Uniform

Footwear

We expect all students to wear smart, black, leather looking shoes or ankle boots which are appropriate for a working environment (no canvas or suede). Only plain black trainers without coloured logos and without air bubbles are acceptable. For safety reasons, flip flops, sliders, steel toe capped, high or raised heels or platform soles are not acceptable. Suitable shoes, with Velcro fastenings are also acceptable.

Skirts

Skirts should be from JW Sports in Bognor Regis, the brand required is Banner. They must not be tight or stretch material which is considered inappropriate for school. A good guidance for skirt length is that if your child kneels, the skirt should touch the floor. The skirt must not be rolled up.

Trousers

Trousers are to be plain black, tailored and business-style. They must be full length (i.e. socks not visible) and not denim, brushed cotton, stretch material or chinos. Students wearing trousers that are considered unduly tight or short will be asked to replace them.

Belts

If a belt is worn, it must be plain black.

Socks and tights

Students must wear plain block socks with their school uniform. White socks, that are also worn for PE lessons are not acceptable.

Tights, if worn, must be plain black or natural. Patterned or fashion tights are not permitted.

Shirt

Shirts must be a tailored, plain, button-up, full or half-sleeve white shirt. The shirt must have a collar and top button. The sleeves of the shirt should be rolled down.

Blouses are not permitted. Undergarments i.e. vests, bras should not be visible under the shirt.

Coats/Jackets

Students are permitted to wear an outdoor coat over their blazer to travel to and from school. (No other outerwear except, blazer, jumper and coat will be allowed). Hoodies are strictly prohibited. The coat must not be worn instead of the blazer.

Blazers

Blazers should be worn at all times of the academy day, unless otherwise stated by the Principal, permission is granted by a class teacher or during break or lunchtime activity i.e. playing sport. Students must always have their blazers with them at school.

Jumpers

The jumper is an optional item of school uniform, which can be worn under, but not instead of, the blazer. It must not be tucked into the school skirt or trousers.

Ties

Ties should be worn at all times, at full length, with the logo showing at the front, just below the knot and the top of the shirt button done up.

Make-Up

Make up of any kind is prohibited for students in Year 7 and 8.

For students in Year 9-11, make-up must be natural and subtle.

False eyelashes, nails, acrylics or coloured nail varnish must not be worn. Students will be asked to remove inappropriate make-up or nail varnish, students will not be permitted to attend timetabled lessons until they are removed.

Jewellery

No jewellery is permitted except:

– One wrist watch.

– One plain gold or silver stud in each earlobe.

Rings, bracelets, chains, necklaces, charity bands, bangles, beads and anklets are not permitted.

Piercings in the upper ear, tragus are prohibited, as are bars and earrings that stretch the earlobes.

Piercings in any other part of the head or face (i.e. nose, lip, tongue, and eyebrow) are also not permitted.

Recent piercings, covered by tape or plasters, will not be permitted and must be removed before attending timetabled lessons. With this in mind, parents are advised, if they are considering additional piercings for their children, to do so over the summer holiday period, allowing time for the piercing to establish so that jewellery can be removed for school.

Hair

It is our policy to expect any student’s hair to be of a reasonable, natural length and appearance. No extreme haircuts, unnatural colours or obviously dyed hair. A good guide for parents is to consider whether your child could naturally grow, during childhood, the colour of hair one might plan to dye it.

We do not permit patterns, tramlines or lines shaved into the head. The minimum grade for hair length shaven head is grade 1.

The only hair accessories are to be of a natural appearance, for example a simple hair slide only, with no embellishments e.g. flowers.

Bag

Bags should be of a minimum size, such that an A4 folder could be accommodated within the bag (not a handbag).

Non-compliance

Like all other schools in this area, we insist on students wearing the full uniform. There may be certain times, when, for very good reasons, a student cannot attend in uniform. In these circumstances students will be loaned new or freshly laundered items of correct uniform, e.g. an appropriate skirt, pair of tailored trousers, blazer or a jumper with the embroidered badge on it, or tailored shirt. If incorrect footwear is worn, students will be loaned black plimsolls to wear, unless a note from a parent is provided, explaining why the regulation footwear cannot be worn. For extended periods of time, lasting longer than 1 week, a note from a doctor will be required to excuse a student from following the academy rules relating to footwear.

Students who do not comply with the dress code and do not agree to wear the loaned uniform, will not be permitted to timetabled lessons, until the issue is suitably rectified. In some cases it may become necessary for a parent to collect a student following repeated breaches of the dress code.

Confiscation

In accordance with DfE Guidance Searching, Screening and Confiscation the academy may on occasions confiscate items of contraband uniform or jewellery.

Should this situation arise, the following procedure will be followed:

First occasion: The item will be retained by the academy until the end of the school day, after which the student can collect it from the member of staff or Director of Learning Office.

Second and each subsequent occasion: The item will be retained by the academy until it can be collected, by formal appointment, by a parent/carer. Parents are asked not to arrive to the academy without an appointment to collect confiscated items.

Religious Observance

If parents have strong religious or ethnic reasons for believing that their child should not be bound by any aspect of the dress code, they should discuss this with the Principal. Please see photographs giving examples of the appropriate way to wear the academy uniform, and guidance on what is acceptable and unacceptable. Please contact the academy [email protected] if you require further guidance on the correct way to wear the uniform.