Reviewed by: Janine Green, PP&C Committee 12th October 2022
Next Review: Autumn 2024
Table of contents
- 1 Aims
- 2 Our school’s legal duties under the Equality Act 2010
- 3 Limiting the cost of school uniform
- 4 Expectations for school uniform
- 5 Kelvin Grove School Uniform is as follows:
- 6 Kelvin Grove School PE Kit is as follows:
- 7 Expectations for our school community
- 8 Monitoring arrangements
- 9 Links to other policies
Aims
Kelvin Grove Primary School is committed to promoting equality and value for money and to ensuring that no child is discriminated against due to their religion or belief, economic circumstances or social and cultural background. This policy contains provisions to meet these objectives and has been created with health and safety, value for money and practicality at its heart.
Additionally, it is important that our pupils feel a sense of belonging to our school. We believe that wearing a smart and practical uniform allows all children, regardless of their backgrounds, to feel equal to their peers and confident in their appearance.
We also believe it is important for children to wear clothing that is conducive to a successful learning environment, including activity-appropriate clothing, such as sports attire.
Our school’s legal duties under the Equality Act 2010
The Equality Act 2010 prohibits discrimination against an individual based on the protected characteristics, which include sex, race, religion or belief, and gender reassignment.
To avoid discrimination, our school will:
- Avoid listing uniform items based on sex, to give all pupils the opportunity to wear the uniform they feel most comfortable in or that most reflects their self-identified gender
- Make sure that our uniform costs the same for all pupils
- Allow all pupils to have long hair (though we reserve the right to ask for this to be tied back)
- Allow all pupils to style their hair in the way that is appropriate for school yet makes them feel most comfortable
- Allow pupils to request changes to swimwear for religious reasons
- Allow pupils to wear headscarves and other religious or cultural symbols
- Allow for adaptations to our policy on the grounds of equality by asking pupils or their parents to get in touch with the headteacher, who can answer questions about the policy and respond to any requests.
Limiting the cost of school uniform
Our school has a duty to make sure that the uniform we require is affordable, in line with statutory guidance from the Department for Education on the cost of school uniform.
We understand that items with distinctive characteristics (such as branded items, or items that have to have a school logo or a unique fabric/colour/design) cannot be purchased from a wide range of retailers and that requiring many such items limits parents’ ability to ‘shop around’ for a low price.
We will make sure our uniform:
- Provides the best value for money for parents/carers
- Is available at a reasonable cost
- Is available free for those who need it, via our up-cycling school uniform shop
We will do this by:
- Carefully considering whether any items with distinctive characteristics are necessary
- Limiting any items with distinctive characteristics where possible
- Limiting items with distinctive characteristics to low-cost or long-lasting items
- Considering cheaper alternatives to school-branded items, such as logos that can be ironed on, as long as this doesn’t compromise quality and durability
- Avoiding specific requirements for items pupils could wear on non-school days, such as coats, bags and shoes
- Keeping the number of optional branded items to a minimum, so that the school’s uniform can act as a social leveller
- Avoiding different uniform requirements for different year groups
- Avoiding different uniform requirements for extra-curricular activities
- Considering alternative methods for signalling differences in groups for interschool competitions, such as wearing colours or labels
- Making sure that arrangements are in place for parents to acquire second-hand uniform items
- Avoiding frequent changes to uniform specifications and minimising the financial impact on parents of any changes
- Consulting with parents and pupils on any proposed significant changes to the uniform policy and carefully considering any complaints about the policy
Expectations for school uniform
Kelvin Grove School Uniform is as follows:
- black school shoes;
- white shirts or polo shirts (with KG logo);
- red sweatshirts / cardigans / fleeces (with KG logo);
- dark grey trousers (shorts in the summer);
- dark grey dresses, trousers or skirts (red / white gingham dresses in summer);
- red / black / grey tights;
- KG school book bag
Kelvin Grove School PE Kit is as follows:
- white t-shirt with KG logo (black or grey sweatshirts in the winter)
- black shorts (black track suit bottoms in the winter)
- black plimsolls or trainers
- KG PE bag
- Swimming costume/swimming trunks (not white and no bikini’s)
The school recognises that non-branded items are cheaper and so the KG logo is not a statutory requirement.
The school expects children to wear their hair in a smart fashion and reserves the right to tie back long hair if there were to be a risk.
Expectations for our school community
Pupils
Pupils are expected to wear the correct uniform at all times (other than specified non-school uniform days) while:
- On the school premises
- Travelling to and from school
- At out-of-school events or on trips that are organised by the school, or where they are representing the school (if required)
Pupils are also expected to contact the headteacher if they want to request an amendment to the uniform policy in relation to their protected characteristics.
Parents and carers
Parents and carers are expected to make sure their child has the correct uniform and PE kit, and that every item is:
- Clean
- Clearly labelled with the child’s name
- In good condition
Parents are also expected to contact the headteacher if they want to request an amendment to the uniform policy in relation to:
- Their child’s protected characteristics
- The cost of the uniform
Parents are expected to lodge any complaints or objections relating to the school uniform in a timely and reasonable manner.
Disputes about the cost of the school uniform will be:
- Resolved locally
- Dealt with in accordance with our school’s complaints policy
The school will work closely with parents to arrive at a mutually acceptable outcome.
Staff
Staff will closely monitor pupils to make sure they are in correct uniform. They will give any pupils and families breaching the uniform policy the opportunity to comply, but will follow up with the headteacher if the situation doesn’t improve.
Ongoing breaches of our uniform policy will be dealt with in line with the schools Behaviour Policy.
In cases where it is suspected that financial hardship has resulted in a pupil not complying with this uniform policy, staff will take a mindful and considerate approach to resolving the situation.
Governors
The governing board will review this policy and make sure that it:
- Is appropriate for our school’s context
- Is implemented fairly across the school
- Takes into account the views of parents and pupils
- Offers a uniform that is appropriate, practical and safe for all pupils
The board will also make sure that the school’s uniform supplier arrangements give the highest priority to cost and value for money, for example by avoiding single supplier contracts and by re-tendering contracts at least every 5 years.
Monitoring arrangements
This policy will be reviewed every two years by the Parents, Pupils and Community Committee.
Links to other policies
This policy is linked to our: