Would You Choose a School by Its Uniform?
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SLUG HERE Christ’s Hospital Would you choose a school by its uniform? Pupils at St Margaret’s What you wear at school is as important as what you learn, says Katrina Schollenberger rom boaters to blazers, but must abide by St Margaret’s stand- parents are ever keen for ards. Therefore, skirts cannot be their children to look short, shirts or blouses must be worn smart and professional. with collars, and flip-flops and train- But how much influence ers are strictly off the curriculum. By Fdoes a uniform have over the choice introducing the rules, girls will be less of a school? distracted and look more profession- The purpose of a uniform is to pro- al, claims Hardy. vide order and certainty among stu- Boys, it seems, are easier to police. dents, but some fashion-conscious ‘I spent 10 years working in an all- pupils flout the rules by altering the boys’ environment,’ says Hardy, ‘and length and style. At the start of the uniform wasn’t an issue beyond get- current school term, 56 pupils were ting them to tuck in their shirts and sent home from Djanogly City Acad- fix their ties.’ emy in Nottingham for wearing the The uniform issue is a hot debate. wrong shoes. Some parents say they diminish a Rose Hardy, headmistress at child’s individuality and development St Margaret’s School in Bushey, Hert- of personality; others argue it teaches fordshire, has been criticised for in- children the importance of dressing troducing a new set of dress rules for smartly in formal situations. It’s un- sixth-form pupils this year. The girls deniable, however, that uniform re- are permitted to wear what they like, flects what a school is all about. ■ w 48 THE LADY 18 SEPTEMBER 2015 Fashion_SchoolUniform.indd 48 14/09/2015 16:58 INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS SPECIAL CHRISt’S HOSPITAL Uniform introduced in: 1552 Alumni: Thomas Barnes, William Camden, Samuel Taylor Coleridge Style: The distinctive uniform is the oldest in the country, virtually unchanged in over 460 years: long navy blue coat, white band at the neck, bright yellow socks. Girls wear a pleated skirt under the coat; boys wear breeches. The buttons on the coat depict the founder of the school, King Edward VI. Despite the uniform’s old-fashioned look, students are proud to wear it. GARDEN HOUSE Uniform introduced in: 1951 Alumni: Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones Style: A co-educational day school in Chelsea, considered one of the most prestigious in London, Garden House boys and girls share facilities but are taught separately. Uniforms are in tones of blue, grey and white. Girls wear blue overcoats, grey scarves and blue berets, while boys wear blue blazers and grey ties. OUNDLE Uniform introduced in: Early 1900s Alumni: Richard Dawkins, Sir Peter Scott, Cecil Lewis, Charles Wintour Style: A leading independent co-educational boarding and day school, Oundle is located in Northamptonshire. The uniform for girls includes a navy blazer, white collared shirt and long, fetching pinstriped culottes. The girls say that the longer the culottes are, the more fashionable. HARROW SCHOOL Uniform introduced in: 1615 Alumni: Winston Churchill, Lord Byron, Julian Metcalfe, Terence Rattigan Style: Harrow, an all-boys school in northwest London, is famed for the boater hats. Varnished straw is secured with a dark blue band. Despite having two uniforms, everyday dress for boys is smart, including a white shirt, black silk tie, black shoes and light grey trousers. A photo of two Harrovians in Sunday dress overlooked by three working-class boys made the News Chronicle (now Daily Mail) back in 1937, becoming a popular national symbol for class divide. 18 sEPTEMBEr 2015 THE LADY 49 Fashion_SchoolUniform.indd 49 14/09/2015 16:58 INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS SPECIAL ETON COLLEGE Uniform introduced in: 1784 Alumni: Prince William, David Cameron, Tom Hiddleston, Eddie Redmayne Style: If you didn’t know better, you’d think Etonian boys were off to perform a piano concerto at the Proms. Eton College is located in Berkshire, near Windsor, and was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI. The dapper uniform of the school includes black tailcoat jackets, paired with buttoned waistcoat vests, a white-collared shirt with a white bow tie and pinstriped trousers. It’s an exceptionally interesting outfit, so far worn by 19 British prime ministers during their time at the school. LANCING COLLEGE Uniform introduced in: 1848 Alumni: Sir Michael Darrington, Sir Roy Calne, Tom Sharpe Style: The school is based in the countryside of West Sussex, near the village of Lancing. Nowadays, the thriving school is co-educational. Girls wear knee- length blue tartan skirts, a HILL HOUSE blue jumper and navy-and- Uniform introduced in: 1951 white striped ties. It was Alumni: Lily Allen, Prince founded originally by Reverend Charles, Yasmine Naghdi Nathaniel Woodward, whose Style: Pupils are always on the sole purpose was