohibit mobile phones in schools, because at the moment there are only guidelines and legislation will make things clearer and take the pressure off head teachers.
Says it all doesn’t it? Head teachers have no authority, no backbone, so it’s a job for Parliament.
When I was at school (1950s/1960s), there was no doubt who was in charge. We were not allowed to eat sweets or chew gum in class, or sit reading comics – legislation wasn’t needed. I can’t imagine mobile phones – if we had had them – would be allowed. Cigarettes were banned too.
We weren’t allowed to carry knives in school even though most of us in those days had them – I had two sheath knives and a pen knife. But there was no “knife crime”.
Thus completing the US style Ghettoization of the UK