School Uniform

School uniform plays a valuable role in contributing to the ethos of our school and setting an appropriate tone.

Aims

Our policy on school uniform is based on the notion that school uniform supports effective teaching and learning since it:

• Promotes a sense of pride in the school in line with our ethos

• Creates a sense of community and belonging towards the school

• Supports positive behaviour and discipline

• Is practical and smart

• Identifies the children with the school and encourages identity with the school

• Protects children from social pressures to dress in a particular way

• Makes children feel equal to their peers in terms of appearance and helps nurture cohesion between different groups of children

• Ensures children of all races and backgrounds feel welcome

• Is regarded as suitable wear for school and good value for money by most parents/carers

• Is designed with health and safety in mind.

Jewellery

On health and safety grounds we do not allow children to wear jewellery in our school. The exceptions to this rule are plain, simple earring studs in pierced ears and watches. We ask parents/carers wishing children to have pierced ears, to get piercing done right at the start of the summer holidays so that earrings can be removed for PE lessons from the start of the new school year. Where this is not possible we ask the children to either remove these objects during PE and games or cover them with plasters to prevent them from causing injury.

Footwear

The school wants all children to grow into healthy adults. We believe that it is dangerous for children to wear shoes that have platform soles or high heels so we do not allow children to wear such shoes in our school. Neither do we allow children to wear trainers to or in school; this is because we think that this footwear is appropriate for sport or for leisurewear but is not in keeping with the smart appearance of a school uniform. We require all children to wear black shoes as stated in the uniform list attached with the exception of during PE or games lessons.

Hair

Hair styles should be appropriate for school. This means:

• All children, girls and boys, should tie hair up where it is long enough to do so.

• Hair must be tied up in PE for health and safety reasons.

• For swimming lessons children should wear a swimming cap or tie long hair up.

• Hair accessories such as bobbles, head bands, clips etc must be plain, of a reasonable size and in keeping with the school colours.

• Hair gel, hair colours or braids are not permitted in school.

• Hair should be neat and tidy and worn with no extremes of style or colour.

Non regulation hairstyles are not part of school uniform and should not be worn. These include:

• Patterns or lines cut into the hair

• Hair that is long in parts and very short elsewhere

• Hair that has been spiked up

• Hair dyed, either wholly or partly, in a non-natural hair colour

If parents/carers are unsure about whether a style would be appropriate they should first check with a member of staff prior to making any changes. Parents/carers of children with inappropriate styles which do not adhere to this policy will be asked to collect their child from school to get the style rectified.

Cosmetics

Children must not wear cosmetics of any kind for school. These include:

• Make up

• Fake tanning products

• Nail varnish

• False nails

The Role of Parents

We ask all parents who send their children to our school to support the school uniform policy. We believe that parents have a duty to send their children to school correctly dressed and ready for the school day. One of the responsibilities of parents/carers is to ensure that their child has the correct uniform and that it is clean and in good repair.

If any parent/carer would like the school to modify the uniform policy they should make representation in the first instance to the Headteacher. The school welcomes children from all backgrounds and faith communities. If there are serious reasons, e.g. on religious grounds, why parents/carers want their child to wear clothes that differ from the school uniform, the school will look sympathetically at such requests.

The Role of Governors

The Governing Body supports the Headteacher in implementing the school uniform policy. It considers all representations from parents/carers regarding the uniform policy and liaises with the Headteacher to ensure that the policy is implemented fairly and with sensitivity.

It is the Governors’ responsibility to ensure that the school uniform policy meets all regulations concerning equal opportunities.

Governors ensure that the school uniform policy helps children to dress sensibly, in clothing that is hardwearing, safe and practical.

Monitoring and Review

The Governing Body monitors and reviews the school uniform policy by:

• Seeking the views of parents/carers, to ensure that they agree with and support the policy.

• Considering, with the Headteacher, any requests from parents/carers for individual children to have special dispensation with regard to school uniform.

• Requiring the Headteacher to report to the Governors on the way the school uniform policy is implemented.

Uniform List

We are proud of the very high standards of appearance set by our pupils and the pride they take in wearing their school uniform correctly. We ask all parents/carers who send their children to our school to support the school uniform policy by providing the following uniform for their children.

Every day uniform:

Royal blue jumper of cardigan with the school logo (Y6 children - navy blue jumper or cardigan with the school logo)
Gold polo shirt with the school logo
Black, dark grey or navy trousers, skirt or pinafore dress
Tartan royal blue and gold skirt or pinafore dress
Black shoes (not trainers)
In summer girls can wear blue or yellow gingham dresses.

PE Uniform:

White PE shirt with the school logo
Royal blue or navy shorts
Black plimsolls (without laces for children in KS1)
Trainers are optional for children in KS2 for outdoor PE lessons only
Jogging suit or warm clothing for outdoor games in winter (for children in KS2)
Draw stringed PE bag to store PE kit (large bags are unsuitable as bags are kept on pegs or in lockers)

All items of uniform, including PE uniform, book bags and PE bags, can be purchased from Slaters Uniform Supplies, Wigan.

We have some items of good quality used uniform for sale at reasonable prices in school.

All items of uniform should be clearly labelled with a child’s name.