SCHOOL UNIFORM POLICY

SCHOOL UNIFORM POLICY

POLICY UNIFORM POLICY School uniform: Promotes a sense of pride in the school Establishes a sense of community and belonging towards the school Is practical and smart Promotes equality (please see Equalities statement) Is regarded as suitable wear for school and good value for money by most parents Is designed with health and safety in mind School uniform plays a valuable role in contributing to the ethos of a school and setting an appropriate tone. A uniform supports positive behaviour and discipline; ensures pupils of all races and backgrounds feel welcome; protects children from social pressures to dress in a particular way; nurtures cohesion and promotes good relations between different groups of pupils. Governors and parents support the wearing of uniform and recognise the contribution this makes towards the school ethos. Willingdon Community School also recognises the need to support students to develop sensible habits of dress and prepare themselves for dress codes in employment. While parents overwhelmingly support our uniform policy, some do not actively enforce the wearing of uniform by their children and so we must enforce this at school. We also feel that by enforcing the rules, we are making life easier for parents so that they do not need to give in to pressure from their children who pretend that everyone is wearing jeans etc. We do remind parents that they are made aware of our uniform requirements at the time of selecting schools. However, we will seek to support parents who are suffering financial hardship and the child s Director of Student Progress should be contacted in the first instance. Availability of Willingdon Community School Uniform Willingdon Community School uniform is simple and relatively cheap compared with schools who have opted for blazers, shirts and ties. The only items which need to be purchased specially are the polo shirts, the sweatshirt and the PE tops which are all available from Reception, thus cutting out the extra costs involved if sold through a schoolwear retailer. Good quality secondhand uniform is available.

Students wear black skirts, trousers and shoes which can all be purchased cheaply from local supermarkets or stores. Uniform details: Girls Boys PE Kit A plain black regulation skirt or a pair of plain black regulation trousers. A white Willingdon Community School polo shirt. A black Willingdon Community School sweatshirt with the school logo. The option of a green or purple sweatshirt with the school logo in years 10 and 11. No other sweatshirt is permissible. Plain black shoes, leather or leather look, with flat or low heels worn with dark or white socks or black or natural coloured tights. Design and Technology Apron. A pair of plain black regulation trousers. A white Willingdon Community School polo shirt A black Willingdon Community School sweatshirt with the school logo. The option of a green or purple sweatshirt in years 10 and 11. No other sweatshirt is permissible. Plain black shoes, leather or leather look - worn with dark or white socks. Design and Technology Apron Plain black or navy shorts (compulsory) Plain black or navy tracksuit bottoms (compulsory) Navy polo shirt with embroidered PE logo (compulsory) Grey sweatshirt with PE logo (optional) Navy drill top with PE logo (optional) Appropriate sports black leggings, not fashionable leggings (optional) Studded boots suitable for football/rugby (compulsory) Trainers, no canvas shoes (compulsory) Here follows a more detailed explanation regarding certain items of uniform. The final judgements regarding acceptable uniform and appearance will be made by the Head teacher and her Deputies. Shoes Students must wear proper shoes with black shoelaces, not trainers, other than PE when trainers are of course required. Mules are not allowed as they are dangerous in workshops, Science labs and on stairs. Students may wear trainers outside at break time only if they are actively playing sport.

Students must arrive at school in shoes and will be asked by staff on duty to change if they are wearing trainers. Students are allowed to wear plain black trainers to lessons if they have a medical reason for this and have a letter from their parents explaining this. If students have no shoes because for instance, they are broken or have got wet, or they have been forgotten, they will be required to change into shoes supplied by the school which are disinfected after each wearing in exactly the same way as 10 pin bowling shoes. Refusal to comply is treated in the same way as any refusal to comply with school rules. If students wear boots in the winter they may only wear them with trousers which are worn over the boots, not tucked into them. Boots may not be worn with skirts. Socks/ Tights Only plain black or white socks may be worn. Tights may be plain black or flesh coloured. Coats Students may wear any coats but they must be normal coats or jackets. Knitted woollen jackets will be treated as cardigans. Coats may not be worn in lessons and students are expected to take them off rather than wait to be asked. Non-uniform sweatshirts may not be worn as coats over school sweatshirts. Sweatshirts Students must wear school sweatshirts with the logo (black for Years 7, 8, 9 and green or purple for Years 10 and 11). No other sweatshirt, cardigan or hoodie is permissible and these will be confiscated if worn on the school site, whether inside the building or outside, even if it is cold or raining, as school sweatshirts and coats will keep students dry and warm. Students have the option of staying indoors at breaks so they do not need to feel cold if hoodies and non- uniform sweatshirts are confiscated. Trousers These must be plain black trousers without pinstripes, checks or fancy details like embroidery or attached accessories like large fashion buckles. Normal plain black belts may be worn and both sexes are expected to wear their trousers so that their underwear is not on display. Jeans may not be worn. Three quarter length trousers, shorts or leggings are not accepted. Students arriving in unacceptable trousers will be sent home to change or parents asked to bring correct uniform in. Students unable to go home or change will be isolated.

