Many of us will have fond, and possibly not so fond (!) memories of our own school uniforms growing up. From struggling to tie our school ties up properly, to shining our shoes on a Sunday evening ready for the week ahead, and keeping our blazers pristine, they each served an important purpose and became a part of our childhood and adolescent memories.

The blazers, button up shirts or polo shirts, sensible shoes and the distinctive primary colours are what many of us will associate with school uniforms, but why have they become such and integral part to British schools? Traditionally favoured by private and parochial institutions, uniforms have now become common place across most schools and now across all ages, from the infants right through to higher education sixth forms and colleges. It’s become such an integral sight and so important that the UK actually has it’s own organisation, The Schoolwear Association.

Why should schools consider uniform?

Uniforms are proposed to first and foremost provide students with a universal and smart appearance. Researchers say that ensuring that all students have the same opportunities and sense of identity with their peers, and a loyalty to their college and school, a uniform creates their community. It places each student on an equal footing to their peers, from a diverse range of backgrounds, from day one and ensuring they have the opportunity to a fair start for their vital academic life. 

It starts with a tie…

It also allows the school or college to present a unified and smart appearance, especially when in public and traveling to and from school. Uniforms help create an enhanced pride within the public as the identify with the unity and community spirit the uniform represents. It is also thought that it may actually help deter crime and increase a students safety when in public, as well as deterring the in school culture of cliques and gangs.

The larger items of uniform are of course important, such as the school blazer or college sweatshirt. However the finishing touch of your uniform can be added by the simple addition of a school or college tie. Especially as in the warmer weather clothing scubas the blazers or sweatshirts are removed for comfort, often schools find that students are then not represented at all and their uniform becomes less identifiable for pupils. By including a college tie into the uniform pupils and public alike are able to proudly represent or identify which school tie the student is wearing.

However intricate or simple the uniforms are, finishing touches such as a uniformed tie can also be personalised to represent different clubs and activities within the school such as the sports teams, the college debate team, school swim team, drama club etc. A subtle redesign of the school’s logo can be crated to introduce your school can be designed and incorporated creating a recognisable display, especially useful when the clubs and teams travel to other venues for games and meets.

School ties are often seen as the finishing touch to a school uniform, often setting the uniforms apart and cementing the school tie as the flagship item of a school or college uniform. A school or college tie can give a polished look, an astute appearance and really emphasising the exclusivity of the uniform. 

Blazers and Embossed Jumpers

We all know how smart a blazer can look and one with a school logo on can look super smart. It is quite an investment for a parent so you’ll need these to be spot on when talking to suppliers.

You’ll need to think about fit and length for girls and boys as well as which size ranges you want to stock.It is really important when investing in a blazer as part of a uniform that you are considerate of quality and cut.

Jumpers are a great second to blazers. You could either get a school logo patch on or have them embroidered (which looks neater). The cost of these is significantly less than a blazer so it is worth giving parent the options of both to ensure that parental affordability is considered. If schools are made up of lower income families then opting for the school tie and book bag is a better selection in our opinion. You also want to consider that these options will only really be used in autumn and winter when the weather is colder.

Book bags, Lunch Boxes and Drinks Bottles

Preschool children who often go through clothes at a rate of notes need extra consideration. A parent won’t want to spend heaps of money when the child will suddenly have a growth spurt and two weeks after paying for a uniform will find that something doesn’t first.

For younger children it is essential to make sure they feel included too so even if there is no uniform policy at pre-school they have some sense of belonging. Book bags and lunch boxes involve a minimal spend for the parent whilst also showing the child they belong in the school environment.

Drinks bottles are also ideal as they can be left with a space for the name of the child and no one feels competitive about which character they should be taking.

How does it help the students

Many of the students find they are often relieved that the daily battle of ‘what to wear’ to meander through each day has been released from them, and the opportunity for harassment is drastically reduced when an uniform is proudly worn by themselves and their peers. The simplified options can also assist to improve attendance, giving the students an opportunity to save time when getting ready, helping to improve punctuality.

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