New head talks about bringing in school uniform (From Oxford Mail)

New head talks about bringing in school uniform

6:28pm Monday 23rd March 2009

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THE new headteacher of Oxford’s only non-uniform secondary school is to ask parents, pupils and staff about bringing in a new dress code.

Neal McGowan will take over as headteacher of The Cherwell School, in Marston Ferry Road, in August, having worked as a teacher and headteacher in Scotland for 24 years.

As part of his interview process, he was grilled for several hours on his views about school uniforms – including by a panel of pupils – and said while he had no intentions of imposing an unpopular move, he preferred uniformed schools.

Mr McGowan, 45, who is currently at Larbert High School, in Stirlingshire, said: “On a personal level, I will have to adjust to being in a school that doesn’t have a dress code.

“When I spent time in the school, while I realised the students were delightful, it was striking to see them out of uniform.”

The school has 1,800 pupils, including a sixth form of 450, and is one of only two Oxfordshire secondary schools to gain an outstanding rating from Ofsted.

Mr McGowan said he believed a minority would support the introduction of a uniform, but said he did not believe pupils were unanimously in favour of the school remaining non-uniform.

He said: “I would personally like a dress code, but I don’t think it is going to happen unless there was a grounds-well of support.

“If the only person in the establishment who supports a dress code is the head, then it will be unsuccessful and I would not like to make the school unhappy.

“I would not like to distract the school community by having protests so the first thing for me will be to establish myself, get to know the community and then make a decision a couple of years in.”

He said some pupils he had spoken to expressed a desire for some kind of sense of identity when they were representing the school and said this was something which would need to be considered.

Nicky Henderson, of North Oxford, who has four children at the school, said: “From the point of view of having lots of kids, it is easier in some ways having a uniform and not having to think about what to wear and all the extra washing.

“I think they do have some anxiety about having to keep up with their peers, but it’s quite a relaxed school and I think it’s quite in keeping that they don’t have a uniform. I’m fairly relaxed about it.”

Mr McGowan takes over from Jill Judson, 58, who has been in charge since 2003.

fbardsley@oxfordmail.co.uk

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