Angry parents condemn school uniform change

8:24am Monday 25th June 2012 in News By Peter Truman

A ROW has erupted after a school decided to bring in a new uniform.

Parents have lodged their discontent after Uckfield Community Technology College approved moves for a new uniform starting next term.

The new gear will be for those in Years 7 to 10 but many have questioned the need for the change, especially as the uniform can only be bought from one outlet rather than on the high street.

Jan Stringer-Quinn has a daughter due to enter Year 10 in September. She said: “If they want to make this change they should do this for new Year 7 students and make this optional for those children in later years.

“I do not support this change and refuse to spend money on new uniform which is extremely unpopular. I work extremely hard and can think of better ways to spend my money.

“I have three jumpers and cardigans and many polo shirts, all of which will see my daughter through the next year and am told now I have to replace this uniform. This is an extremely unpopular decision with both parents and students.”

Parents have set up a group on Facebook where they have been lodging their complaints about the shake-up.

The school acknowledged some parents were not happy but defended its decision, claiming in a “parent only” questionnaire that 434 voted in favour compared to 192 against.

It said there was a concern that high street blouses could be adapted.

Principal Hugh Hennebry said: “Our parents expressed their desire to see our uniform change to reflect the outstanding status of Uckfield Community College. This is why we have introduced the change.

“We initially suggested the change be introduced just for Year 7 students but the new intake parents were unanimous in not wanting their children to start at their new school looking different, so we decided to introduce it with Years 7 to 10.

“Our new uniform is a very similar cost to the old one and we have carefully chosen clothing for value for money, ease of washing and ironing and ability to withstand wear.

“Students will be using the polo shirts and sweatshirts from the old uniform as their new PE kit, so there is no wastage.

“Any family struggling to buy uniform will be helped.”

Comments(23)

sam666tm says...
8:54am Mon 25 Jun 12

iam having the same thing with mu daughters skool at the mo she will b going up 2 yr8 in sept and they have just made a new skool skirt 4 the girls they r now not 2 wear plane black 1s witch i fill if they want 2 make these changers they should at lest help ppl like me singel parents the have brought unifourm 2 last 2yrs or so i mean £20 4 1 skirt i could bye 2 for that at asda

Report this post »

superseagulls says...
8:59am Mon 25 Jun 12

sam666tm wrote:
iam having the same thing with mu daughters skool at the mo she will b going up 2 yr8 in sept and they have just made a new skool skirt 4 the girls they r now not 2 wear plane black 1s witch i fill if they want 2 make these changers they should at lest help ppl like me singel parents the have brought unifourm 2 last 2yrs or so i mean £20 4 1 skirt i could bye 2 for that at asda
Is this a joke?

Report this post »

Euly says...
9:17am Mon 25 Jun 12

superseagulls wrote:
sam666tm wrote:
iam having the same thing with mu daughters skool at the mo she will b going up 2 yr8 in sept and they have just made a new skool skirt 4 the girls they r now not 2 wear plane black 1s witch i fill if they want 2 make these changers they should at lest help ppl like me singel parents the have brought unifourm 2 last 2yrs or so i mean £20 4 1 skirt i could bye 2 for that at asda
Is this a joke?
sadly I dont think it is a joke.....

Report this post »

PETE OF QUEENS PARK says...
9:28am Mon 25 Jun 12

I think Sam 666tm needs to go back to school if this letter is the best they can do.I hope they were not educated at the school in question

Report this post »

Ligand Fields says...
9:57am Mon 25 Jun 12

Clearly there has already been consultation and the majority of parents WANTED the change. What a total non-story. Sounds like the "angry" parents who "condemn" the changes don't much like the idea of democracy. Perhaps they'd be happier moving to Russia, Iran or North Korea instead? Just a suggestion.

Report this post »

purplepants says...
11:49am Mon 25 Jun 12

I wonder how many of the angry parents actually bothered to vote against the change. If you can't be bothered to vote you don't have any right to complain if the outcome goings against your wishes.

Report this post »

Goldenwight says...
12:17pm Mon 25 Jun 12

I don't have school age children, so perhaps I should keep my mouth shut, but:

"The school acknowledged some parents were not happy but defended its decision, claiming in a “parent only” questionnaire that 434 voted in favour compared to 192 against."

So, unless someone is suggesting that the school are lying, this initiative has been voted through by over a 2:1 majority. Where is the problem, please? If any national government could command this sort of majority, we would all be totally screwed!

