The position with regard to uniform is that governors set the policy, which staff in the school have an obligation to enforce. Nobody apart from the governors can make decisions that alter the uniform, or choose to ignore elements of school dress. This is almost always straightforward as the vast majority accept the situation and students are comfortable throughout the day.

At this time of year it can be tricky. The governors, for valid reasons, have chosen not to have a distinct summer uniform. One of those reasons is that we can have very warm weather for short or long spells between April and mid-September. On the other hand it can be wet and/or cold for any or all of the same period. There is no one day when it is possible to say that summer clothes are appropriate or for how long. In addition, there are parts of the school that are cool enough through the year and others where it can be too hot to study comfortably, particularly with some activities. In applying the school’s uniform policy we want to have the flexibility to keep young people as comfortable as possible, while ensuring they remain neatly turned out in a recognisable uniform.

The position is this:

• All students come to school in full school uniform, worn properly. This includes a blazer or jumper with a tie and the top button done up.
• If the day looks like being hot we will go to shirt-sleeve order. This means students may, if they wish, remove ties, jumpers or blazers and undo their top buttons.
• If we do not judge it to be sufficiently warm students should remain in full uniform, though individual teachers may decide students can work in shirt sleeves on a lesson-by-lesson basis. This is dependent upon students putting the uniform back on properly before leaving the classroom. Students should wear full uniform at breaks and lunch times unless they go on the field, when they can remove jumpers and ties so long as they dress properly at the end of lunchtime.
• Apart from when playing on the school field we would not expect to see students walking round school with shirts hanging out at all.
• When going home we would ask that students remain smart. We would not expect jumpers and ties on a shirt sleeve order day. It is much less comfortable at home time than when we arrive at school and it would be unfair to ask them to wear the formal uniform on such afternoons.

We think this is the most sensible way to keep young people comfortable and smart, and to discharge our legal responsibilities.

Clearly, as it is meant to be literally uniform, the decisions we make apply to all. We will of course make exceptions where a doctor’s note is provided.

We would add that students are allowed to take water bottles to lessons. Please ensure they have enough capacity to last an hour and a half. People can fill them up before school, after school, at break and lunchtime, though not during or between lessons. It might also be noted that for most people blazers would be cooler than jumpers, though not perhaps in the sense that matters most to many teenagers.

We hope this makes the position clear for students and parents. We would like to avoid people ending up in detentions because of confusion. Should you be unhappy please don’t phone or email the school to complain as there is little we should or could do differently. The governors would, as always, understand and be supportive if a number of families wanted the matter reviewed. They are, however, likely to be assailed by people who hold an opposing view equally firmly.

We hope everyone enjoys a long, warm and comfortable summer.