Date
16 March 2024

Address equitable uniform options and approaches

Suggestion for implementing the strategy ‘Address immediate environmental, physical and social needs’

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Support a positive environment for learning

Support a positive environment for learning

Consider the impact of your school's uniform options.

When students have to wear uniforms they don’t feel comfortable about, the likelihood of their leaving school early or being disengaged from learning increases.

Ideally all schools should have uniform options that include both pants and skirts and zero tolerance of any bullying of students related to the uniform they choose to wear.

Tips for inclusive uniforms

Tips for inclusive uniforms

Providing flexible, inclusive uniform options is a critical step in preventing discrimination on the basis of gender.

  • Provide students with the option of wearing any part of the school uniform, regardless of their gender.
  • Categorise uniform options by type rather than by gender – “shirts” and “trousers”, rather than “boy’s uniform” and “girl’s uniform”.
  • Enforce uniform standards equally, regardless of gender identity (for example, hair length, make up and jewellery).
  • Explicitly acknowledge transgender and gender diverse students in your school uniform policy or dress code.
  • Actively publicise your new school uniform policy in the school newsletter, website, and foyer notice boards.

Source: Adapted from Gender is not uniform (opens in a new tab/window)

Facilitate community discussion

Facilitate community discussion

Consider together how gender-diverse uniform options can help remove barriers to learning and support engagement.

Useful resources

Useful resources

Affirming diversity of sexualities and gender identities in the school community

Affirming diversity of sexualities and gender identities in the school community

Read time: 36 min

Guidelines to assist boards of trustees and PPTA branches to consider how well their schools recognise and affirm diversity of sexualities and gender identities. Published by the PPTA.

Publisher: New Zealand Post Primary Teachers' Association

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File

Dunedin North Intermediate School uniform procedure

The school uniform policy of Dunedin North Intermediate School.

Publisher: Dunedin North Intermediate School

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Next steps

More suggestions for implementing the strategy “Address immediate environmental, physical and social needs”:

Return to the guide “Supporting LGBTIQA+ students”

Guide to Index of the guide: LGBTIQA+ students

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