Traditionally, most schools have a uniform which pupils are required to wear. But many children would prefer not to wear a uniform at all. And parents often complain that uniforms are an inconvenient expense. So should pupils still be made to wear school uniforms?
Yes – Marvin
School uniforms are an essential part of establishing discipline within a school. They give children a sense of belonging and when they put their uniform on in the morning it puts them in the right frame of mind for a day of learning. Without a uniform, schools would turn into a fashion show and pupils would be more interested in what everyone was wearing than in concentrating on their lessons. Having a uniform also helps to prevent bullying by making pupils more equal – no-one can be singled out for not wearing the latest trend or for not having expensive designer labels.
As a parent I love the fact that my children have to wear a uniform – it makes getting ready on a morning so much easier as there are no arguments about what the children are going to wear. The school uniform also ensures that pupils are properly dressed and comfortable for a day at school. I don’t have to worry about my daughters wanting to wear miniskirts in the middle of winter for example – or wearing high heels to walk to school.
When children finally grow up and start work they will be required to dress appropriately and stick to a particular dress code. Wearing a uniform at school is therefore good preparation for the future. I would hate to see schools become more lenient and definitely think that uniforms should be here to stay.
No – Tiffany
I hated wearing a uniform when I was at school – it was hot, itchy and incredibly unstylish. Two decades on and little has changed – unsurprisingly, my children hate wearing their uniforms too. I think uniforms are an outdated idea and really should have been scrapped by now. We live in a society that encourages free thinking and creativity but then we make our children all dress the same at school, removing their individuality and freedom of choice.
I know people say that a uniform helps prevent bullying but from what I’ve seen, bullying happens anyway – uniform or not. Pupils can be picked on for having the wrong haircut or for not wearing their backpack in the ‘right’ way and so having a uniform sadly doesn’t stop bullying. There are lots of other ways to encourage children to be respectful and disciplined at school – saying that it comes down to what they are wearing is far too simplistic. A badly behaved child will behave badly no matter what they are wearing and I’ve heard of some very high performing schools that promote a no-uniform policy.
With three children at secondary school, buying the uniforms is very expensive. I’d much prefer it if they could wear their own clothes instead as it would save me a fortune. I’d like to see all schools scrap uniforms and allow pupils to express their personalities through what they choose to wear.
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