To Steve McCracken - Principal of Whangaparaoa College and the Board

We are coming to you concerning the new school uniform and our reasons for concern are as follows:

Economic reasons:

Excluding footwear 2 pieces of each main new uniform piece plus a jacket has cost $440 (junior); it will now cost $900, made up of price markups and the exorbitant price of blazers.  This doesn’t take into account that a lot of families buy uniforms second hand which saves up to 80% of the cost which now will not be able to happen for 2025. Low-income families can’t afford (even on payment plans at $10 per week) these increases. A survey found 22% of families sacrifice necessities such as food, electricity use and personal hygiene products to afford school. How does the board feel in good conscience about this? According to the Children’s Commissioner, the income poverty rate for families is 16.3%. Further to this NZ is in a technical recession, our CPI and HPI are up, and our official unemployment rate has risen to 4.3%. The timing of this increased cost is negligent. 

Sustainability:

By avoiding replacing the entire uniform and reusing old pieces, we can prevent thousands of pieces of clothing from being sent to the landfill. None of the old pieces can be resold or given away for further use; they will all be thrown out, resulting in a significant amount of unnecessary waste. The current uniform serves its purpose well and should not be discarded. It provides the children with a cohesive look, and while it may need some updating, now is not the right time. If changes are absolutely necessary, a refresh is what is needed (which is what this was purported to be), rather than an entirely new and expensive uniform.

Equity and exclusion:

School costs act as a barrier and lead to “feelings of exclusion and reduced participation in school activities, impacting overall educational outcomes” (Evening Report, RNZ). Students report feeling stress and anxiety conforming to uniform policies due to their families’ financial struggles (SchoolNews). Whangaparaoa school values include promoting a sense of belonging. The above equity barriers and anxiety caused do not fit this value.

Practicality:

Physical activity during breaks should be encouraged and possible. I question the longevity of the stitching in a blazer over the stretching afforded by the hoody or jersey, the rigidity and lack of comfort of a blazer and tie, and the ties safety concerns, notwithstanding your governance responsibility for health and safety.

HBC community identity:

Whangaparaoa College values incorporate knowing our mauri or essence and embracing our unique identity. Coasties use descriptive words such as modest, unpretentious, laid-back, down-to-earth, and practical to describe our identity. Blazers and ties do not fit with that.

Other:

· Has the board considered the potential consequences such as reallocation of family budgets from school donations to increasing uniform prices?

· A power imbalance exists with parents having no alternative options for uniforms other than one profit-making private uniform business.

· There is no evidence for a blazer and tie contributing to any useful indicator of success such as academic results, mental well-being or behaviour.

· Has the board consulted an OT or something similar to consider our neurodivergent population who often have sensory issues and benefit from alternative material options and comfortable items?

Conclusion

To ensure the school uniform is practical and inclusive, and to ensure board transparency, the board is encouraged to

a) publish the survey results including the percentage of requests for blazers and ties

b) reconsider the timing and speed of rollout given current economic and social indicators

c) reconsider the expensive blazer and impractical tie

d) consider allowing some pieces to be purchased from general retailers an

e) write inclusion policies that incorporate heavily subsidising the cost of uniforms.