School Uniform

"Write an essay in which you look at the issues surrounding school uniform. In your essay you should look at the pros and cons of wearing uniform and end by stating your opinion."

There are many issues surrounding school uniform. Many people believe that wearing uniform increases students behaviour and concentration on the other hand there are a great number of people who believe that wearing school uniform is pointless. I will start with the good points raised by affected people and I will later move onto the negative section of uniform.

The initial costs of purchasing school uniform may seem very high but if you work out the "price per wear" you may realise that this figure is very low. Students also don't have to be worried about what they are going to wear to school the next day and having a uniform means that school pupils have more clothes to wear outside of school. Many pupils will just forget about fashion because everybody is dressed almost exactly the same, this also helps parents of pupils because they also don't have to pay large amounts of money so that their kids can be "cool." Head Teaches may also be relieved at the fact that school uniform has been introduced because of the fact that pupils no longer wear divisive clothing such as football tops or clothes which identify the wearer into one group or culture for example a punk, a goth or a ned. School uniform also stops bullying as all the pupils look the same. Kids from poorer backgrounds have a more equal chance and don't have to strive for the latest designer labels or feel ashamed when people "slag" their clothes.

These are only some of the many good opinions on school uniform, I will now move onto the bad points of uniform to even out the argument.

No person is the same as another so why should anybody be forced to dress the same as everybody else? Also many people at high school are at the age where they want to start dressing to express themselves to their peers. These people do not wish to be forced into wearing a "One size fits all" uniform. Schools should encourage their pupils to be individuals and to express their individuality if that is what they wish to do. Many people feel uncomfortable in uniform because it may not suit the vast array of shapes, sizes and hair colours you see in schools today, this may affect the pupil's attitude to school if the school is making them feel uncomfortable. The last point is, eighteen year old pupils who are at the same school as eleven year olds are being forced to dress the same as the eleven year olds, this may make the older pupils feel as if they aren't being treated like young adults.

I feel that instead of introducing or abolishing school uniform schools should consider compromising. Headmasters may wish to consider introducing a dress code rather than a full school uniform: Any shoes, any trousers as long as they are black and any top with the exception of football tops. This is a much easier way to get all the pros of having a type of uniform without the pupils being too distressed.

In conclusion, my opinion on school uniform is that it is very good at showing the school "in a good light" but I feel that pupils at a school should be allowed to wear what they like as it is their life and they should be allowed to wear what they choose within reason.