Debate contribution: School Uniforms (Guidelines and Allowances) Bill: Consideration Stage

Debate contribution by Miss Nuala McAllister on 15 September 2025.

MLA

Miss Nuala McAllister

Party at the time

Alliance Party

Date

15 September 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Executive Committee Business

Heading

School Uniforms (Guidelines and Allowances) Bill: Consideration Stage

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5099892

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I am not a member of the Education Committee, but I will contribute to the debate on the amendments in group 2 and, perhaps, ask a few questions that the Minister might be able to answer. First, with regard to all the amendments in this group and the first group, I want to reflect on what a school uniform is. We know that it is different for every school. I am very lucky that my children's schools are very flexible about their uniforms, which are formal yet informal, so that children feel comfortable. There are many kids, however, some as young as four, who go to school looking as though they are about to be interviewed for their first job, which is a rather bizarre situation. Some kids have to tie their own ties when they cannot tie their own shoelaces. Such uniform policies are bizarre. We have all, ourselves and our kids at home, had experiences of what a uniform may look like. I am disappointed, however, by how far some of the amendments in this group go. I do not want to speak too much, going by previous contributors' remarks, about the amendments that were not selected. I want to highlight amendment No 5, which was tabled by my colleague Nick Mathison, concerning the practicality of play-based uniforms. We all respect that schools need flexibility in order to ensure that the kids can feel comfortable but also take a pride in their school and in representing it. That can be done, however, by wearing a jumper with the school logo on it with basic tracksuit bottoms or joggers, so that they are still representing their school. The idea of a play-based uniform goes beyond the Foundation Stage. We know the importance of physical activity throughout the school day. One of the issues that concerns me is how children with sensory needs are considered. Young people are put around a desk for six hours. They get breaks at recess and lunchtime and can play outside, but we all know that no child can sit and work throughout the day without standing up, walking around and getting their jitters out: anything to be able to loosen up. Some of that goes to the point around play-based uniforms. We know that all kids want to have fun in the playground, and some of them, my child included, in the classroom itself. The uniform does not always lend itself to that. My question for the Minister concerns the guidance that he will publish. Is there an opportunity in that guidance to reflect on the idea of all kids being able to be comfortable and to be themselves, so that they can learn best in that play-based environment and beyond? We know that school is also in the playground, and kids like to run and mess about as much as possible.

Yes.

479 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 13:08 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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