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Uniforms vary in appearance from school to school. Some schools require children to wear a more formal uniform, including blazers and ties; while others have a more casual approach.
Although school uniform may not always be favoured by students, there are in fact a number of benefits associated with wearing a school uniform. In the article below, St Hilda’s School in Harpenden explore some of the pros and cons of wearing a school uniform…

Pros of School Uniform:

Safety
First and foremost, school uniforms help to increase student safety. For example, a uniform helps teachers to easily identify their students on a school trip or spot an intruder on the school grounds.

Prevents Bullying
Fashion choices can be a major cause of bullying amongst youngsters. When all school children are wearing the same uniform, there is less competition about who has the best outfit or who is wearing the most fashionable brands. A school uniform puts everyone on the same level and prevents this kind of bullying.

Saves Time
Knowing exactly what your child will be wearing each day, greatly reduces the amount of time it takes to get ready for school. This not only helps to reduce stress for both students and parents, but it also helps to reduce the pile of family washing!

Pride
When students are wearing their uniforms, they are representing the school they belong to. This helps to create a sense of school spirit and pride. By enforcing a school uniform, the school can help students to develop a stronger team mentality.

Cons of School Uniform:

Cost
The cost of school uniforms can be an issue for some families. Schools often select certain independent suppliers to stock their uniforms, which can mean they are more expensive than the basic items you can purchase in supermarkets.

Maintenance
School uniforms are hard to keep clean and tidy! Parents are continuously washing and mending uniforms to ensure their children always have a clean uniform to wear. This means more time and effort on washing and maintenance.

Individuality
Children often resent the conformity of school uniform. This is because it prevents them from expressing their individuality. Furthermore, some schools enforce a very strict uniform policy, which means students are unable to wear jewellery or even carry branded backpacks. This can often lead to rebellious behaviour, where children break the rules to look cool!

Discomfort
School uniform is not the most comfortable type of clothing, especially the more formal uniforms, which include ties and blazers. In hot weather, school uniforms can feel particularly uncomfortable and this can affect a child’s concentration. Additionally, many schools still have different school uniform rules for boys and girls. For example, school trousers can only be worn by boys, but many feel this is unfair and impractical for girls.