Figure 1.--Almost all private schools require uniforms and strictly enforce the rules. While there is more variety in state secondary schools, most of these schools do require uniforms. Sweaters are a garment for which nearly all schools have the same basic rules. |
There is considerable variation as to school uniform fom school to school. Some schools still have relatively formal uniforms, but many schools now have informal styles. Many schools are quite strict about the uniforms, but this also varies from school to school. A factor here is the type of school. Almost all private schools have a compulsory uniform and insit tht the students wear it correctly. Most state secondary schools also require a unifirm, but here there is a much great difference from school to school both as to the type of uniform and how strictly the uniform regulations are enforced. Again there are differences as to the tyoe of school. The single gender schools seem to be the strictest.
Trditional British school caps were once very common in New Zealand. They were widley worn at both state schools and private schools. They began to declinr in popularity during the 1950s. By the 1980s, they traditional school caps were only worn at a few preparatory schools. We noticed in the 1990s that some schools adopted caps looking more like American base-ball caps. Only a few schools made them a requirement.
School blazers were also pnce very common in New Zealand. We noted them being worn at both state and private schools. At state schools they are only found at secondary schools and here usually only are worn by the older students. They are much more common at the private schools that have been integrated in the state system. The schools basically follow rhe pattern at the private schools. Almost all private schools have blazers. The students, however, do not commonly wear them at school. Normally day students wear their blazers to school and taken them off as soon as they arrive. This is the patten at most prep schools. Here the schools commonly insistem the children hang them up so as to make sure that they do not get them all dirty. Then right before they go home the children put them back on. At secondary schools the students are expected to care for their blazers themselves without a lot of supervision. At boarding schools the tudents may put in their blazers for the evening meal. Blazers of course are also worn for church on Sunday and other special occassions.
Ties used to be more common than they are now. They were widely worn at state secondaey schools and nearly all private schools. Some schools do not require them at all, except for students wearing blazers. Somes schools still require them. At many schools ties are worn seasonaly. At some schools ties are worn like blazers. The children are required to come to school with blazers and ties and can take them off when they get to school. They put them back on when they return home.
Sweaters are very commonly worn at New Zealand schools, especially during the cool weather terms. And the styles were usually very similar--V-neck long sleeve sweaters. Sweaters are a garment for which nearly all schools have the same basic rules. Mosr schools require that if sweaters are worn, it has to be the official school uniform sweater with the proper coloted trim. The sweater was, however, entirely optional. The students can wear them to school or not as they wish. And once at school they can take them off as they wished. These basic conventions were the same at nearly all New Zeakand schools requiring uniforms.
