Uniform

Dress Code Years 7 - 11

Blazer with new school badge purchased from Oz Schoolwear, which must be worn to and from school.

• A plain grey, black or navy topcoat in a style suitable for school, without any logo and long enough to cover the blazer. Coats made of leather, suede, PVC, denim or fur are not permitted.
• Plain grey skirt: straight with back kick pleat or box pleated from the waist as supplied by Oz Schoolwear or any other supplier. Skirts should be of a suitable length for school e.g. not more than 5 cm above the knee.  A longer length skirt option is also available from OZ Schoolwear or any other supplier – please note orders for the longer skirt should be made 4-5 weeks prior to the beginning of term.
• There is an option to wear trousers as supplied by Oz Schoolwear or any other supplier.
• In Years 7 & 8 short-sleeved light blue blouse with revers as supplied by Oz Schoolwear or any other supplier worn tucked into the skirt. A plain white round-neck T-shirt may be worn under the blouse in cold weather
• In Years 9, 10 and 11, long or short-sleeved white blouse with revers worn tucked into the skirt. A plain white round neck T-shirt may be worn under the blouse in cold weather.
• Plain knit (not ribbed) grey V- necked pullover or cardigan with burgundy piping, as supplied by Oz Schoolwear. (A different material composition is available on request).
• Plain black, white or grey ankle or knee-length socks or opaque tights in grey or black. Only one pair of socks worn in one colour (no layering of different colours).
• Socks should not be worn over tights.
• Leg warmers should not be worn.
• Shoes should be black leather (or synthetic leather) with heels less than 5cm high and must not be above the ankle bone. Laces should be black.  Ankle boots, visibly branded/non-branded leather training shoes are not acceptable.  For safety reasons canvas shoes, beaded slippers, mules, platforms, sling back and open-toed shoes are not permitted.  In bad weather, boots may be worn to and from school but must be changed to shoes when in school.  Trainers are not a suitable form of footwear for school.
• Headscarves and Hijabs should be one plain blocked colour.
• School bags may be any colour, however, should be sturdy, waterproof and fit A4 folders securely.
• It is inappropriate to wear make-up, cosmetic coloured contact lenses, false nails or eyelashes and nail varnish with school uniform.
• Expensive trainers and fashion items should not be brought to school.
• Key Stage 4 students may wear discreet make-up only – thin mascara and a little foundation, but no lipstick, eye liner or eye shadow.

 The following items are not permitted:

• Skirts must not be rolled up.
• Leg warmers.
• Nail varnish or false nails, false or eyelash extensions may not be worn. Students are expected to remove these before attending school.

No make-up is allowed in Key Stage 3.

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 age, sex, disability, race, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity, 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 a way that is appropriate for school and makes them feel most comfortable.
• Allow pupils to wear headscarves and/or other religious garments.
• Allow pupils with sensory or physical needs to make reasonable adaptations to their uniform depending on their specific needs.
• Allow for reasonable adaptations to our policy on the grounds of equality by asking pupils or their parents/carers to get in touch with their child’s Learning Manager, who can answer questions about the policy and respond to any requests. These will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

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 (DfE) on the cost of school uniform.

We understand that items with distinctive characteristics (such as branded items, or items that need 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/carers’ ability to ‘shop around’ for a low price.

We will make sure our uniform:

• Is available at a reasonable cost.
• Provides the best value for money for parents/carers.

We will do this by:

• Carefully considering whether any items with distinctive characteristics are necessary.
• Limiting any items with distinctive characteristics where possible for example, by only asking that the blazer, worn over the jumper, features the school logo.
• Limiting items with distinctive characteristics to low-cost and/or long-lasting items.
• Considering cheaper alternatives to school-branded items.
• 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 extra-curricular activities.
• Considering alternative methods for signalling differences in groups for inter-school competitions, such as creating posters or labels.
• Making sure that arrangements are in place for parents/carers to acquire second-hand uniform items.
• Avoiding frequent changes to uniform specifications and minimising the financial impact on parents/carers of any change
• Consulting with parents/carers and pupils on any proposed significant changes to the uniform policy and carefully considering any complaints about the policy.

Pupil Premium eligible families

We are able to support with regards to the cost of school uniform.  Please contact the school directly at pupilpremium@townleygrammar.org.uk