School Uniform: Should we have it?

According to an article written in The Office of School Trading, 82% of English schools, both primary and secondary, have a compulsory uniform. But I'm asking you, are they really important?

I think we all have heard our child, or overheard someone else's in a shop complaining about how horrendous they look in their uniform. And although we tell them over and over how adorable we think they look, I think we all know deep down they look quite awful. That's the main issue with school uniform: it's so outdated and dull. Every school across the country follows a similar style for their students to wear, whether that be a jumper and trousers, or blazer and tie. Every school uses a similar colour scheme, of black bottoms and a dull, white polo or blouse. Is that the way you want your children to feel, dull and the same as everyone else? Or do you want to make a change?

Although uniform does have its benefits, such as allowing our children to look more respectable than they would in that low cut top your daughter may insist on wearing, I still believe our children should be allowed to express themselves through what they wear. School uniform restricts children from being able to look the way they want, and how they feel comfortable. That is why I think many head teachers have the daily struggle of rule breaking, and not following uniform rules. Many children strive on being individual, and therefore dye their hair an outrageous colour, or decide to a very obvious piercing on their face, because it allows them to stand out in front of everyone else that attends their school. By destroying this rule of a uniform, I believe this wouldn't happen. I believe that our children were allowed to wear what they wanted, the percentage of children getting outrageous piercings, hair colours and over-accessorising would decrease massively, as they would already look individual, and would not have to go to such an extreme extent.

However, I understand you would be concerned about the amount it would cost to fund your child's wardrobe for the entire school year, but many clothing items can be recycled and worn over again. Besides, do you not think uniform was ridiculously overpriced? £30 for a single jumper, that wouldn't stay clean the full week, therefore £60 alone on two jumpers for our children to wear. I believe that alone is ridiculously expensive, and then us parents have to buy shoes, shirts, trousers, and so on, only to be told that the trousers are "too fitted" and the shoes are "not formal enough". How ridiculous! We spend too much money a year on uniform, and some of it ends up wasted on clothing the school has deemed inappropriate, so cannot be worn.