Sixth Form students specific guidance

  • Formal Business suit
  • Formal shirt and tie
  • Formal, polishable shoes (no trainers or canvas shoes – Vans, Converse or similar. No flip- flops, sliders or Ugg boots).
  • Smart V-neck or round neck jumpers and waistcoats may also be worn underneath a blazer or on their own with a shirt and tie.

Transgender students may dress consistently in accordance with their gender presentation. We would encourage you to have a conversation with your pastoral team so that we can support any transition.

  • Blazer. These should not be replaced by cardigans and jumpers. 
  • Smart V-neck or round neck jumpers or a waistcoat may also be worn underneath a blazer or on their own with a shirt. If you wear a roll neck jumper it should be accompanied by a blazer over the top.
  • Formal skirt or formal dress (regardless of style or shape will need to be to the knee) or formal trousers. Bodycon/Lycra style dresses/skirts are not permitted
  • Blouse or shirt – should not be low cut, bare shoulders or backs. Bra straps and midriffs should not be visible.
  • Formal plain, polishable shoes (no trainers or canvas shoes – Vans, Converse or similar. No flip- flops, sliders or Ugg boots).
  • Females wishing to wear the Islamic dress should wear a simple silhouette jilbab and a hijab which should be of plain design. A formal business blazer should still be worn.

Transgender students may dress consistently in accordance with their gender presentation. We would encourage you to have a conversation with your pastoral team so that we can support any transition.

  • Tattoos should not be visible. 
  • Visible body piercing is restricted to the ears and no more than 4 worn in total. If you should have a piercing in your nose we ask that you wear a small, clear retainer during your school day.
  • Hairstyles are clearly difficult to prescribe in detail. However there should not be extreme styling such as lines shaved in, mohicans for example). Hair should be of a natural colour (i.e. no bright colour hair dye). 
  • Jewellery and make-up must be discreet and not excessive (false eyelashes, fake tan and false nails are not permitted).
  • Denim and leather or imitation leather (apart from shoes or bags) are not permitted.
  • Outdoor clothes (jackets, scarves, hats) should not be worn around the building.
  • Mobile phones and headphones must not be used around the school building. 
  • No polo shirts, t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, leggings of any style or jeans/jean-style trousers.

Physical Education, Performing Arts and Drama students are expected to conform to the Academy’s kit expectations.

Safeguarding Uniform Expectations

Some aspects of the dress code are connected to safeguarding within an educational environment and some are expectations we have set in order to reflect the meaning and purpose of our day to day business at school. 

Lanyards All Sixth Form students must wear their 6th Form lanyard which must be worn and visible at all times. If you do not have your lanyard for any reason, you must check in with reception for them to ensure safeguarding protocols are followed and a temporary lanyard is issued for the day

Safe Working Practices: The Department for Education ‘Guidance for safer working practice for adults who work with children and young people in education settings’ gives guidance for adults in a school. As Sixth Form are members of the community who wear non-uniform, we would like you to be aware that it states:

“A person’s dress and appearance are matters of personal choice and self- expression. However, adults should dress in ways which are appropriate to their role and this may need to be different to how they dress when not at work.  It is worth understanding this guidance as Sixth form will not be dressed in the school uniform of KS3 and 4. It’s guidance suggests that clothing chosen 

  • “is not likely to be viewed as offensive, revealing, or sexually provocative
  • does not distract, cause embarrassment or give rise to misunderstanding
  • is absent of any political or otherwise contentious slogans
  • is not considered to be discriminatory and is culturally sensitive.”

It is beyond the scope of the policy to provide guidance on every eventuality. In the event of queries, the final decision of what is deemed appropriate day to day falls with Ms Nasim and Ms Beard under the leadership of Mrs Anwar, Principal. If your attire is not appropriate you will be asked to adjust your dress. In extenuating circumstances, you may be asked to go home to change and return promptly.  There are sanctions in place for such situations as with the rest of the school community. Your access to learning at Strood Academy is dependent on your compliance with the expectations clearly explained.  You remain subject to the discipline structures of the school to enforce expectations.