to give back move around the Sloane to the village, as it was rife with Square, Knightsbridge and poverty in the 1800s. Chelsea areas of London. They are distinctive for burgundy knickerbockers, round-neck mustard jumpers and grey ROEDEAN knee socks. The uniform is Uniform introduced in: 1885 designed to move from Alumni: Dame Margaret Cole, Alison classroom to sport field without Adburgham, Verity Lambert OBE changing. Founder Lieutenant Style: The modern uniform includes a long colonel Stuart Townend’s wife blue pinafore, to be worn with socks or once said, ‘A grey uniform tights, and a navy blue jumper over the produces grey minds’. top. The pinafore was modelled around the dress of North African tribesmen, known as a djibbah, designed by one of the three sisters who founded the school. CHELTENHAM LADIES’ cOLLEGE Uniform introduced in: The 1950s Alumni: Kristin Scott Thomas, Helen Rosa Wright, Beatrice Harraden, Talulah Riley Style: The Cheltenham Ladies’ College girls mix greens, navy blues, light blues and blacks. Girls say they live in their jumpers ‘every day, no matter what season’, dyed in a dark green to symbolise the college. For generations, even green knickers were an essential part of the uniform. 50 THE LADY 18 SEPTEMBER 2015 Fashion_SchoolUniform.indd 50 14/09/2015 17:02 The GDST difference Composed, con dent, committed and courageous girls - that’s the GDST difference. To nd out more go to www.gdst.net GDST schools in London GDST schools and academies Blackheath High School outside London Bromley High School The Belvedere Academy, Liverpool Croydon High School Birkenhead High School Academy Kensington Prep School Brighton & Hove High School Northwood College for Girls Howell’s School, Llandaff Notting Hill & Ealing High School Ipswich High School for Girls Putney High School Newcastle High School for Girls South Hampstead High School Northampton High School Streatham & Clapham High School Norwich High School for Girls Sutton High School Nottingham Girls’ High School Sydenham High School Oxford High School Wimbledon High School Portsmouth High School The Royal High School, Bath Shef eld High School Shrewsbury High School twitter.com/gdst facebook.com/thegdst GDSTadvertTheLadySept2015.v6.indd 1 09/09/2015 10:32:21 00DISPLAY AD Template.indt 1 11/09/2015 10:48 Open Morning Saturday 3 October 10.45am EQUESTRIANOPENING CENTRE 2016 Lancing College Senior School & Sixth Form AN EXCEPTIONAL INDEPENDENT EDUCATION FOR BOYS AND GIRLS AGED 13 TO 18 www.lancingcollege.co.uk Tel 01273 465805 West Sussex BN15 0RW Registered Charity Number 1076483 00DISPLAY AD Template.indt 1 11/09/2015 10:54 INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS SPECIAL WHAT DO independent schools offer? it’s a question that parents ask all the time. The answer, as Vanessa Berridge reveals, differs for everyone but the benefits are plain to see INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS ‘People aspire to this kind of educa- OFFER… tion all around the world. You are also Small class sizes, personal buying continuity, tradition and attention, intellectual rigour, top steadiness. There’s also breadth and facilities – these are qualities depth of opportunity in extra-curric- parents are looking for when ular activities which are not afford- choosing independent education. able in the maintained sector. But do these schools have other ‘The structure of boarding schools, virtues worth paying for? We speak and even independent day schools, to several to find out what their means that the days are longer, which unique offer is. requires a greater sense of dedication iSTOCK ‘You are buying an international on the part of the teachers,’ say Paul kite mark,’ says Alice Phillips, head- Kelly, head of school and university mistress of St Catherine’s, Bramley. placement at educational consult- w 18 sEPTEMBEr 2015 THE LADY 53 Schools_WhatSchoolsOffer.indd 53 14/09/2015 16:06 INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS SPECIAL Team players: Boys and girls come together on the rugby and hockey fields at Moor Park Above: The serene setting of Malvern St James in Worcestershire ants Gabbitas. ‘Modern languages maintained school locally,’ says Char- Our choristers learn in depth about and sciences are flourishing in the lie Minogue, formerly of all-boys Ald- our heritage, and come to understand independent sector and close bonds wickbury, Hertfordshire, and newly the rhythm and vocabulary of poetry. formed between pupils at boarding appointed headmaster of co-ed Moor Only the choristers board, but that schools can lead to a wonderful sup- Park. ‘Aldwickbury was set up for gives the school a family feel. port network later in life.’ boys, so I shall beat a different drum ‘The cathedral pays 60 percent of ‘Independent schools have the au- at Moor Park. I’m just glad that par- the choristers’ fees and they will in- tonomy to provide a whole school ents have a choice.’ variably go on to get a music scholar- curriculum which fits the children ‘We offer a beautiful location in ship at their senior schools.