Report this post »

Ligand Fields says...
12:29pm Mon 25 Jun 12

Clearly the only solution here is for the impoverished children to turn up to school in tattered rags instead of their expensive new uniforms? This would have the added bonus in that they could also stage a school production of 'Les Miserables' at little additional cost.
Alternatively, simply get somewhere in China to pirate the uniform design and undercut the "official" supplier, as routinely happens with ludicrous sportswear and football kits.

Report this post »

longman says...
1:54pm Mon 25 Jun 12

Children grow very quickly and I doubt that a child going into Year 10 in September will still be in the same uniform at the beginning of next term that s/he was in at the start of Year 9. Mine certainly weren't. These parents should stop moaning and buy the new uniform seeing as they will need new stuff anyway. So what if they have to go to one particular store. More likely to get the correct stuff and their children won't get into trouble/sent home for wearing the incorrect uniform. I imagine these parents are the ones who are first to complain when their little darlings ARE sent home for not wearing the correct clothing.

Report this post »

Ligand Fields says...
2:12pm Mon 25 Jun 12

Do they send kids home for that? In my day, we'd be made to stay at school, but in our vest and pants. Didn't do us any harm at all.

Report this post »

Jan SQUINN says...
3:25pm Mon 25 Jun 12

For those ignorant people who have responded to this, you need to know the facts first. The majority of parents didn't get the questionnaire and the school cannot defend itself as they are unable to produce the stats of who actually received the questionnaire. So how can we vote against something that was simply announced

Report this post »

Jan SQUINN says...
3:38pm Mon 25 Jun 12

Also whatever happened to freedom of choice, we are being dictated to as to where we buy these new blazers, one sole very overpriced supplier Sussex Uniforms who stand to gain financially from this agreement

Report this post »

Goddess_Of_Innocence says...
5:42pm Mon 25 Jun 12

To Purple pants and Ligand field and others that appear to like to comment without having the full information.
Many parents were NOT given or indeed informed about the questionnaire. It was NOT a parents only one, from what we have discovered, pupils were also those that filled in the questionnaires. AND the questionnaire asked if they were happy with the current uniform or if they would like change. They did NOT ask what type of uniform the pupils or parents would prefer and did not consult with parents about this. In these difficult financial times it seems totally inappropriate to instigate a new uniform consisting of FOUR different uniforms. There will now be a different uniform for girls and boys and another set of different uniforms between key stage 3 and key stage 4. And although the school offers help to those struggling financially, how is this determined? Not everyone that is struggling financially is in receipt of a Government benefit. And to have only ONE supplier (which is not local) but mainly contactable via the internet (an online shop) means that there is no competition on price either. It is for these reasons and a few others that parents are angry with the school.. Democracy is dead..

Report this post »

The Gnome says...
8:37pm Mon 25 Jun 12

School uniform change is just a symptom of the obsession we have with rebranding. It started in the 1980s when we renamed Job Centres to disguise the fact that there weren't any jobs. Parents have to pay for the uniforms, but we all pay for the rebranding of public services. It's a very visible way for politicians and managers to say "look - we've made changes" and it keeps the graphic designers in business. All too often, rebranding serves to hide a lack of real investment.

Report this post »

RoxyHeart131 says...
9:15pm Mon 25 Jun 12

I am a student in year 9 and although i don't mind the new school uniform i will wear it. However i have spoken to many of my friends from different forms and no one including me got a questionnaire about it. You say that you asked people but your figures say that there has been 434 vote for and 192 against that is 626 there is more people than that let alone the parents. Many teachers don't like it but think they have no right to say. I say if we have to wear a new uniform to make the school look better than shouldn't the teachers have a certain uniform they have to wear to make it look like everyone cares. Your caring so much about the uniform that you need to focus on other important things to help the school like trying to get outstanding at Oxford and help kids to get better GCSE's and A-Levels.
My mum has me and my sister to pay for the new school uniform and also my brother has grown out of his school uniform so she has 3 kids to get school uniform for.
Many parents cant afford the new uniform and you say the school can help them out but many people are too proud to say"oh I cant afford the school uniform".
The school are trying not to single people out but if someone turns up at school after the holiday in the old uniform they might get picked on. Have you thought of that?
My last thing is i think that the tradition of different coloured tops should stay.That was the one thing me and my friends were looking forward too and now its gone they will just look like the rest of the school. Its a symbol of maturity and only having one year left of school.

