School buys pupils new blazers

Banbury School students model the old and new uniforms

Students at a comprehensive school in Oxfordshire will be given brand new blazers as part of a new uniform.

Banbury School has spent £15,000 on 1,100 black blazers with red embroidered logos ready for the new academic year in September.

Nearly 700 pupils voted on a choice of three new uniforms, with 82% opting for the blazer and a black and red tie.

But the handout has been criticised by a teaching union which questioned whether it was the best use of cash.

Sense of pride

Every student in years seven to 11 will be given a blazer, which replaces the navy blue sweater currently worn by students, on the first day of term.

Sixth form students will continue to wear their own choice of clothes, but with a new smarter dress code.

Teachers' union NASUWT has questioned whether the blazers were a good use of school money, but Dr Fiona Hammans, school principal, believes the new uniform will help raise standards by creating a team spirit and a sense of pride in the school.

She said: "I never thought I would be a head teacher that would make a uniform more formal, but the students like the idea of wearing a smart uniform and we have had no complaints from the parents."

'Cheap' blazers

After the distribution of this batch of blazers, currently filling two classrooms, parents will be responsible for buying replacements from local shops.

Dr Hammans added: "We take youngsters from the whole range of backgrounds, so we will make sure the blazers are as cheap as possible."

Chris Keates, general secretary of the teachers' union NASUWT, said: "Whilst school uniform is important, I would question whether it is an appropriate or effective use of the school budget to kit out pupils in this way.

"It is perfectly possible to have a smart, affordable uniform which does not include a blazer."

Banbury School, which has more than 1,400 students, will be self-governed from September and is set to gain humanities specialist status.

Work on a £6m building programme to create a 28-classroom teaching block is also about to begin.