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School Uniforms Across the World

If you are considering moving house to France, Italy, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Canada or the USA, one of the many expenses you may have to think about, if you have a family, is a new school uniform. But what kinds of items will your children have to wear – or does your chosen country not wear school uniforms at all?

Hamiltons Removals are highly experienced in organising international removals to Europe and across the world. Here we look at how the school uniform started, and the customs and practices of different countries around the world.

The First School Uniforms

The practice of wearing a school uniform is thought to have originated in the Christ Hospital School in London in 1552. The school was run by a charity and it was originally a way of identifying the pupils’ low social status.

Private and grammar schools were the first to introduce uniforms, but they were slow to catch on because most families could not afford separate clothes for school.

Legislation introducing free education in the 19^th century, for primary school pupils, and the 20^th century for secondary school pupils in Britain, helped to make uniforms more popular. It meant children wore similar clothes and there was no discrimination against lower-income families. It was also firmly believed that having a uniform would encourage a sense of pride in the school, a belief which is still held today.

There is currently no formal legislation requiring uniforms to be worn, but the Department for Education encourages it. Around 90% of all schools in the UK have a uniform, often outlining specific garments which are included. School governors in this country have a duty to make sure uniforms remain affordable.

France

If you are thinking of moving house to France, then you also shouldn’t have to worry about new school clothes, as pupils here don’t generally wear a uniform.

Children used to wear standard gowns over their clothes to protect themselves from ink stains, although it is believed that after the introduction of the ballpoint pen in the 1960s this item gradually disappeared. Another school of thought says the school uniform disappeared after the student uprisings of 1968 – however, there have been localised calls for the reintroduction of a standard form of clothing in certain schools. Military schools and leading boarding schools in France still have a strict uniform policy.

Australia and New Zealand

Australia and New Zealand are similar to the UK in uniform adoption and each school sets its own policy. However, they’re common in most public (state) schools, and virtually all private and Catholic schools in Australia have one. Their uniforms are usually based on the school colours and may also have the school logo incorporated somewhere on their garments.

The warm climates of these countries mean boys, even older ones, are more likely to be allowed to wear shorts during hot weather. In New Zealand, primary pupils may have to wear broad-brimmed floppy hats to prevent sunburn, while sandals can be standard summer wear.

Canada

Canada has a reasonably relaxed attitude to school uniforms and most schools do not require their pupils to wear one. However, they may need them for specific occasions, such as performances or field trips, particularly to other countries – this is mainly for ease of identification. Most Canadian private and Catholic schools tend to have uniforms.

USA

Most US schools – about four out of every five – do not have a specific uniform, but more a general dress code set by the school board, which is the equivalent of governors in the UK, outlining what is and isn’t acceptable.

School uniforms in America, where they exist, tend to be more casual than in many other countries. For example, they may just specify collared, buttoned shirts, with different ties for boys and girls, paired with chinos or a certain colour of jeans. Girls may also wear a dress which must be of at least ‘modest’ length.

Germany

There is no great tradition of wearing school uniforms in Germany; however, pupils tend to have ‘school clothing’ which outlines a range of acceptable items, such as shirts, sweaters, trousers and dresses – usually with a nod to contemporary fashion.

Italy

In Italy, school uniforms are uncommon. The main standard item of dress is the grembiule, a type of smock which can be worn over the top of other garments. Younger, or primary school age pupils, wear a smaller version called a grembiulino. Some parents send their children to school in one even if the school does not require it.

International Removals Europe

If you considering a commercial or domestic house move to France, Germany or Italy, then Hamiltons Removals can help. We have a network of contacts throughout the industry and can co-ordinate international removals to destinations throughout Europe, as well as worldwide removals to countries including the USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. If you would like to know more about our services, follow the link above.