 School Dress Standards
Schools play an important part of our communities. At Ayr State Primary School, student
dress standards should promote the good image of the school within the community, and
should encourage students to uphold and enhance that image.
Principles underpinning student dress standards at Ayr State are:
(a) Access and participation
 Maximising students access to, and
participation in, all educational experiences.
ensuring health and safety requirements.
minimising harassment.
ensuring flexibility of style, colour
and fabric.
minimising stereotypical ideas about
appropriateness for female and male students.
(b) Respect for others.
(c) Continuity and fair trade practice regarding uniforms.
(d) Responsiveness and sensitivity to:
contemporary styles
maturity of students, gender,
disability.
(e) School community awareness of:
rationale for standards
expectations and responsibilities
changing values and attitudes
reflecting changes in society.
Inappropriate dress refers to clothing or apparel that the student wears that
is, or could be deemed to be:
(a) offensive;
(b) likely to disrupt, or negatively influence, the normal operation of the
school;
(c) unsafe for the student or others; and
(d) likely to result in a risk to the health of the student of others.
Reasonable dress refers to clothing or apparel that would be socially
acceptable, although it might not conform to the school dress standards for students.
| Issues specific to Ayr State
School |
Particular dress requirements for specific activities.
(a)
Swimming - thongs? (to be discussed)
allowed for lower year levels.
School Representative Sports
- no jewellery to be worn .
- full sports uniform dress.
Interhouse Sports
(b) Health and safety
protective equipment for contact
sports.
jewellery - girls and boys earrings;
sleepers or studs only.
- children may wear watches
- expensive jewellery should not be worn to school.
- no excessive jewellery to be worn.
(c) Procedures for dealing with exceptional circumstances.
A second hand uniform collection operates form the tuckshop. Uniforms are available for
purchase at a minimal cost (Availability subject to vary).
(d) Strategies for dealing with situations where the standards are not maintained. If
the student is reasonably dressed, but does not conform with the school’s
dress
standards, the principal or nominee should:
inform the student’s parents or
caregivers of the matter and, if necessary, discuss it further with them; and
use, with representatives of the
school community, appropriate conflict-resolution or mediation strategies if the student
persistently fails to observe the standards.
Approaches which encourage and reward students for upholding student dress standards
are worthwhile, and these should reflect the broader school philosophy, especially aspects
which relate to student welfare.
When resolving matters concerning school dress standards for students, flexibility and
commonsense should prevail, especially in relation to the following circumstances.
(a) Mobile families should be allowed sufficient time to purchase items of dress
required at the new school;
(b) Families experiencing economic hardship should be offered special arrangements, or
an extended period of time, to purchase new items of dress; and
(c) Students with physical impairments should be permitted considerable flexibility in
the interpretation of the dress standards.
.
Uniform standards at Ayr State Primary permit a range of choices i.e. shorts, skirts of
varying length and styles, dresses (Refer School Uniform). Choices can, at times, depend
upon parent’s financial circumstances.
Implementation Strategy
1. Copy of School Dress Standards to all parents and members of the school community.
2. Reference standards to student behaviour management policy.
Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (Extract only)
Student dress standards developed with the provisions of anti-discrimination
legislation in mind will also result in additional educational benefits, such as
minimising the risk of sexual harassment so often experienced by girls. Girls frequently
report discomfort and embarrassment as a result of unwelcome comments about their body
shape and sexuality. This may be directly attributed to school dress requirements. As a
result, they tend to:-
withdraw from activities;
avoid certain subjects;
restrict their use of space and equipment;
experience lower feelings of self-confidence and worth;
increase absenteeism; and
fear for personal safety.
Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 (requires specific dress for
various work conditions)
The Act aims to make sure your health and safety is not put at risk and you aren’t
ill or injured because of your association with workplaces, workplaces activities or
specific high risk plant.
A workplace is any place where work is performed, or is likely to be performed by a
worker, self-employed person or employer. A workplace is covered by the Act even if it
does not have to be registered as a workplace under a workplace health and safety
regulation.
Specified high risk plant is plant that may be a risk to public health and safety, for
example, lifts and escalators. The Act has a list of specified high risk plant.
All Education Queensland employer/employees have general Duties of Care associated with
Workplace Health & Safety. This means that all people have a legal duty to take care
that they do not endanger the health or safety of others, either by what they do, or by
what they fail to do, ie by action or by omission.
Students health and safety should not be put at risk by schools failing to recommend
that specific clothing, footwear and other protective items such as hats, caps, helmets,
gloves etc should be worn in various situations.
Schools cover such situations in their policies and rules.
If you have comments or suggestions, email us at the.principal@ayrss.eq.edu.au |
