Figure 1.--This looks like an English primary school, probably in the late-1960s. The children are on a field trip to an airport. We thought because of the boys in front that they were waring their school uniform, but the girls are wearing different dresses. So we are not sure what the rule was for the trip.

Schools with uniforms have a variety of approaches to field trips. Earlier the schoold normally insisted that the childtren wear their dress school uniform. Many schools required the children to wear their dress uniform for field trips and other school trips. The idea was to present the best image and show the school in the best possibkle light. Many British parents and prospective clients jufge the school by what coukld be observed from the outside and the uniform was one of those easily observable matters. The children beginning their school trips were normally sent off smartly done up in their uniforms. As the trip progressed, the conditon of their get-up often steadily down hill. Some schools insisted the boys keep up appearances. But many of the teachers involved, just let the cildren enjoy themselves as long as they behaved properly. By the midday-lunch break, blazers and jumpers might be chucked off and shirt tails were often plapping. Many boys would have their kneesoicks fallen down like a classic William. Another reason top require the uniform was that with the children all dressed alike it was easier to keep track of them. this is a constant concern of the teachers when dealing with younger children. Some schools in recent years have adopted a simplier more casual uniform. In some instances the uniform scgools let the children wear their own clothes for trips. This was especially the case for trips where the children might be moving about outside and might get their uniforms dirty. Another factor is winter wrear. Some schools wiyh uniforms did not have any specuied winter coat. Thus schools with uniforms can look like their is no uniform.

Reader Comments

A British reader tells us, "I recognise this location - it is England - the Queen Elizabeth terminal at Heathrow Airport. I'm sure (it's probably called something else now). We never went as a school but I remember me and my mate Michael cycled out there one Sunday - but that's another story. To this image - I'd recognise the school as being as a "loose uniform" school in the late 60s/early 70s. There was no firm rules, but requiring shorts for boys and skirts for girls. The boys more formally dressed, in long trousers, are probably not part of the school - maybe on an exchange trip - hence the photo. They had other rules on dress. This school reminds me of one of these in-betweens ( I'm sure that the more formally dressed boys are guests) - there was no formal uniform - but the girls all had to wear white socks and court shoes, the boys grey socks and black shoes; the girls skirts (any) and the boys shorts - most wore grey school shorts as they were the cheapest "smart" shorts. They fell in the middle of primary schools like mine - strict uniform and the one my little brother went to after we moved - no uniform at all. Other points to note - the quilted jackets worn by one boy and one girl - wouldn't have been allowed in more formal primary schools like mine - we had macs or duffle coats - and the bags - the central bag on the floor is a "B.E.A." bag - which merged with B.O.A.C. in the 70s to become British Airways. These bags were popular in the 70s at my secondary school - at primary it was still satchells or "duffle bags for school trips". I suppose it shows the change in the late 60s-70s and how one image can't tell the whole story of an era. It was a funny time to grow up with all these different types of school - but interesting looking back.

Created: May 29, 2004
Last updated: May 29, 2004