St James' School Uniform Review
Reminder Today - Friday 5 August - Last day for review
Have you participated in this review process?
In August 2021 the School Board advised the community that the St James’ Catholic School Uniform Policy was up for review on the School Board Review Cycle and invited feedback on our current uniform. Thank you for your feedback before this review took place. The School Board has reviewed and consideration has been given to an updated uniform concept taking into account comfort, cost and appearance, current supply and stock levels issues, while maintaining affordability and the St James’ Green.
Rationale for a suggested change in St James’ Catholic School Uniform: There are currently 18 uniform items in place including single sex uniform items, summer/winter options and a unisex sports uniform. The girl’s tartan uniform was introduced in 1997 and the green jerseys for boys were also brought in at this time. Since then the skort and cardigan have been introduced. We like to see students take pride in their uniform and this should be reflected through the uniform they wear and how they wear it. Our uniform identifies the wearer with the school and through staff our students are encouraged to always look well presented. We are also very conscious of the cost of education.
A uniform should:
- look smart;
- be practicable;
- allow all students to take a pride in their appearance;
- be cost effective for parents; be easy for parents to purchase and replace;
- be made of good quality, hard-wearing materials and washable;
- allow students to feel comfortable and culturally safe so that they can focus on their learning.
Any uniform will be: worn correctly by every student; the same for all students.
Please see below for new uniform proposal.
The PE (Sports) Uniform and Green Bucket hat will remain unchanged.
Shoes: Black vinyl or leather school shoes, plain brown or black sandals. No sneakers/sport or skate shoes. (These may be worn on Friday’s with the PE Sports Uniform)
Socks: Navy knee-length socks or navy ankle socks
Stockings: Navy
NB: Thermal undergarments to be V-Neck – white, grey, navy blue or black and must not be visible under school uniform items.
We invite all parents to complete this survey. This will be an open consultation process. Responses from this survey will be considered and will be shared with our community at the end of this policy review process.
Please be informed that this is a consultation phase of the Uniform Policy. Should there be a change to the St James’ Catholic School Uniform, no time line has been considered and any change would require such a timeline, such parameters have not yet been considered. There will be no immediate change to the current St James’ Catholic School Uniform. If a new uniform is adopted it is proposed a new uniform will be in place from the start of a new school year.
It is also proposed that there would be a “phase-in” period when both the new and old uniform would be acceptable. It is proposed that any phase in period would run for [3 years] after the new uniform becomes available.
Parents, Students and Staff will be consulted in the review process which will end Friday 5 August 2022.
Michael Fennessy
Presiding Chair, St James' Catholic School Board