A cornerstone of the education at Nelson Academy is in developing a sense of pride and togetherness within our pupils. As with any uniform, it is key to feeling like you belong to the team and this is an important element of this aim.
School Uniform
- Grey, black or navy skirt, skort, shorts, pinafore dress or trouser
- All skirts worn to school must be at least knee length
- Blue/white checked/gingham dress
- White cotton blouse/shirt or white polo shirt
- Nelson Academy logoed school jumper/cardigan/fleece
- Plain black shoes/trainers (trainers should be without air bubbles and have no or little brand marking)
- Sandals, heeled and pen-toed footwear are not safe for school and therefore, we ask that they are not worn to school including on dress up/dress down days
- A hat, preferably one that covers the neck when the weather is hot/UV is high
- A coat is required in colder weather and on wet days to enable pupils to play outside
PE Clothing
- White or green Nelson Academy logoed T-shirt, or plain white or green T-shirt
- Nelson Academy logoed school jumper/fleece (no hoodies)
- Black shorts (no short cycling shorts i.e. Nike Pro *
- Gymnastics – Lose fitting shorts must be worn, however a pair of cycling shorts can be worn under loose fitting shorts
- Black or Navy tracksuit/jogging bottoms/leggings (plain, non-patterned, with no or little brand marking i.e. without three stripes down the side)
- Any sports trainers that are suitable for active lessons and being outside, and that will keep the pupils’ feet suitably dry. No studs are allowed.
- Pupils are reminded to bring in a spare pair of socks if they wear tights to school.
Outdoor Games Clothing - an additional pair of socks is recommended as these can become wet and often need to be changed. Pupils can wear additional layers under their uniform where needed. PE will take place as planned unless there is heavy rain or the temperature is close to zero.
Please note that football boots including studs can only be worn for football and rugby after-school clubs but not for PE lessons in school time.
PE Days
The school will continue to ask pupils to attend school in their PE kit on their PE day. This decision has been made to ensure that our pupils are active for as long as possible. Pupils need to be wearing PE clothes as specified above.
For those attending an afterschool sports club, they should wear normal uniform and change at the end of the school day.
Swimming
Appropriate clothing; a one-piece swimsuit or shorts/trunks should be worn during swimming lessons. Pupils with long hair need to wear a swimming hat. Pupils may also wear a rash shirt and goggles if they prefer, so long as these do not interfere with their instruction.
Jewellery
It is hazardous to wear jewellery in school, please do not send your child to school with necklaces, bracelets, rings or earrings.
The only exception will be a single small plain stud in each ear. No other body piercings are permitted. We encourage parents, if they wish to have a child’s ears pierced, to do this in the long summer holiday.
Earrings must be removed for PE activities and swimming. We cannot use tape to cover earrings, so pupils must either have their earrings removed before they come to school or they can remove them themselves before the lesson starts. PE is part of the National Curriculum so pupils cannot miss lessons due to un-removed earrings, but it does mean they will have to do PE in isolation away from their peers.
Watches
Watches can be worn by pupils. However, these will be removed if a distraction and parents should consider the cost and likelihood of damage. We would strongly recommend that smart watches (capable of connecting to the internet, a phone or taking photographs) are not brought into school, if they are, they should be handed in to the class teacher at the start of the school day and they will be returned to the pupil at home time (as per with mobile phones).
Hair
Long hair must be tied back including on dress up/dress down days to prevent the spread of head lice, and we expect all pupils to come to school with an appropriate hairstyle. Staff will provide pupils with hair bands to tie their hair up if required.
Make up and Nail Varnish
Make up and nail varnish should not be worn by pupils in school. Staff have appropriate resources available to remove make up and nail varnish if required.
School Provision
The school will loan uniform items for a day where pupils are not wearing the correct items.
In addition, the school can support Pupil Premium families where the purchasing of uniform may be difficult. Please speak to a member of the Senior Leadership Team or the office if you need any support.
Fashion and availability of items from the high street change rapidly, and therefore it is not possible to cater for every possibility within our policy. Therefore, the school reserves the right to decide what is or is not allowed, both in uniform and general appearance, in cases not catered for by specific rules.
It would be advisable, when in doubt, for parents to contact the school before spending money on items which may not comply with our uniform policy.
The school cannot accept responsibility for valuables and jewellery brought to school by the pupils. Please remember to clearly label all bags, uniform and PE kits with your child’s name.
Where to purchase Uniform
Parents and carers can obtain Nelson Academy logoed uniform from:
- Stratfords, Kings Lynn and online – Nelson Academy – Stratfords
- My Clothing, online – Nelson Academy (Pupil Uniform) – My Clothing
All other items can be bought more widely e.g. from high-street retailers, supermarkets and online
Second-hand uniform is available:
- The Friends of Nelson Academy will arrange a second-hand uniform sale where uniform can be purchased for a donation
- Please see the office staff where second-hand uniform can be purchased for a donation to the Friends of Nelson Academy
- Locally i.e. The Salvation Army
Parents and carers are expected to make sure their child has the correct uniform and PE kit, and that every item is:
- Clean
- Clearly labelled with the child’s name
- In good condition