Uniform will ‘suck colour out of’ Gayhurst Community School, parent warns

Uniform row: Gayhurst Community School wants to introduce ‘grey’ clothes, but parents are not uniformly keen. Photograph: Emmanuel Mair

Angry parents are urging a Hackney primary school to reconsider plans to introduce a uniform after a “shock” announcement.

A petition launched this month calls for Gayhurst Community School near London Fields to suspend plans to launch the new uniform until a thorough debate over the issue has been held.

Over one hundred people have so far signed the petition, which criticises the school’s decision making process and its choice of grey and black colours for sweatshirts, skirts and trousers.

School staff have defended the decision, saying a consultation was held and that “everyone was invited to contribute.”

‘Colourless’ claim

But Lara Bowen, a mother of two children who attend Gayhurst and one of the petiton’s instigators, said the new clothes would “suck the colour out” of the school.

She said: “Gayhurst brings together one of the most diverse, creative and colourful communities in London and the lack of uniform unifies the children. Why should colour be sucked out?

“We want the school management and board of governors to hold an open public meeting with an impartial inspector.

“This isn’t all about blocking the uniform – we want an opportunity to contribute to the discussion and if we all agree on having a uniform, then we should have a say in what the uniform might look like.”

Ms Bowen added that the school had not been open about the results of a consultation held last year.

Open door policy

Executive Headteacher Louise Nichols said the response had been “good and in favour overall, with many comments about what it should involve, which we have tried to incorporate.”

She added: “This was not a vote as ultimately decisions about the school are made by the school leaders.

“The Gayhurst governors and leadership team spent many hours discussing the pros and cons of uniform and the detail of how it would work.”

Governors voted by a margin of 10-2 in favour of implementing a uniform.

“As we have an open door policy at Gayhurst, we are more than happy to meet with the parents organising the petition if they would like to get in touch,” Ms Nichols added.

The uniform is due to come into force in September, and children from nursery school age up to Year Six will be expected to comply.