1930s

Uniform was purchased from Mr Chown's (blazers and caps) and fabric for school dresses was bought in the Square from Mr. Stuart. There were no ready made dresses. Financial help in purchasing uniform could be obtained from the Divisional Executive. Alan Sanders recalls the importance of not being caught without your cap on by a teacher in the street. This was openly challenged and meant a detention.

1940s

During the war years it became very difficult for staff to insist on a rigid school uniform. All members of the public were issued with clothing coupons so only a certain amount of clothing could be bought by individuals. As each year passed by there were fewer caps being worn and school ties were missing. Jim Skipper recalls that the lack of coupons was a good excuse for such lapses.

In the summer Sylvia Saunders recalls that girls wore a green, pink or blue dress with a white collar and short sleeves. They had a straw panama hat with their school colours and a navy blazer with the school badge. In winter they changed to a navy pinafore with a white blouse, a red/green/yellow striped tie and blue cardigan. The straw hat changed to a felt one or a beret and the white ankle socks were replaced with black stockings.

The boys wore the same whatever the weather which was grey trousers or shorts, white shirt and navy blue school blazer, a cap and a navy/light blue striped tie. The blazers and caps were adorned by the school crest . Those pupils who represented their school in sports event had braids sewn onto their blazers in recognition of this.

With the end of rationing the uniform code became strict again with improper or untidy clothing resulting in detention.

1950s-60s

Uniform was purchased from Fosters on the Stratford Road or from the Co-Op in Church Street.

When the school was briefly the Radcliffe Bilateral school (1958-61) the uniform was changed again this uniform included a claret blazer with a tie of light blue and claret.

Jacqueline Tite recalls that 'one of my earliest memories is of the resentment of the sixth formers and the changes to their school.......different school colours, different uniform .........defiantly parading their green /red/yellow scarves and their blazers with grammar school crest and the girls hung on to their Pork Pie hats.'

Girls wore a grey pinafore dress for the first two years with only older girls wearing skirts of grey flannel . They had a grey felt hat with a brim and a claret and light blue striped ribbon, 30 denier stockings and for outdoor wear a grey gabardine mac. kit was black shorts with a white aertex shirt .Hockey shorts were a grey divided skirt which was purchased unhemmed so it could be hemmmed to the correct length ,which was one inch above the knee when kneeling ! Shoes were Clarks regulation shoes either as a lace up or slip on. All items had to be named with Cashes name tapes.

Janet Cook remembers buying her uniform from Chowns in Church Street the total cost was about £50. The summer uniform was similar to the grammar schools in that dresses of cotton were worn in yellow, blue, green or pink with white collars and cuffs.

Boys wore a white shirt, grey trousers ,claret blazer and light blue and claret tie, regulation lace up shoes and claret cap. A full P.E. kit of rugby shorts and shirt, rugby boots, football shorts and shirt, football boots was needed as well as plain black shorts and a white shirt.

Constant uniform inspections were a way of life with checks made on every detail such as whether there was elastic on your hat and to that every item was named.

1970s - 1990s

It appears that rules about school uniform were very lax at this time, some children wore uniforms but most didn't and there was no punishment for this. Those who chose to wear uniform wore something grey or with a black and red tie for both boys and girls. Towards the end of the 1990s, uniform code became stricter.

2000

By 2000, most pupils wore black or grey trousers or skirt, a white shirt and a school sweatshirt in royal blue, black or grey. School sweatshirts had the logo on and are bought at the school office for £8. Maisies in Church Street is a popular and economic place to buy school uniform. A plain black skirt costs about £5, a white polyester cotton shirt costs £4, boys black or grey trousers costs £6. Although girls can wear skirts they generally prefer to wear trousers. Girl pupils are advised not to wear high heel shoes but seem to anyway in Years 6 & 7. Reminders to keep to school uniform are common (this from the School Newsletter to parents 12/01/01)

'For safety reasons, jewellery is not permitted to be worn. One pair of small stud earrings may be worn, hwever these must be removed for PE or games. A number of children have been coming to school wearing rings and other unsuitable items of jewellery. ... The long awaited supply of 32" sweatshirts is not in stock and is available from the office".

This school crest was taken from the blazer of Sylvia Saunders who also kept the smaller embroidered crest from her school hat.
This class of children (from School Archives show the range of clothing worn to school in 19??