100 signatures reached
To: head of Sir Jonathan North College
SUP (School Uniform Protest)
Leave our current dress code alone ! It's inappropriate to introduce an expensive and impractical new uniform during the current crisis.
Why is this important?
COVID-19 AND SCHOOL UNIFORMS
1 Pupils and families will be put at unnecessary risk if forced to buy a new logo uniform that can’t be washed daily. Each single item is so expensive, only better off parents could provide more than one set. Children on pupil premium will be the most at-risk, eligible for only a £20 voucher, enough to cover just one item - or just over half a blazer. While other schools are dropping blazer/logo uniforms for this very reason (See T.E.S.) our school is demanding we do the opposite and introduce one.
2. The complicated buying procedure which involves travelling to a distant shop also presents significant risk and extra expense.
3. It is clear strict uniform will not be the UK norm from September. A refund guarantee is therefore essential until our school catches up with current thinking on pupil safety. Otherwise parents and carers, many of whom in our Leicester catchment are already in dire financial need, will be further stretched. The school should immediately advise us not to purchase.
BEYOND COVID
4. It makes no sense to introduce an expensive new uniform and extra stress when pupils already have multiple sets of our smart, cheap, easy to wash uniform from this year. What kind of message does it send to young people to insist they throw away a mountain of good clothing at a time of climate crisis and massive job losses ? We require an independent survey of the parents and carers who pay for pupils’ clothing. To date no survey has been carried out. Governors and school staff made this decision. They are not paying the bills.
5. Did you know that with a realistic average cost per child of £150 per year including replacements ( upto 3 times that with Covid present ) parents + carers' bill for pupils going through SJNC will be around £1 million?
6. The school has chosen a supplier that liquidated, then restarted. Extra profit was made by inflating uniform prices. However £306,000 that should have been returned to schools through 'cashback' was never paid. Latest accounts show the company is still overdrawn. Why did the school select this company ? How can we be certain they will they be able to provide refunds if we do as they instruct and buy now ?
1 Pupils and families will be put at unnecessary risk if forced to buy a new logo uniform that can’t be washed daily. Each single item is so expensive, only better off parents could provide more than one set. Children on pupil premium will be the most at-risk, eligible for only a £20 voucher, enough to cover just one item - or just over half a blazer. While other schools are dropping blazer/logo uniforms for this very reason (See T.E.S.) our school is demanding we do the opposite and introduce one.
2. The complicated buying procedure which involves travelling to a distant shop also presents significant risk and extra expense.
3. It is clear strict uniform will not be the UK norm from September. A refund guarantee is therefore essential until our school catches up with current thinking on pupil safety. Otherwise parents and carers, many of whom in our Leicester catchment are already in dire financial need, will be further stretched. The school should immediately advise us not to purchase.
BEYOND COVID
4. It makes no sense to introduce an expensive new uniform and extra stress when pupils already have multiple sets of our smart, cheap, easy to wash uniform from this year. What kind of message does it send to young people to insist they throw away a mountain of good clothing at a time of climate crisis and massive job losses ? We require an independent survey of the parents and carers who pay for pupils’ clothing. To date no survey has been carried out. Governors and school staff made this decision. They are not paying the bills.
5. Did you know that with a realistic average cost per child of £150 per year including replacements ( upto 3 times that with Covid present ) parents + carers' bill for pupils going through SJNC will be around £1 million?
6. The school has chosen a supplier that liquidated, then restarted. Extra profit was made by inflating uniform prices. However £306,000 that should have been returned to schools through 'cashback' was never paid. Latest accounts show the company is still overdrawn. Why did the school select this company ? How can we be certain they will they be able to provide refunds if we do as they instruct and buy now ?
How it will be delivered
Stage a press conference
