School Bans Wearing Pj's On The School Run

A school in the UK hit the headlines two years ago when it officially asked parents asked to stop wearing pyjamas on the daily school run.

Now, mums are debating whether it’s acceptable to wear pj’s to school drop-off, with some labelling the pyjama-wearers as ‘lazy and gross, you scummy mummies’!

This all went down on the controversial Mumsnet when a mother dropped the sparking bomb asking if dropping the kids off in pj’s was ok. The post topped almost 300 responses, some from apparently angry mums.

One woman admitted to wearing a fleece over her pyjamas every morning at drop-off. While another said that women doing school gate drop off in their nightwear were ‘minging, lazy and gross’, and told them to ‘get a grip’.

‘Pyjama mama = scummy mummy,’ she wrote. ‘What next fags and curlers on the school run?’

PJ’s Banned On The School Run

Back to the school ban, according to The Telegraph newspaper, a written request given to all parents by Kate Chisholm, headteacher at Skerne Park Academy, Darlington, stated that the school asked that all parents “dress appropriately in day wear”.

Parents reportedly had been arriving at school in the morning in pyjamas and slippers to drop off their children. The school also reported that some parents were even attending assemblies and meetings in nightwear.

Kate stated in the official letter from the school that, “I have noticed there has been an increasing tendency for parents to escort children to and from school while still wearing their pyjamas and, on occasion, even slippers.

“Could I please ask that when you are escorting your children, you take the time to dress appropriately in day wear that is suitable for the weather conditions. We are trying to raise standards and get better outcomes for the children and we noticed a lot of the parents are turning up to school as well as meetings and assemblies wearing pyjamas, if we’re to raise standards it’s not too much to ask parents to have a wash and get dressed.

I have had loads of support from the community and people saying it’s about time something was done. I have had far more positive responses than negative. If I get the parents on board then we often get the children too and in order to get the best chances for the children we have to raise the bar with the parents.”

In a recent interview with The Telegraph, Phil Naylor, a parent who has children at the school, said: “We all support the school and I hope this helps get the message across to parents.

“It’s disgraceful, we should be guiding our children not giving them bad habits.”

This is not the first school to have problems with parents attire.

In 2011, 11 schools across the Middlesbrough district in the UK, wrote to parents requesting them to dress appropriately for the school run. The cluster of schools went so far as to implement a policy regarding parental attire for school drop offs and attendance.

Chris Kemp-Hall, headteacher at North Ormesby and chair of the cluster group of schools, told The Telegraph: “We all have the opinion that appearing at school dressed in pyjamas isn’t the right way to go about things.

“It’s about setting an example and having self esteem.”

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42 Comments

- - meedee said
  - 25 Oct 2021
    11:51 am
Oh my….i cant imagine someone turning up to a meeting or school assembly wearing pjs. That is going too far

- - mom101628 said
  - 22 Apr 2018
    11:17 pm
I have never left the house in PJ’s but don’t see why anyone should dictate what you wear to anyone else.

- - Ellen said
  - 22 Apr 2018
    7:59 am
Not for me, but don’t have a problem with that

- - coastalkaryn said
  - 12 Feb 2016
    2:38 pm
And so they darn well should!

- - Lori-Anne said
  - 03 Feb 2016
    6:32 pm
I think encouraging any one to get dressed to go out for the day anywhere is appropriate. There are few occasions where there might be an exception to that rule. Getting up and getting dressed motivates us to do things and shows our children we care about ourselves.

- - ella12 said
  - 02 Feb 2016
    12:50 pm
I agree, pjs are unacceptable in my opinion. If you can’t be both bothered, slap on a tracksuit.

- - mom156049 said
  - 01 Feb 2016
    11:30 pm
It’s not hard to pop some clothes on – even if just a pair of trackies! When did it become acceptable to wear pyjamas out in public (unless a baby or really young child)
- mom292335 replied
  
  22 Apr 2018 , 7:25 am
  Ableism at it’s finest. For some people it is IS EXTREMELY HARD some days to “just” chuck on day clothes. Especially those of us with chronic autoimmune diseases. If our school had that rule, we’d have to change schools, because there are days I HAVE to go out in public in pjs..if I’m lucky enough to have the energy to go out and about.
- - mummydearest50 said
  - 01 Feb 2016
    1:30 pm
How dare you all sit on your thrones and talk about other woman and their standard of dress ! You have no idea what is going on in her life ( if you did and were a friend, you wouldn’t comment ) – you don’t have a bloody clue !

A 37 year old woman, recently widowed – 4 months, a ten year old and three under four years of age AND suffering the effects of breast cancer and chemotherapy.

I have driven to school many, many times in my pj’s – during that time I was lucky to get out of bed, let alone get dressed to take them to school !

Then, four years later, I had spinal surgery – six weeks in hospital – couldn’t drive for 3 minths. After that episode and because if that episode, I have ended up in constant nerve pain, for which I am on over 45 tablets per day, two of which are morphine.

Some days I literally couldn’t get out of bed – shocking.

SO NOW, TELL ME HOW YOU WOULD HAVE MANAGED AND HOW, WEARING PJS IN MY CAR TO DROP MY CHILDREN AT SCHOOL, WOULD HAVE BOTHERED ME ? I COULDNT HAVE AND STILL WOULDNT HAVE GIVE A RATS ARSE WHAT YOU SNOBBY, HORRIBLE PEOPLE !

Glad I don’t have kids at your children’s school !

- - rovermum said
  - 01 Feb 2016
    11:22 am
I’ve never worn my PJs out of the house, let alone on the school run. My son would be horrified. And to assemblies and meetings? Please people. Have some sense of personal pride and standards.

- - yummymum said
  - 30 Jan 2016
    9:16 am
I agree! You can forgive the odd occasion I suppose, I don’t do it no matter how late or sick I am. But it’s disrespectful to go to meetings or assembly like that. I even saw a mum pick up her child at 3pm in pjs! That’s really too far!

- - mom93821 said
  - 29 Jan 2016
    3:14 pm
A reasonable request to get dressed in day clothes. Children wear uniforms and parents wear day clothes. Again, it comes down to parents demonstrating good habits for their children. Sleepwear is for sleeping, not for going out in, seem perfectly acceptable to me. It does not take long to get dressed.

- - mom103920 said
  - 29 Jan 2016
    1:21 pm
I don’t make a habit of it but I have dropped the kids off in my PJ’s when the kids have missed the bus and I’ve been really sick. I don’t hop out of the car on these occasions, but I’d rather get the kids to school on time and then fall back into bed rather than fuss about my appearance. I don’t condone wearing PJ’s everywhere, and I’d respect our school if they ever made these requests. I’ve certainly never attended a P&C meeting or school event in PJ’s, nor do I ever intend on doing so.

- - mom101628 said
  - 29 Jan 2016
    12:40 pm
This is one PC comment that I am entirely in favour of.

- - mom85280 said
  - 29 Jan 2016
    11:17 am
Times must have changed. When I dropped off/picked up my kids from primary school, the Meeting of The Mothers was a fashion competition. They would parade around the gate like peacocks. As I preferred to wear jeans and t-shirt, I kept to one side, out of their sight. As for wearing pj’s, that’s definitely a no-no.

- - mom112217 said
  - 29 Jan 2016
    8:59 am
It doesn’t take long to change into jeans and a jumper!
- mom93821 replied
  
  30 Jan 2016 , 5:58 am
  I know and eventually you do have to get dressed!
- - momof4:) said
  - 29 Jan 2016
    8:27 am
i think this is great!
there is no need to be a lazy mum. sometimes things happen and can make acceptances but not to make a constant habit.

- - mom134803 said
  - 29 Jan 2016
    7:18 am
Lol, I don’t have much of a problem with that, doesn’t disturb me at all. Not that I ever done it myself….

- - mom70672 said
  - 29 Jan 2016
    6:37 am
Going to meetings and assemblies in your pjs!? Have some self respect people! It’s just pure laziness!!!

- - mum4107 said
  - 29 Jan 2016
    5:40 am
Good on the school for having standards. I agree get dressed

- - youngoldlady said
  - 29 Jan 2016
    12:15 am
Just put something on that covers them if needed. Yes it is sending a message to the children that their care giver is really not caring what is happening. Maybe because with most of my school runs I walked them. Even when the children had to bus it still took the time to make myself tidy and wear day clothes.