Report this post »

AndrewStafford says...
11:38pm Mon 25 Jun 12

Ligand Fields wrote:
Clearly there has already been consultation and the majority of parents WANTED the change. What a total non-story. Sounds like the "angry" parents who "condemn" the changes don't much like the idea of democracy. Perhaps they'd be happier moving to Russia, Iran or North Korea instead? Just a suggestion.
Clearly Ligand Fields is making some assumptions;

There hasn't been any democracy, at least not in the traditional sense, - the school hasn't been able to say how many students and parents actually voted in their referendum (story keeps changing) and it would seem that they haven't kept proper records. Its a uniform from a past century, Ties and blazers, inequality - this school needs to wake up in the 21st Century.

Report this post »

AndrewStafford says...
11:42pm Mon 25 Jun 12

Ligand Fields wrote:
Do they send kids home for that? In my day, we'd be made to stay at school, but in our vest and pants. Didn't do us any harm at all.
You are obviously of a generation that is so out of touch with the needs of a modern school.

Is that your suggestion? Send the kids to school in vest and pants?

Suggest you consider therapy for that particular problem

Report this post »

Kags M says...
12:44am Tue 26 Jun 12

Those who slate parents here don't have the full picture. For example, I was one of the parents who completed the consultation questionnaire. The votes the school refer to were just a yes / no scenario, i.e. I answered yes, in principle, I would be 'for' a change in uniform, but I assumed any changes would be phased in amongst the younger pupils. To find I have to pay a small fortune to replace perfectly good items of uniform as my daughter begins year 10 is ludicrous. To say the existing items won't be wasted is also ludicrous. Who needs 3 sweatshirts and 4 polo shirts for PE?
Like I said, in principle, I wasn't completely opposed to a change in uniform, but I was never consulted over the choice of items, the blazer, the sole supplier, etc.
With my eldest about to set off for uni, and regular rises in the cost of living, our family budget is already being stretched.
The current economic climate is extremely difficult for so many parents, and I doubt school funds will extend to assisting all of us who are finding it difficult to fund such an expensive change. There will be a strict eligibility criteria and many of us will fall outside of this.
Ultimately, the changes are being railroaded through and parents have not been fully consulted. So many families weren't even aware of the questionnaire the school issued.

Report this post »

Jan SQUINN says...
8:58am Tue 26 Jun 12

I feel for those working parents who already have hefty child care bills to pay, now this additional burden on their income. Surely Mr Cameroon will not be in favour of parents giving up work, to live on benefits to reduce childcare costs and now to receive funding towards a new uniform. The nonsense about using the old dark heavy navy polo shirts for PE is a complete no-no, I know our UK summers are not always the best but when they are muggy and hot the kids will melt in this dark clothing.

Report this post »

nosolution says...
9:36am Tue 26 Jun 12

The uniform only available from 1 supplier?Seems to me that he school is on a clawback from the shop.They would be stupid if they didn`t.What would the commission be i wonder? Say 10%,that`s a lot of money in the school coffers for no work.

Report this post »

Jan SQUINN says...
9:56am Tue 26 Jun 12

AndrewStafford wrote:
Ligand Fields wrote: Do they send kids home for that? In my day, we'd be made to stay at school, but in our vest and pants. Didn't do us any harm at all.
You are obviously of a generation that is so out of touch with the needs of a modern school. Is that your suggestion? Send the kids to school in vest and pants? Suggest you consider therapy for that particular problem
Ligand Fields wrote:
Do they send kids home for that? In my day, we'd be made to stay at school, but in our vest and pants. Didn't do us any harm at all.

How old are you????? Need to get with the times

Report this post »

Jimmy Stewart's Imaginary Rabbit says...
5:25pm Tue 26 Jun 12

Goldenwight wrote:
I don't have school age children, so perhaps I should keep my mouth shut, but:

"The school acknowledged some parents were not happy but defended its decision, claiming in a “parent only” questionnaire that 434 voted in favour compared to 192 against."

So, unless someone is suggesting that the school are lying, this initiative has been voted through by over a 2:1 majority. Where is the problem, please? If any national government could command this sort of majority, we would all be totally screwed!
It's interesting because my first thought was to agree with you, but reading the other comments from the parents in question it's obvious SOMEONE is lying.

My gut feeling is to say it's the parents who are telling the truth and the school who are lying. It's a classic tactic for organisations who have already decided on something to mutter "weredoingsomethingy
ouwon'tlike" and then claim it was a 'consultation'. It's the equivalent of holding an 'open' meeting at midnight having sent out the invitations at 24:50

Report this post »

Jimmy Stewart's Imaginary Rabbit says...
5:26pm Tue 26 Jun 12

... or even at 23:50! D'oh!

Report this post »

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree