SCHOOL UNIFORM AT OUR LADY OF THE MISSIONS PRIMARY SCHOOL  

 This note gives guidance on why at Our Lady of the Missions Primary School we value school uniform, what the children wear and where you can buy it. If you have any further queries or suggestions, please contact the school for help.

 Why should your children wear school uniform?

 Wearing school uniform

• encourages a strong community ethos and pride in the school;
• ensures children wear appropriate, economical and practical clothing to school;
• reduces bullying / teasing and discourages competitive dressing/undue focus on brands; 
• promotes the school’s identity in the community;
• helps staff supervise pupils and keep unwelcome visitors out of school; 
• follows East Renfrewshire Council’s Dressing for Excellence policy, click on link below.

 Dressing For Excellence

GIRLS UNIFORM

• Navy v neck jumper/cardigan/tank top or navy sweatshirt with school badge
• Pale blue school blouse
• Navy or white socks, or navy tights
• Black school shoes (no trainers)
• Navy Skirt or pinafore (around knee length) or trousers 
• Summer dress (white and blue checks) – optional
• School tie

P6 and P7 pupils must wear shirt and tie every day as per East Renfrewshire Council policy – this helps prepare for the transition to secondary school.

GIRLS SPORTS/GYM UNIFORM

• Pale blue polo shirt (preferably with school badge) or white t- shirt
• Navy school sweatshirt or navy (or dark) tracksuit top/hooded top
• Navy (or dark) tracksuit trousers/joggers
• Navy (or dark) shorts
• Cagoule or rain jacket
• Trainers or plimsolls

 All Gym Kit should be put into a labelled bag for storage at school

 BOYS UNIFORM

• Grey v neck jumper/cardigan/tank top or grey sweatshirt with school badge
• Pale blue school shirt
• School tie
• Grey socks
• Black school shoes (no trainers)
• Grey trousers or shorts

 P6 and P7 pupils must wear shirt and tie every day as per East Renfrewshire Council policy – this helps prepare for the transition to secondary school.

SPORTS/GYM UNIFORM

• Pale blue polo shirt (preferably with school badge) or white t- shirt
• Grey school sweatshirt or navy (or dark) tracksuit top/hooded top
• Navy (or dark) tracksuit trousers/joggers
• Navy (or dark) shorts
• Cagoule or rain jacket
• Trainers or plimsolls

All Gym Kit should be put into a labelled bag for storage at school

 BLAZERS AND OUTDOOR COATS

School blazers (royal blue) are strongly encouraged – a dark coloured cagoule in the school bag can help get more wear out of blazers in the Scottish weather.

Outdoor Jackets/coats – Academy Uniforms provides a smart, practical range of school branded waterproof jackets from £16 to £22.  If not, jackets should still be navy or dark, of a plain design and with no obvious logos.

  What else should you know?  

 Gym days – younger children (up to and including P5) can wear polo shirt/sweat shirt rather than shirt and tie on gym days to avoid having to change. Bear this in mind when you buy shirts – they will only be needed 2 days a week as there are 3 gym days. Some PE lessons take place outside hence the need for joggers and warm sweatshirt/cagoule.

Track suits – don’t buy expensive sports gear – it might get lost and blue or black supermarket joggers/tops are absolutely fine.

Skirts – skirts should be a navy, traditional, plain style and around knee length.
School tie – should be worn to a decent length and knotted neatly.

Shirts – it can be helpful to have at least one long sleeved shirt for school photos/representing the school (eg in the school choir).
Footwear – black, sensible school shoes (not trainers or trainer style shoes) should be worn. Footwear should not damage flooring. Children do not change into gym shoes when they are in school and will wear their school shoes all day so they should fit well and be comfortable. Smart dark leather (or similar) boots can be worn in winter though not Ugg type or other loose fitting/welly boots for day to day wear. Do of course use common sense in extreme weather when wellies/snow boots may be necessary – in those cases, you may want to give your child a change of shoes for the class room. No high heels are permitted.
Jewellery/make up – no jewellery (other than plain studs for children with pierced ears), make-up or nail polish should be worn at school. These can cause health/hygiene issues. Watches are permitted.

Label everything – and replace labels when they fall off. It is astonishing how much expensive, unlabelled clothing ends up in lost property. Sew-on labels are harder work but last longer. There are many shops / web sites selling labels – one set will usually last for the duration of your child’s time at school. Unclaimed school items go to a local charity shop 2/3 times a year!

Valuables – don’t send your children in wearing expensive clothing or valuables. East Renfrewshire Council is not insured for this and is unlikely to meet claims for losses.

 Use common sense – some things that might be worn elsewhere are unacceptable in school, for example, anything that could

• encourage factions e.g. football colours;  
• cause offence (e.g. anti-religious symbolism or political content slogans) or carry advertising (particularly for alcohol or tobacco); 
• cause health and safety issues (e.g. flammable materials/loose clothing/dangly ear-rings); or 
• could be used to hurt others 

 Where can you buy school uniform?

 School uniform is practical and economical and there are many options for purchasing it

• Nearly New Sale – there will normally be a  “nearly new” uniform sale including blazers in the summer term organised by the Parent Council.
• Supermarkets/chains – there are excellent offers in the chains/supermarkets even from early summer and all the big supermarkets stock navy/blue/grey basics.
• Academy Uniforms has a uniform night in school in the summer term. They are also in school on Parents’ Nights.  Academy sells a range of school branded clothing including polo shirts/sweat shirts/coats / fleeces/bags/hats/shoe bags etc. but not blazers.

 Academy has a showroom you can visit at 4a Rennie Place, College Milton North, East Kilbride, G74 5HD  01355244879 to buy/try for size and a web site at http://www.academyuniformsltd.co.uk for online orders. You can also place orders at the school office (order forms are held in the office) – these are delivered into school for collection by you the following week.

• Man’s World – at 192 Fenwick Road, Giffnock G46 6UE sells blazers, school branded polo shirts/sweat shirts and ties as well as non branded school uniform such as skirts/trousers etc. They also have a website at http://www.mansworldglasgow.co.uk . Man’s World stocks our royal blue felt blazers and ERC has negotiated a discounted price.
• Clothing grants (under certain conditions) are available to help with cost – to apply please go to http://www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1808. 

This policy has been formulated through consultation between the school and the Parent Council and follows East Renfrewshire Council’s Dressing for Excellence policy. Though no pupil can or will be excluded from school for not wearing the correct uniform, there is strong support within the school and in the parent community for school uniform to be worn in promoting and maintaining standards. We hope you and your children will support these aims.

Our Lady of the Missions Primary School  and  Our Lady of the Missions Parent Council