Letter to Parents: Uniform & Equipment Expectations
Tue 09 Jul 2024
Dear Parents and Carers,
Student Uniform and Resources
As we begin the preparations for our new academic year we wanted to share a reminder of our uniform and equipment expectations with you so that you and your child can be fully prepared for September.
Equipment
Please ensure that your child has a bag (large enough for an A4 folder). Students will be expected to loan an academy bag if they come without one and an appropriate sanction will be issued.
It is essential that students also have their own basic equipment (pen, pencil, ruler, rubber, whiteboard pen, highlighter, pencil case, etc). We have purchased these items for students and will give everyone a pencil case fully stocked on their return, however, students are encouraged to use their own. Students can purchase an additional pencil case, with equipment, for £1 using their parentpay account, pencil cases can be collected from Reception when payment has been made.
Students will receive their planner on their first day back which then must be brought into the academy every day and presented at arrival to the door every morning. This is used as a teaching resource and also for recording praise and rewards.
All students must carry their bag and a planner. Planners must be kept clean and free from graffiti. Students must bring their planner, equipment and bag with them each day as a minimum expectation. We will issue C4 detentions where a student does not have equipment with them. For KS4 students, Y10 and Y11, it would be appreciated if your child could bring their own scientific calculator to use in lessons.
Uniform
All students must wear full uniform, please ensure that new uniform where required is purchased in plenty of time. I know that during the holiday period many students may change their hair colour and grow accustomed to wearing nails and make-up, therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to remind you of our uniform expectations for our return:
- Full Academy uniform is expected at all times including uniform for PE
- Plain black socks for all students wearing trousers
- Skirts must be worn correctly at all times and must not be rolled up, modified or gathered in any way. Where a student has modified a skirt then this will be deemed to be a deliberate uniform misdemeanour and a sanction will be issued. There are no exceptions to this. If a skirt does not fit correctly for any reason, then it remains a parent or carers responsibility to ensure that a different size is purchased but the academy will help where it is able, for example by loaning a size that fits. Should your child need a bespoke size, for any reason, please arrange to meet with the relevant Learning Manager who will support.
- Skirts must be a 2.5 inch box pleat style ONLY. Students should wear the Outwood twin pleated skirt with the logo but if students would prefer to move to a non-logo skirt this must now be box-pleat style. We will continue to offer a pleated logo skirt from Trutex and a non-logo option next year. However, the only non-logo skirt option that will be permitted is a box-pleat style. This is because it is taking a significant amount of time each day to check uniforms, make sure that our policy is being up-held and ensure that our students look as smart and appropriate for school as possible. The decision to move to the box-pleat skirt will remove the confusion with the distinction between a tube skirt and a pencil skirt and ensure that time, at the start of the day, will be spent having positive conversations and accessing precious learning time from the moment students arrive at the academy.
- Please note that any other style non-logo skirt will not be permitted.
- The minimum length of the skirt is 18 inches (most secondary school students would need a 20 inch length). These are available from almost all supermarkets and from websites such as Amazon for around £5. (Search: Box pleat school skirt)
- Plain black tights (at least 40 denier) when wearing a skirt
- Jumpers are optional but must be a plain black knitted V neck jumper (but do not need to be purchased through Trutex). No other tops can be worn.
- Students may bring a coat to school. This must be worn over the blazer. Coats are not to be worn inside the building and certainly not in classrooms.
Shoes (And medical evidence)
- Please refer to the Trust “shoe guide” which can be found on Page 7 of our Uniform Policy
- Shoes should be plain black (leather or leather-like). Shoes with gold or silver buckles or trims are not allowed and neither are boots, pumps, trainers, jelly or canvas shoes.
- Embellishments of any kind including orbs, bows etc are not permitted.
- If your child requires a different type of footwear for medical reasons then you should arrange an appointment in school with a member of the senior leadership team where medical evidence will be required. In this event, any trainers allowed must be plain black and unbranded.
Jewellery and Makeup
- No jewellery except a wristwatch (smart watches which connect to the internet/record media etc are not allowed). Please note that watches of any kind are NOT allowed in examination rooms.
- Medic alert jewellery is permitted. Please discuss with the Academy Principal for each individual case.
- Clear retainers are not permissible for piercings. All piercings must be removed.
- Make-up must be very discrete, eyebrows of normal shape and colour. If makeup is noticeable it is not discrete.
- Fake eyelashes of any length or shape are not allowed and students will be sent home for parental support to remove them.
- No nail varnish or false nails, hair must be a natural colour and style. Any hair accessories must be black or purple.
- Sometimes students tell us that they cannot remove gel nails or false eyelashes, or take out a piercing because it will heal up. These are not acceptable reasons as we have repeatedly made our policy very clear, which states that these items should not be worn in school. Any student intending to have a piercing, should do so at the very start of the summer holiday, so that the jewellery can be removed by the time that we return in September.
Healthy School
- Chewing gum, fizzy pop (including energy drinks), big bags of sweets and crisps etc are now NOT allowed anywhere on site. We are a healthy eating site. Students may wish to bring a refillable water bottle – there are water stations around the Academy where free fresh water can be accessed. Please note that students MUST have a water bottle to be able to use our new style water dispensers.
Mobile Phones
- We are a no mobile phone site, phones are not allowed anywhere on the academy site. If your child chooses to bring in a phone, it must be switched off and in their bag. We are not liable for any breakages or theft. If a phone is seen by a member of staff or heard then this will be confiscated and must be collected by a parent/carer.
We have high expectations for our students, your children. Parental support is expected in terms of ensuring that your child arrives at school in the correct uniform and fully equipped.
Yours faithfully,
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