If I were running a school right now, given the awful year our children have all had, I‘d be permitting the children to come in their own warm clothing since their classroom windows are wide open all day.

At very least they should be allowed to keep a hat and scarf on if they are feeling cold.

My classroom in a school I taught in for 2 years a sort of link between two buildings- uninsulated. The temperature in there frequently dipped below 10C. I allowed the children to wear coats in winter, but someone from SMT would shout at them if they spotted them. Inhuman.

Why are schools all over the country insisting on exactly the same uniform as usual, with no adjustments for changing circumstances?

I really feel this is something we should be talking about for next term, given that the cold weather hasn’t really started yet.

Having said all this.

Teachers are pillars of strength in our communities. They are doing an unbelievably difficult job at an unbelievably difficult time, juggling ever-changing conditions and guidelines. School goers should be able to wear their cosiest daytime clothing.