WILLOWFIELD HUMANITIES COLLEGE
UNIFORM POLICY
POLICY STATEMENT
The Governors, staff and students of Willowfield Humanities College believe that our uniform plays a valuable
role in contributing to the ethos of Willowfield, encouraging pride in the school and setting an appropriate tone
in which learning can flourish.
As well as helping promote a good working environment, we believe that a school uniform promotes greater
social inclusion and community cohesion.
The Willowfield school uniform is designed to be suitable, comfortable, affordable and practical. Our uniform
helps to create a safe and healthy environment in which outstanding teaching and effective learning can take
place.
Consequently all students are required to wear school uniform on the way to school, during the school day and
on the way home. There are also separate uniform requirements for PE.
AIMS
Through our uniform and dress code we aim to:
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Encourage pupils to identify with, and support the school ethos
Support effective teaching and learning
Support positive behaviour and discipline
Enable pupils to feel comfortable, safe and secure
Encourage a sense of equality and belonging to the school community
Protect students from social pressures to dress in a particular way
Support parents to provide an efficient and value for money dress code for their children
Ensure that all students whatever their social, religious and ethnic background feel welcome.
Nurture cohesion and promote good relations between different groups of pupils.
HUMAN RIGHTS & EQUALITIES ISSUES
Willowfield Governors accept their responsibilities under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, Human Rights Act
1998, and Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and appreciate that the school uniform should not discriminate on
grounds of race, religion, sex, disability or culture.
STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE IN SCHOOL AND TO LEAVE THE PREMISES IN UNIFORM.
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However in fulfilling its obligations under these Acts, the school has to balance the rights of any individual
student against the best interests of the school community as a whole.
There are a variety of reasons why a school may restrict the freedom of an individual for the greater good of the
whole community. These include:
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To ensure effective teaching
To promote cohesion and good order in the school
The prevention of bullying
Genuine health and safety or security considerations
The school will give proper consideration to requests to vary the uniform based on equality, disability, special
educational needs or human rights issues. With the consent of the headteacher uniform for any individual may
be modified in the light of cultural or disability issues or special needs.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF STAFF, STUDENTS AND PARENTS
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The governing body is responsible for deciding the nature of the school uniform on the basis of advice
and guidance from the Headteacher and in consultation with staff, students and parents.
Full school uniform must be worn to and from school on school days, on day time school visits (unless
explicitly stated otherwise e.g. for field trips), to sports fixtures and by students representing the school
at school functions and external events.
The uniform requirements including those for PE are set out in Appendix 1 but further guidance on
specific items is given below.
It is the Headteacher's responsibility to make sure all pupils keep to the school uniform rules.
The Headteacher delegates particular responsibility for uniform to other members of staff
Directors of Achievement and Achievement Leaders have special responsibility for the standard of
uniform in their year groups.
Form Tutors are also expected to work with their tutor groups and encourage them to maintain a high
standard of school uniform. Further guidance is given in Appendix 2.
Uniform requirements will also be enforced by all other staff.
It is expected that staff apply school uniform rules using common sense and sensitivity.
FOOTWEAR
Shoes must be plain black, low heels and of formal design. Trainers are not permitted for daywear other
than for PE.
Boots, sandals or canvas shoes are not permitted. Shoes should protect and support feet to support the
Health & Safety of students
JEWELLERY, HAIR AND MAKE UP
Jewellery is not allowed apart from a wrist watch and one plain stud in one or both ears.
Other body piercings including nose studs are not permitted.
STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE IN SCHOOL AND TO LEAVE THE PREMISES IN UNIFORM.
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All student must keep their hair tidy and tied back where required for reasons of health & safety.
HEADWEAR
Hats, caps or bandanas are not to be worn anywhere in the school buildings.
The wearing of a head scarf or hijab, for religious reasons, is permitted.
Hijabs or headscarves must be plain black and must not cover the school uniform or be so long as to
endanger health and safety.
Garments covering the face for example the niqab are not permitted.
OUTDOOR WEAR
In cold or wet weather students are allowed to wear a plain dark coloured jacket or coat.
A waterproof jacket with a hood is acceptable in wet weather
Hoodies, cardigans or sleeveless coats (such as gilets or biker jackets) are not permitted in or out of
school.
Outdoor clothing such as coats, scarves and gloves are not to be worn in the building.
SANCTIONS
Any students who break the uniform requirements will be dealt with as detailed below. Further guidance
over sanctions for failing to wear correct uniform is also given in the school behaviour policy.
Students who are not wearing appropriate clothing for school may not be able to attend lessons. They
will work in a designated area until the correct uniform is brought to them.
Students who consistently fail to wear full uniform may be sent home to change after his/her parents
have been informed. This will be coded as an authorised absence and the student will make up any
learning time lost in this way after school.
If a student continues to breach uniform rules in such a way as to be sent home to avoid school or takes
longer than is strictly necessary to effect the change , then the absence may be counted as unauthorised
Items of clothing that are not permitted or are inappropriate for school wear, including jewellery, will
be confiscated and stored in a secure place.
