Australian School Uniforms Vs. School Uniforms Worn In The UK

As a recent arrival to Australia from the UK, and the mother of three kids, it has been interesting for me to compare Australian school uniforms with those worn in the UK.

Generally, both my boys prefer their Australian school uniforms as it is more laid back in style than the uniform worn at their London school. In London, the boys had to wear a blazer to school at all times, and if they wore a coat over it (which had to be plain black) in the winter, the school blazer had to be clearly visible underneath. During class they could take the blazer off, but had to put it on again when moving between classrooms and lessons. 

They complained of being too warm during the warm months and cold in the winter, or too bunched up in a coat and blazer. It is not an exaggeration to say that just about all the boys in that school hated the school blazer with a vengeance. However, it was typical of schools in the area, and I don't think there are many schools in the UK that do not insist on a blazer with the uniform. However, the school uniforms the boys have to wear here in Australia does not include a blazer, but rather a smart zipper jacket with the school logo on the front.

The boys wear grey trousers, which is very practical as they do not show the dirt too badly, with a white button up shirt and a navy blue jumper. I was able to purchase all the items in local high street stores apart from the jacket, which I think is fair enough, as this is what they will be mostly seen in when out of school gates as representatives of the school, and it should be uniform with a logo.

My daughter however, is not so keen on her new school uniform. In London she was permitted to choose between a skirt and long trousers during the winter months. However, here in Australia her school uniform consists of a plaid dress all year round. My daughter has never been the feminine type, and all the family refer to her as a tomboy. This is probably due to the fact she has spent more time in the company of her brothers than other girls while growing up.

While I do not think it is a bad thing that my daughter is forced to wear more feminine clothes than she would like, I am rather against a rule that requires that she has her fringe cut above her eyebrows. I feel that school uniform clothes rules are adequate and the school should not go over the top about hairstyles, unless of course they are truly outrageous. My daughter has been warned about the length of her fringe and therefore last weekend we had it cut. She told me that if a girl does not get her fringe cut after receiving a warning, the school will send her home at the beginning of the following week, and she will not be allowed to return to school until her fringe has been shortened. I must say this seems rather unreasonable, and I would like to see my daughter’s school relax their stance on hairstyles. However, as a new mum to the school, and also to the country, I don’t think I will be mentioning it anytime soon, and my daughter will just have to get used to the new regulations.