Schools should be rethinking their uniform policies in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a Scottish education expert.

Dr Rachel Shanks from the University of Aberdeen recently researched the uniform policy at every state-funded national school in Scotland and found that 96% have compulsory uniforms.

On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, said there are advantages to their use – but more needs to be done to make them affordable for families.

   

“The grant that is available in Scotland is unlikely to cover the cost of all the items for school uniform,” she said.

“Now I realise that in the Republic of Ireland the school uniform grant is actually much more generous than any part of the United Kingdom but I think with the pandemic, with either lockdown and people being at home or going to school maybe in tracksuits on days when they have Physical Education, it sort of shows that maybe school uniforms are not as important for learning as some parents and school would have thought.”

Back-to-school

In Ireland, the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance (BTSCFA), sees families granted €150 for each eligible child between the ages of four and 11-years-old.

Eligible school students between the ages of 12 and 22 can apply for a €275 grant.

In Scotland, the size of the grant is set by local councils; however, all eligible applicants are guaranteed a minimum of £100 (€111.50).

“Research that has been done by the Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland has shown that for families living in poverty, a school uniform is useful because it does help to level the playing field,” said Dr Shanks.

“But, because the grants that are available to help pay for the uniform don’t actually cover the cost of what schools are asking families to buy, it is maybe an opportunity to think well maybe, do we need a blazer as part of the uniform and if so, how do we make it more affordable?”

School uniforms

The study found that of the 343 Scottish schools that have compulsory uniform rules, 320 require a tie, 235 require a blazer and 200 ban the wearing of jeans.

Meanwhile, 20% of publicly funded schools specify an exclusive supplier for their uniforms.

Dr Shanks said the concept seems outdated – particularly at a time when ties and blazers have become less common in the workplace.

“I think it is because we just take it for granted and it doesn’t change from generation to generation,” she said.

“That is why I thought, with the pandemic and being at home or at school with a more relaxed uniform, it is an opportunity to think, ‘why do we have this school uniform?’ and, ‘could we make it more affordable?’”

Girls uniforms

She said female uniforms in particular bear little resemblance to modern-day professional attire.

“Obviously there are very few jobs that women do that you have to wear a shirt and tie for,” she said.

“So already we can see it is actually a male uniform that women are having to wear to fit in to that male ideal with the tie and the blazer.

“Again, it is an opportunity to think, why do we make women wear ties?”

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