Such items will normally be returned at the end of the school day, however repeat offenders may find
that the item is confiscated for a longer period of time and may only be returned directly to a parent (this
is in accordance with the school policy on other banned items.)
COMPLAINTS
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All items of uniform should be clearly marked or labelled with the student's name.
Students should look after their own possessions at all times, the school cannot accept responsibility for
lost items of school uniform.
If a parent has a complaint about the uniform policy then it should be raised informally with the
appropriate achievement leader in the first instance.
If the problem cannot be solved informally in this way, then the parent should request a copy of the
complaints policy from the Headteacher.
STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE IN SCHOOL AND TO LEAVE THE PREMISES IN UNIFORM.
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POLICY REVIEW:
Consultation on amendments with Staff and Student Leadership Council - Sept/Oct. 2012
Policy reviewed by Governors’ Curriculum & Achievement Sub-Committee - 2012
Policy ratified by Full Governing Body
Date of next review
STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE IN SCHOOL AND TO LEAVE THE PREMISES IN UNIFORM.
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APPENDIX 1: WILLOWFIELD SCHOOL UNIFORM 2014-15
A high standard of personal appearance is expected of all students and includes the need to wear the
official school uniform and nothing else.
Transition:
Year 7 students will wear the uniform below:
Black school blazer with Willowfield logo
Plain white school shirt with collar and Willowfield school tie or plain white kameez
Black Willowfield jumper with school logo (to be worn beneath school blazer only)
Year 8 students will either wear the uniform below or the year 7 uniform:
Royal Blue polo shirt (with school logo) or Royal Blue kameez
*Royal Blue Sweatshirt (with school logo)
It is expected that as students grow out of the royal blue uniform they adopt the year 7 uniform.
Upper School:
Currently upper school students wear the uniform below:
Royal Blue polo shirt (with school logo) or Royal Blue kameez
(Prefects – white shirt and school tie)
Black Willowfield jumper with school logo
As students grow out of the royal blue uniform they will be required to adopt the new school uniform of:
Black school blazer with Willowfield logo
Plain white school shirt with collar and Willowfield school tie or plain white kameez
Black Willowfield jumper with school logo (to be worn beneath school blazer only)
STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE IN SCHOOL AND TO LEAVE THE PREMISES IN UNIFORM.
HMJ/FEJ/15.07.14
In Addition All Students will wear:
Plain black trousers, (no jeans, culottes, shorts or ¾ length trousers), or shalwar or skirt or jilbab
Trousers must be worn conventionally. Skirts must be at least knee length and skirts and jilbabs must not
drag on the floor.
Plain black headscarf (if required)
Flat black shoes (no boots, sandals or canvas)
Plain dark coloured socks
Plain dark coloured jacket or coat
Jewellery
The only jewellery allowed in school are earrings.
Earrings, if worn, must be small, plain studs, worn only in ears, maximum one in each ear.
Apart from earrings, piercings including nose piercings are not acceptable
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Hats, caps or bandanas are not to be worn anywhere in the school building.
Hoodies, cardigans or sleeveless coats are not permitted in or out of school
Outdoor clothing such as coats, scarves and gloves are not to be worn in the building.
P.E. and Games Kit
GIRLS
BOYS
*Navy blue polo shirt with school logo
*Navy blue polo shirt with school logo
Navy blue jog bottoms or navy shorts
Navy blue jog bottoms or navy shorts
Navy socks
Navy socks
Trainers
Trainers/Football boots
Navy blue sweatshirt (optional). (Hoodies are
not acceptable wear for PE lessons).
Navy blue sweatshirt (optional). (Hoodies are
not acceptable wear for PE lessons).
Clothing must be clearly marked with the student’s name so that it can be returned to its owner if it is
lost.
STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE IN SCHOOL AND TO LEAVE THE PREMISES IN UNIFORM.
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APPENDIX 2 - MONITORING OF SCHOOL UNIFORM
All staff have a responsibility to ensure all students are wearing the school uniform in an appropriate
way on a daily basis. However some groups of staff have particular responsibilities as detailed below:
1. It is the responsibility of the form tutor to check that members of the tutor group are wearing the correct
school uniform each day. Students not in uniform should be challenged by the tutor. In most cases this
will be enough to solve the problem.
2. If a student is not in school uniform, BUT has provided a note from a parent giving a reasonable excuse,
he or she should be sent to the Achievement Leader, who will issue a permission slip. Permission slips
should not be issued by the tutor, this is to ensure that Achievement Leader is kept informed of
standards of uniform in their year group.
3. If the student has no note to explain the lack of uniform, then the tutor should deal with the issue in an
appropriate manner. This may include:
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writing a note in the student’s planner.
telephoning home.
applying a suitable sanction.
4. If the next day the student is still not in school uniform, and has no note from a parent giving a
reasonable excuse, he or she should be sent to the Achievement Leader, who will decide on the
appropriate course of action.
5. Class teachers are asked to support tutors by:
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Checking that the correct school uniform is being worn in lessons.
Challenging those students who are incorrectly dressed.
Informing tutors of any problems or difficulties over uniform.
STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE IN SCHOOL AND TO LEAVE THE PREMISES IN UNIFORM.
HMJ/FEJ/15.07.14