Wondering how hard its going to be to dress the kids appropriately, what do younger kids wear? are sandals or trainers allowed or proper shoes required
I was surprised to learn that there is no school uniform in Switzerland, in UK we complain about the high cost of school branded uniforms and formal black shoes etc, but in reality its easier and cheaper to wear uniform as well as the regularity of all the children and safety.
When school children are out and about on public transport with teachers they resemble something like this:
Clothing I have observed is just normal, casual clothing. Sandals, trainers, shoes, whatever you prefer. Other parents can confirm, may differ for private schools I guess.
Don't moan about the cost of uniforms - you're now going to have to buy the latest fashions from top to tail - anything goes as long as the label is right.
[only UK (and other countries' knobend private schools) have to wear uniforms]
thankyou, i like the fact that they're all wearing those high visibity vests it make me feel better about safety..
I've only ever seen Kindergarten kiddies wearing this kind of thing.
Uniforms; There's no better way of keeping the still-malleable, flag-waving subjects 'happy' with their lot.
We wore uniform at school, and I was so glad. I went to an all girls Grammar School where many of the girls came from families with plenty of money, I was not one of them.
The uniform made us all appear more equal, less competitive about who had the most fashionable, up to date clothes. I think there was probably less bullying because of the dress code (though I hated the grey felt bowler-type hats )
Stock up on plenty of hardwearing stuff. Most schools with kids up to about 12 have a playground with all sorts of climbing frames and swings, etc. (unlike in the UK where they have a nice, safe wide space where nobody can so much as graze a knee or break a nail) .
My son goes through all the knees on his trousers and his shoes are usually scuffed to hell after 3 months or so.
I've found that M&S have the best wearing jeans (and not charge the earth for them) and they can be ordered online with delivery to Switzerland.
I came from the school uniform system in England and agree with Hannah's Auntie above, they are useful. You never had to wonder what to put on each day and all your "out of school" clothes stay nice.
[QUOTE=sha11;1627063]I was surprised to learn that there is no school uniform in Switzerland, in UK we complain about the high cost of school branded uniforms and formal black shoes etc, but in reality its easier and cheaper to wear uniform as well as the regularity of all the children and safety.
The international school my children are attending decided to implement a school uniform programme beginning this year...surely very happy about it!!!!! I have heard about one other school in Vaud offering a uniform, so I guess you can find schools with a uniform programme in Switzerland
My children attend normal Swiss schools. Never has there been a dress code/uniform requirement. They dress normally, i never dress them in good or new clothes for school, because they can get dirty or damaged.
The high visibility stuff around here is only used for Kindergarten kiddies and its only a high visibility triangle that goes over their shoulders.
Very happy that we have no uniform costs
Funny. I went to a comprehensive and it's amazing how much a determined pupil can change the standard uniform.
Threads pulled out of ties to make the black stripes wider, ties knotted with huge knots and then tiny tails, non-standard badges worn, forbidden jewellery, short skirts, non-standard shoes...
I can't say the bullying was noticeably diminished by the uniform either. To put it another way, I don't see how the bullying could have been any worse than it was.
On the other hand, non-uniform days were a nightmare. I don't think there's an easy answer - both schools with uniform and schools without pose problems when it comes to dressing pupils.
On the plus side of no uniform, if you child ruins their trousers / jumper... you don't have to apologise the next day for sending them in in non-standard clothing because they spilt paint down their last school jumper and you can't get to the shops until next week...
She has two under 5's so they will surely be part of the highly visible midgets.
The teenagers will be able to dress cool, and hip and trendy like the Swiss teenagers and wear, black and grey, or any other bland colour
I remember my mum insisting we wore school shoes where we had to go to one of those shops with shoe fitters who carefully measured your feet in a machine and gave you the right-sized shoes with (supposedly) good supporting designs.
OK, so they were ugly as you like but I've grown up with good feet with no bunions or mal-formed toes, etc.
In Zurich, I think there are just two places that cater for parents wanting their children's feet measured and advice on which shoes are good for which sort of feet (wide/narrow fittings, etc).
Most of the kids in my son's class come to school with all sorts of off-the-shelf footwear hanging off their feet as they slip-slop up the stairs and along the corridors.
Am I the only one that fannies about looking for "proper" shoes for school these days?