7th September 2017 1:00
By Blue Tutors
School uniforms have hit the headlines several times this year for various reasons. The boys in Exeter going to school in skirts to escape their hot trouser during the heat wave this summer highlighted one of the downfalls of a having such a ridged uniform policy, having originally been put in place after removing the summer and winter uniform to reduce the cost burden on families. Exclusions based on minor deviations from uniform policy have been condemned on social media, yet strict enforcement has been hailed by others as a necessary part of maintaining discipline. On the other hand, some schools are relaxing their uniform policies and a handful of schools have scrapped gendered uniform rules to cater to transgender or non-binary students and remove antiquated gender roles.
Whatever the angle, uniform debates are always divisive but often fail to address the key question: why do we have school uniforms anyway?
There are many advantages to a school uniform. In a practical sense, it reduces dramatically the number of clothes a child needs to own and parents need to buy, as well as the time taken getting ready in the morning. It removes certain socioeconomic factors from the school environment, levelling the playing field and promoting social cohesiveness. It also generates a sense of community and belonging as well as a formality to the school environment. Many argue it gives a sense of pride. There are also less obvious benefits like improved security (intruders stick out more) and it is easier to identify a student who is off campus. There has even been shown to be a correlation between school uniforms and improved attendance and behaviour.
Yet trying to make thousands of students conform to one uniform, intended as a tool of cohesion, can itself be decisive. Uniforms are made to detract from a student’s individuality, which the value of in itself can be questioned, but in fact trying to fit all children into one outfit comes with its own challenges which in fact highlight difference. Uniformity to avoid distraction makes any small nonconformities even more obvious and interesting. ‘Standard’ lengths and sizes make it difficult for those who have longer legs or larger chests and the task of deciding what is too short or too tight or not dark enough is not one any teacher relishes. There is also a significant cost to the various parts of the school uniform, form blazers to shoes to PE kits. Equally the uniformity within school that is meant to prevent bullying can make pupils a target once they are out of school. Finally, the uniform intended to improve discipline can sometimes have the opposite effect; small acts of defiance in the form of uniform violations also open up the door to other infractions disruptive behaviours.
School uniforms have been around for hundreds of years, and at present around 99% of school students in the UK have to adhere to some form of dress code. At half a billion GBP per year, the school uniform market seems to be here to stay for now.