Why introduce school uniforms at Raglan Area School?

During 2019, our school welcomed a new Principal and Board of Trustees. Together, we are working to respond to the strategic objectives set in the current school charter and annual plan.

We believe that the introduction of a school wide student uniform will contribute to increasing our students’ sense of belonging, shared school identity, pride and spirit, while also helping to make our learning environment more student friendly. It is planned to introduce this uniform in Term Three, 2021.

Current Student Uniform Practices at Raglan Area School

1. “Te Roopuu Aroha ki Te Reo” students proudly wear a uniform when they welcome visitors to school, go on trips outside of the school and when representing the school in kapa haka competitions.
2. Our sports teams proudly wear their school uniforms every time they compete against other schools and always do so with obvious pride in the shared identity that the wearing of a Raglan School sports uniform helps to convey.
3. Current student leaders enjoy wearing their leadership uniforms and have expressed support for the Board’s decision to bring a uniform into the school.
4. Years 7-13 students are currently encouraged to wear the school PE uniform when they engage in physical education or school sports activities – most importantly for basic hygiene purposes.

Students, teachers and whanau observations are very supportive of the positive outcomes experienced by the students who do currently wear these uniforms.

Student Uniforms: Desired Outcomes

1. School uniforms level the playing field. When everyone is dressed the same, worrying about what you look like isn’t so important. There is no competition about being dressed in the latest trend, which can put a great deal of financial pressure on students and parents. Potential bullies have one less target for their insults; it’s harder to make fun of what someone is wearing when you’re dressed the same way.
2. School uniforms can increase student safety. Students cannot wear gang-affiliated clothing or colours. Individual style, in this case, is sacrificed for a safer learning environment. Something as simple as a teacher being easily able to spot and identify students on a field trip or spot an intruder in the school grounds due to their wearing of mufti clothing is another important benefit of school uniforms.
3. School uniforms are usually cheaper than a year’s supply of other clothing and not having to decide what to wear is both convenient and saves time for families.
4. The wearing of uniforms by students can lessen distractions in the classroom. No one is sidetracked by someone’s T-shirt message or where a friend got their “label” jacket or footwear from.

Further details around styles, colours and pricing will be shared as soon they are confirmed. Families will have at least one school term to prepare for the changes and to implement payment plans if needed.

It remains a priority for us to celebrate each student’s unique and individual sense of identity through our school values of manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, kaitiakitanga and poutama. Our students have multiple opportunities to be supported to do this in their day to day social interactions with their peers and school adults, and in their engagement with the rich learning tasks provided in our school curriculum and extra curriculum programmes.

Whanau, thank you for your support and patience.

Board of Trustees (Louisa, Lisa, Tui, Anita, Joe, Fraser, Liam and Tara)