Polo Shirts Students must wear Willingdon polo shirts with the logo. Only white t-shirts may be worn underneath for warmth, not coloured t-shirts. Skirts Skirts must be plain black regulation skirts. If skirts are inappropriate, students must go home to change, as for trousers, or be isolated. Jewellery Students are allowed to wear one plain flat ring and one small stud earring in each ear, not hoops, drop earrings, large decorated studs or expanders. Girls who have been registered as Travellers or Romanies are allowed to wear gold hoop earrings in accordance with their cultural traditions. Thin necklaces may be worn under polo shirts and removed for PE if necessary, depending on length. No bracelets may be worn. Charity wristbands are allowed as long as they are being worn sensibly eg anyone festooned with several will be asked to remove all but one. Facial piercings are not allowed. Students may not cover these with plasters or use sleepers. Parents who want their children to have facial piercings should have these done at the beginning of the summer holidays so that studs, rings, sleepers etc can be removed during the school day. The school takes the view that facial piercings can be dangerous and easily become infected. Scarves & Hats Students are allowed to wear scarves outside during break times for warmth, but they are not allowed to wear these in classrooms or as fashion accessories. Hats or caps may not be worn indoors at all. Hairstyles Most hairstyles are acceptable but extreme hairstyles such as Mohicans or boldly dyed hair are not allowed and students will be asked to rectify these by trimming hair or dying it to an acceptable shade. For instance, students with crimson, pink or blue flashes, stripes or even whole heads of such colours will be asked to change these colours to more natural shades. Makeup Students are allowed to wear makeup but it must be subtle. Anyone wearing very bold makeup will be asked to remove it. False nails should not be worn to school.

Breaches of School Uniform Rules As far as possible any breaches of school uniform rules will be addressed by the article being confiscated or the student changing into borrowed items. Occasionally a student will be sent home to change and this is marked as an authorised absence unless the student does not come back to school within a reasonable time. Parents will always be contacted before a student is sent home. Where neither of these courses of action are possible a student may be internally excluded in the Inclusion room or with a member of staff until the uniform is correct. If a student persistently defies the uniform rules or refuses to cooperate with any of the above strategies, they may receive a fixed-term exclusion. Support of Parents We ask all parents to support the school uniform policy but we welcome all views and opinions and if any parent would like the school to modify the uniform policy they should contact the Deputy Headteacher in the first instance. Equalities Statement Over recent years, schools have (in line with other institutions and public bodies) been working towards an improved understanding of the diverse nature of their communities. Much of this work is in response to new legislation that places an increased duty on schools and other settings. Legislation requires schools both to eliminate direct or indirect discrimination, victimisation or harassment and to promote equality for pupils/students, staff and others who use school facilities. These developments reflect the growing awareness of the need to view different equality strands beneath one umbrella, rather than seeing them as separate factions competing with each other for time and resources. In our school we work to ensure that there is equality of opportunity for all members of our community across a range of strands, which include: race, disability, gender (including transgender), sexual orientation, religion and age as well as any other factors which have the potential to cause discrimination, e.g. socio-economic factors. Therefore an Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) is carried out as part of the review process of this policy. For specific reference to these strands please refer to the Equalities policy. Review This policy is reviewed regularly by the Governors Personal Development and Wellbeing Committee.