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Uniform approach is the smartest way for school
• I READ with some anger (School gates fiasco, September 7) and totally support Jo Shuter and all the staff at Pimlico School for introducing uniform and a new structure in the pupils’ day.
I have three children, one of whom has left Pimlico with GCSEs and is now happily attending further education at college (only because Pimlico did not offer the course he wanted to do), my eldest daughter is in Year 10 and welcomes the uniform herself (and is happy and does not want to attend a Catholic school herself). She has been on the schools council at Pimlico since she started and campaigned for more strictness.
She herself received a letter in the summer holidays (at the beginning) that announced that pupils are not exempt from the uniform and that the T-shirt-type shirts already purchased can be worn for PE or, if new, replaced with a new compulsory shirt. All parents were notified and this discussion went on well before the summer. Students all knew this, including my daughter who, on her first morning, proudly entered the gates with her new trousers and black shoes and progressed with her day. She was that aware if she did not comply she would be sent home as was I. However, she wanted to follow the rules. As parents, we enforced this and would allow the school to give her detention if she refused.
My third daughter attends a Chelsea Catholic secondary school, after attending a primary Catholic school. It’s not the fear of God watching them, for a great majority the fear is of the headmaster and the rules that demand uniform and a certain behaviour to go with it.
Visit my youngest daughter’s school – they will not allow children to walk in with skirts rolled up, the wrong uniform, jewellery other than allowed or trainers, and, at the end of the day, they walk out in the same condition and are not allowed to take their ties off or walk without blazers. They stand as representatives for that school and know the behaviour rules set out as they signed a home agreement.
My view is, the parents should make sure they read all the information clearly. If they do not understand, call the school or pop in – they are a friendly bunch considering the amount they have to deal with.
I, however, will go one step further and would like to see shirt, tie and blazer (yes at times it is expensive). I have just forked out over £200 for my other daughter, but she is proud and knows and respects the costs and looks after her uniform, bag etc. I would gladly do this for my eldest daughter at Pimlico, who stated: “I look scruffy compared to my sister,” and refuses to come to collect her from her school gate as she thinks she could look better.
I work with clergy and with respect I dress accordingly and when working with the homeless do the same and so does my husband who works as a civil servant in Whitehall.
Why all this drama about a uniform?
We should be pleased and proud that the school are working hard on bringing up the whole standard of the school. So parents, please support them and drop this silly case against them for doing something positive.
If parents are so unhappy with the rules, take them out of the school and do home tuition – that way the kids can do mathematics in their pyjamas!
KAREN WOTTON-JARAMILLO
Churchill Gardens, SW1
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