In my part of Surrey, many schools explicitly create barriers to
pupils' walking or cycling to school, by enforcing school uniform
regulations that require pupils to camouflage themselves in navy blue or
black outer clothing, and forbidding hats, scarves and gloves until the
head-teacher (usually a hardy soul) considers it to be cold enough.
The conspicuity issues add weight to parents' anxieties about their
children walking or cyclying to school; and banning warm clothing would
certainly put some pupils off in winter.
I have pointed out the effect of these regulations to some of my
local schools, and been told that it would be "inappropriate" to permit
anything else. No further explanation was given. When I approached the LEA
"walking to schools" officer, I was told that school governors set uniform
policy, and there is no way to direct them to change their minds on this
sort of issue.
Rapid Response:
Unnecessary barriers to walking and cycling
In my part of Surrey, many schools explicitly create barriers to
pupils' walking or cycling to school, by enforcing school uniform
regulations that require pupils to camouflage themselves in navy blue or
black outer clothing, and forbidding hats, scarves and gloves until the
head-teacher (usually a hardy soul) considers it to be cold enough.
The conspicuity issues add weight to parents' anxieties about their
children walking or cyclying to school; and banning warm clothing would
certainly put some pupils off in winter.
I have pointed out the effect of these regulations to some of my
local schools, and been told that it would be "inappropriate" to permit
anything else. No further explanation was given. When I approached the LEA
"walking to schools" officer, I was told that school governors set uniform
policy, and there is no way to direct them to change their minds on this
sort of issue.
Peter English.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests