All North Lanarkshire schools must have a dress code which is appropriate for attendance at school. This dress code must not lead to direct or indirect discrimination on the grounds of race, religion, gender or disability. It is the expectation of the education authority that parents and carers will support the dress code and written agreement may be sought.
Clothing which is unacceptable in school under any circumstance includes items which:
- Could potentially encourage factions (eg football colours).
- Could cause offence (eg anti-religious symbolism or political slogans).
- Could cause health and safety difficulties such as loose fitting clothing, dangling earrings and other potentially dangerous jewellery.
- Are of flammable materials which may be a danger in certain classes ( eg shell suits).
- Could cause damage to flooring.
- Carry advertising in particular for alcohol or tobacco.
- Could be used to inflict damage on other pupils or to be used by others to do so.
Parents in receipt of a grant for footwear and clothing from the council will be encouraged to purchase items which are in accordance with the school dress code. Approval of any requests for such grants in other circumstances are at the discretion of the Director of Education. Information and application forms may be obtained from any school or area office or from the North Lanarkshire Council website . Parents are entitled to receive a clothing grant if they are in receipt of any of the following benefits: Income Support, Job Seekers Allowance (income based), Employment & Support Allowance, Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction.
The school and council ask parents and carers to minimise the loss of pupil clothing and /or personal belongings by ensuring that any valuable items and unnecessarily expensive items of clothing, jewellery, etc are not brought to school and all personal belongings are labelled. It should be noted that any claims submitted to cover the loss of such things will only be met where the authority can be shown to have been negligent.
