Uniform & Appearance

Uniform & Appearance Expectations

St Mary's unashamedly sets high standards and has high expectations of its pupils. This is very evident in the way that pupils have pride in their uniform and appearance. We believe that when pupils show respect for their uniform as well as their own appearance, they learn that making a great first impression is a fundamental characteristic of getting on in life. The unity that our uniform brings makes a strong and lasting contribution to our community cohesion.

A simple and clear school uniform policy promotes school safety, improves discipline, and enhances the learning environment. A school uniform helps to forge a single identity for the school and our pupils...like a sports team. By insisting that all pupils dress in the same way we can ensure that bullying incidents relating to a person's ability to afford the latest fashions does not happen. If you talk to any recruitment officer they will give the same message they get from their parents and school: How you dress and present yourself really matters!

Good schools prepare their pupils for the world of work by insisting on high standards in dress and appearance. Looking clean, decent and well-groomed influences the way in which you are treated and can give you a head start in life.

Our pupils are frequently complimented on their appearance. Our rules are strongly influenced by the feedback we get from parents and also the views of our pupils. Whilst some pupils would like softer uniform rules, many pupils respect the fact that the uniform does just what it is supposed to - make us look like a team! The high standards set by parents at home are a strong guide to us and we want to reinforce this at school.

An overwhelming majority of parents want their children to go to school dressed in an appropriate way and they support our emphasis on respect for the dignity of young people. St. Mary's greatly values the strong backing we get from parents over uniform matters.

Uniform and Appearance Policy