*NEWS:
"A Good School with Outstanding Features..." - OFSTED 2011
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NEW SCHOOL UNIFORM FOR LEARNERS

In the summer learners started to talk to the Student Council and senior staff about developing the Leon School Uniform.  The current white ‘Fred Perrys’/blue sweatshirt has been unchanged for eight years. A full ballot was held in October, organised by the Student Council, of the whole learner population.  78% of learners supported a change.

It is up to Governors to approve any suggestions and ratify the change.  The Student Council then discussed a timescale for introducing any changes.

1. No blazer at this time – possible review later
2. Current blue sweatshirts and white polo to PE
3. No top coats to be worn in school at all
4. Socks – black or white.  Tights – flesh coloured or black

Leon used to have a school uniform in the 1970s and 1980s.  There followed a period with no uniform at all before the present blue sweatshirts were reintroduced in the early 2000s

The main reasons given for a change were:

• That our current uniform is not ‘grown up’ enough.  It is too similar to primary school uniforms.
• When learners mix with other schools our uniform seems inadequate against theirs.
• The colour blue is not very user friendly as a sweatshirt/fleece.
• The uniform does not represent ‘smart’ employment wear.

As a school, the management were minded by:

• The fact Year 7s had not had the uniform long
• That Year 11s were not to be included
• That our change to black trainers at the request of learners had not been universally followed – causing us problems with uniform checking
• That blazers were impractical and expensive, and our uniform must be affordable and easy to purchase
• That a ‘tie’ allows lots of recognition possibilities e.g. KS3, KS4, a representative tie; a responsibility tie etc.

Wearing the uniform

The Student Voice have suggested the following:

• From the new Spring Term anyone can start to wear the uniform voluntarily.
• It is compulsory from 1st June 2011 for Years 8, 9 and 10.
• It is compulsory from 1st September 2011 for Years 7 (current) and new!