Uniform
Orchard Park has a school uniform and we expect all children to wear it. Parents can purchase school uniform via School Comms, to be able to use school comms you will need to download the Gateway app onto your smartphone. After payment, the item of uniform will be sent home with your child. If an item is not in stock it could mean a wait of up to three weeks.
Uniform Items
Royal blue school sweatshirt/cardigan available with the school logo or a plain royal blue sweatshirt
White or pale blue polo shirt (also available with the school logo)
White blouse or a white shirt
Grey skirt/pinafore dress or grey trousers
Black shoes
Warmer Weather
Grey uniform style shorts
Blue and white gingham dress
Clothing for PE
Plain white t-shirt
Black shorts
Black tracksuit bottoms/ leggings for cold weather
Trainers for outdoor use
Socks
Named PE bag
It is important that children have these items in school at all times. PE kit should be brought into school on Monday and taken home on a Friday.
Earrings in School
As a school the wearing of earrings is discouraged. If parents wish for their child to wear earrings they must be small plain gold/silver studs only; hoops and large/dangly earrings are not permitted. Only one pair of small studs is allowed to be worn in school.
If your child is to have his/her ears pierced, then please ensure that this is done at the beginning of the six weeks holiday to allow plenty of time for wounds to heal.
Children are not allowed to participate in PE if they are wearing jewellery. This also includes swimming. National Guidelines state that it is no longer safe to cover earrings with tape. The reason is because of potential tearing of the earlobe but also the very slim chance that the post of the earring could damage the neck which is where the brachial nerve is running directly to the brain. There are anecdotal cases of children wearing earrings with plasters over them being hit with a ball and coming off worse with nasty injuries.
As a school we have a higher level duty of care and cannot be put in the situation of looking after children without exercising that duty of care. It is dictated by national guidance in which we must comply. There have been awful cases involving jewellery in PE and physical activity and we are protecting against that happening, and it is not just making the wearer of the ear-ring safe. There are anecdotal cases of ear-rings falling out and children needing tetanus injections because they then get a puncture wound having trodden on them.
Members of staff are not permitted to remove earrings for pupils, therefore they should be able to remove them on their own if necessary.
Watches should not be smart watches and not linked to mobile phones.