School Uniform

Following consultation with our young people, parents/carers and staff in March 2023 we have amended our school uniform policy (May 2023).

Our Balerno Way… Dressing for excellence

Download the flyer version detailing our uniform policy.

Our school values:

Respect

Inclusion

Excellence

Resilience

Honesty

A school dress code is an important way of reinforcing our values and our commitment to success. We encourage all our young people to follow our dress code since it can:

• Contribute to school security and personal safety (respect)
• Create an equitable dress code (inclusion)
• Promote a positive and professional work ethic (respect)
• Encourage identity with and support school ethos (respect)
• Protect young people from social pressures e.g. dress in a particular fashionable or expensive way (inclusion)

Uniform supplier:

School blazers, branded school hoodies and PE kit will be available. School ties are available from the main school office. We do not want our uniform to be a barrier for any family. To encourage sustainability, we are introducing a pre-loved option. If you require support with school uniform, please contact your child’s Pupil Support Leader who will be able help you.

Article 26 – Social and economics help

Dress code ‘vision’

We expect our young people’s clothing and footwear to be a mixture of black and white with a school tie. There is the option of a blazer or school hoodie.

PE Kit: 

There is no compulsory PE kit. Young people should change into their PE kit during class time and should not come in dressed for PE in the morning. Young people have the choice not to change back into uniform at the end of the day, Period 7.

There are forms of dress which are unacceptable and not part of our uniform.

For example:
       X   Ripped jeans/trousers/skirts/shorts
       X   Immodest style or design worn in a manner that could cause offense to others
       X   Patterned, ripped or netted tights
       X   Any item which displays a brand other than the school logo or markings, football tops or strips
       X   Platforms/inappropriate footwear

We expect outdoor wear such as jackets, caps, hats, non-religious scarves to be removed in classes.

Please note there are only 3 dressed down days in an academic year; Festival jumper day, Jeans for genes day and one other selected by our young people.

All young people are expected to bring necessary equipment to support learning

This includes a school bag with:

• Charged iPad
• Pencil case/calculator
• School jotters, books, etc.
• Water bottle (optional)

What can parents/carers do?

• Make sure you are aware of the benefits of our school dress code and discuss these with your child.
• Stay committed to it – sometimes the road may be rocky, but it is worth showing your determination.
• Keep in contact with the school and other parents; a united approach will reinforce the message to our young people.
• If you are contacted by the school to inform you that your child has not worn any of part of our approved dress code, discuss it with your child; set out your expectations and revisit the benefits.
• Praise your child for supporting our dress code. Link it to what are often dress code expectations in the workplace. 

Consultation on School Uniform – March 2023 

As part of the review of our uniform policy, pupils, parents & carers, and teachers were invited to share their viewpoints.

No of responses: 

• Pupils: 275 
• Parents/carers: 193 
• Staff: 59 

Do you value our expectation that our young people/you wear school uniform? 

	Yes	No
Pupils	55%	45%
Parents/carers	87%	13%
Staff	80%	20%

If our pupils/you had some ownership to what they/you wear to school, do you think this would this encourage them/you to wear it? 

	Yes	No
Pupils	77%	23%
Parents/carers	82%	18%
Staff	80%	12%

Are you happy we continue with our current dress code? 

	Yes	No
Pupils	65%	35%
Parents/carers	73%	27%
Staff	76%	24%

Would you want blazers to be: 

	Expected	Optional	Removed from school uniform
Pupils	2%	56%	42%
Parents/carers	11%	49%	40%
Staff	10%	64%	25%

We are considering adding a school branded sweatshirt or school branded hoodie to our school uniform, can you share your thoughts on this? 

	Yes, to school sweatshirt	No, to school sweatshirt	Yes, to school hoodie	No to school hoodie
Pupils	30%	13%	52%	5%
Parents/carers	40%	9%	40%	11%
Staff	42%	7%	34%	17%

What are your views if we add black jeggings or thick black legging (not sportswear) to our uniform? 

	Positive addition	Should not be added to school uniform
Pupils	85%	15%
Parents/carers	82%	18%
Staff	58%	42%

If you regularly wear school uniform, please select which of the following applies (pupils) 

Easy to organise	School identity	Equitable	Easy to wash	Other	I don’t wear uniform
79	45	55	38	105	40

I do not wear school uniform regularly because (pupils)

Uncomfortable	Allows individuality	Want to wear my clothes	I am dressed for what I do after school	Other	I wear uniform
124	40	88	61	26	157

If your child/ren always or regularly wears school uniform, please select which of the following applies (parents/carers) 

Easy in the morning	Easy to purchase	School identity	Equitable	Easy to wash/clean	Other
110	75	111	114	78	21

If you child/ren does not wear school uniform regularly please select which of the following applies (parents/carers)

Uncomfortable	My child likes to be an individual	My child likes to wear their own clothes	Dressed for after school	Refuses to wear uniform	other
37	16	18	2	22	15

If we update the school uniform to include school hoodies/sweatshirts, would you support us to ensure your child/ren comes to school in uniform  (we would still expect a shirt and tie underneath) (parents/carers)

Yes	No
91%	9%

Do you know how to access support for school uniform through the school? (parents/carers) 

Yes	No	Not applicable
18%	16%	66%