Green light for uniform checks before new school year

Parents of children at Sirius Academy West in Hull say pre-term uniform approval sessions are helping, with approved items marked by green stickers.

Parents of children at Sirius Academy West in Hull say sessions held to approve uniform ahead of the new school year are proving helpful. The secondary school has hosted its first uniform approval day of the summer so children's trousers and skirts could be checked, with clothing tagged with a green sticker when it has been authorised.

A school building in the background, looking through a green gate in the foreground. — Image caption, Sirius Academy West is helping parents make sure their children's uniforms are approved

What are the school’s uniform expectations?

Sirius Academy West outlined its "uniform expectations" in a post on social media, including that trousers and skirts must be black. The school said skirts should be the same material as blazers and should be a pencil-fit style, sitting just above the knee.

Mark, whose daughter is going into Year 7, said advance checks help avoid problems at the start of term.

"It's all stuff like this that causes hassle at the beginning of the year... [It] puts kids out of sorts, especially at the start when they should be progressing, gaining confidence, instead of getting criticised."

He said it was a "loads better" idea to allow uniform to be checked in advance.

"If everyone is the same, it teaches you in life you've got to have uniforms depending on your job,"

How are parents responding to the approval days?

Laura, whose children are also going into Year 7, said she found it helpful to get trousers she had not bought from the school's official supplier checked. She said the process was particularly useful for families who may not be able to afford the official option.

"It's fine if you can afford to buy them off the website, but it's not great when you've not got a lot of money,"

"[It] is very helpful that they will approve other trousers and stamp them for you."

Cheryl, another parent, said she found the dates of the drop-in sessions inconvenient, but she agreed that it could make things easier in September. She said the checks were still understandable because the uniform rules were important.

"It's a little bit of a faff, but I can see why they're doing it if it's such an important thing that they've got to have it right,"

A man and a girl looking at the camera. The man is wearing a white baseball cap and a grey T-shirt. The girl is wearing a green fleece jacket. They are standing in front of a hedge, a fence and a red car. — Image caption, Parents of children at Sirius Academy West in Hull have been invited to get their uniform approved

Has the school responded?

The BBC has contacted the school for a comment.

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Key Facts

Sirius Academy West is in Hull.
The school has held its first uniform approval day of the summer.
Approved clothing receives a green sticker.
The school’s uniform rules include black trousers and skirts, with skirts matching blazers and sitting just above the knee.
Parents quoted in the article said the sessions could reduce hassle and help families manage costs.