More Than a Uniform: A Symbol of Community and Character

For those of us who remember, there was a time when you flew on a plane, even a domestic flight, when you dressed for the occasion, men would wear a shirt, tie and jacket. As we know, over time, we have relaxed these expectations to the point where comfort for the passengers is now the main priority. At the same time, the staff who serve on these same flights, those who work in our defence forces, or on the ground in emergency services continue to wear a uniform, maintaining a level of professionalism and setting the sense of decorum. These staff uphold an expectation which is set by their organisation.

Over the years I have often been asked about the value of uniforms in schools from students and parents and my response has always been two fold. Firstly, I believe that school uniforms ensure the focus is not on what we wear, but on what we do, our character. When people suggest it doesn’t allow for individuality, my response has always been that this is seen through our character, through our interests, through how we interact with others.

My second justification for uniforms is a little less easy to explain. I believe part of the learning for children growing into adulthood is understanding about expectations. Sometimes, expectations are set by the self, such as “I will study hard for this test”. This is important, however sometimes, we simply have to follow what is expected of us, even though we might not agree. When it comes to building resilience and true character, then being able to uphold and follow expectations helps develop those skills. If young people grow up with few boundaries, or no expectations, there is a proven adverse result as they enter adulthood, but that’s a topic for another time. Uniforms provide just one part of that learning about how to uphold expectations, and it sets a standard.

With this in mind, as a college we are going to hit the reset button on our uniform expectations from Term Three. Members of the leadership team and I will be communicating with students and with you, our parents about these expectations. This is nothing new, we’re not changing anything, we’re just going to focus on the documented expectations we have and simply ask our students to uphold these. We are going to ask our students to wear their uniform well, so they look smart and well presented. It would be great if we didn’t have to follow up on these expectations moving forward and enable us to focus on other aspects of their learning journey, but rest assured, we will if needed, in ways that are appropriate and respectful.

Being part of our Somerset community is something of which all our students should be proud, and a key part of this over the last 42 years has been our uniform. It has changed and been refined during that time, but it is a sign of belonging and should be worn well and with pride.