Meadowhead School Uniform

At Meadowhead, our dress code (available in full as a PDF at the foot of this page) and uniform is based on the following clear principles:

Smart – Students should attend school in a uniform that helps signify to themsleves and others that school is a working environment. It also helps students meet the expectations of dress codes they may later encounter in work.

Safe - A student’s uniform should keep them safe and comfortable throughout the school day and for all lessons on their timetable. It also helps safeguard all of the school community by being a clear sign of their right to be inside the school’s building.

The Same – Our uniform reduces the impact of economic inequality: it reduces family spending by removing pressure to buy the latest brands. It treats all students the same regardless of any characteristics such as sex, faith or ethnicity. It is also sustainable as our required items are hardwearing and durable. Students should be proud to wear the uniform and act as an ambassador for their school.

This code applies to students in Y7-Y11, the Sixth Form dress code is published separately in the Sixth Form section of our website.

 

 

“School uniform supports effective teaching and learning and engenders a positive, calm and respectful teaching and learning environment.”

(Department for Education)

 

Students are expected to meet the following parts of the dress code:

• Wear a black sweatshirt with the school logo – this must be brought to school, even when not worn.
• Wear a black or white polo shirt with the school logo.
• Wear plain black trousers or a skirt with dark black tights. Items that are not smart enough for school and are not permissible include: jeans, jogging trousers, leggings, shorts or cut offs, and trousers with stripes or logos. Skirts should be around knee length to ensure safe and comfortable movement in lessons and around school. Plain black abaya and similar items may be worn underneath a school polo shirt.
• Wear plain black leather or leather-look shoes. These may be trainer in design but as well as being leather-look with a hard outer shell, there must be no logos or coloured lines.
• Wear an outdoor jacket or coat if they wish (i.e. made of waterproof material) during transition around school, and at breaks and lunch. However, these must be removed in lessons. Hoodies, jumpers and denim jackets are not permissible as they are not smart enough for school and do not keep students dry in any inclement weather.
• Wear only the permitted jewellery: a single pair of stud earrings (less than 1cm in diameter - worn in the ear lobe), a single nose stud and a single wristwatch. Hooped earrings, tongue and other body piercings, bracelets and neckchains are not permitted as they are not safe or smart enough for school.
• Wear only minimal make-up and clear and unobservable nail varnish to maintain a smart appearance. All nails must be kept trimmed short to a safe length that is around the end of the finger/thumb. False nails and acrylics are not permitted as they are not safe or comfortable for students to wear to school.  
• Maintain a smart hairstyle. Hair dye and braid colours should either be the school’s colours of black or white, or a natural colour (such as brown, ginger, blonde). This does not need to be the student’s own natural hair colour. Non-natural hair dyes and braid colours such as blue, pink and bright red are not permitted.
• Wear smart and safe head or hair coverings as required for religious or protective reasons. These must be worn securely to the head and body, and must be in the school colours of black or white. Hats, caps and hoods must not be worn.

Meadowhead is a Halo Code school and is firmly committed to an inclusive approach to all hair types. We recognise that afro-textured hair requires specific styling for hair health and maintenance and as such hair worn in styles such as afros, locs, braids and wraps are permitted as long as they meet the above.

Meadowhead School Uniform can be ordered from Logo Leisurewear on their website via the following link:

Policy Review

Staff Responsible:	David Sheppard - Assistant Headteacher
Author:	David Sheppard – Assistant Headteacher
Date of last review:	May 2026
Approval date:	18th May 2026
Date of next review:	May 2027

(Page updated 04.06.26)