Dubai English Speaking College

Dress & Appearance

Policy

Written by: / CVI / Reviewed: / August 2014
Approved by: / SLT / Next Review: / August 2015

DRESS AND APPEARANCE – STUDENTS

We expect all our students to come to school neatly groomed and smartly dressed, in the correct and appropriate clothing. This sets a professional work ethic.

For students in Year 7 to Year 11, there is a clearly defined uniform. For students in Year 12 and Year 13, thewords “Sixth Form” areprinted on the white shirt.

Students need to be aware that our expectations are the same when they are wearingthe DESCuniform outsideof school. Parents are asked to support their child in meeting these expectations.

UNIFORM REQUIREMENTS

Please note that the uniform shouldONLYbe purchased from the designated suppliers in order to ensure uniformity of style and fabric. Substitutes are not acceptable.

All uniform items can be obtained from theMagrudy’sor Stitchesoutlets. You can contactMagrudy’sdirectly on04 3444192or Stitches on04 3486110for further information.

Uniform for Academic Year 2014/2015

Girls:

  • ​White blouse with school badge. Sleeve and pocket trim in HOUSE COLOUR.
  • Grey skirt or grey tailored trousers must be worn. Skinny, bootleg or drainpipe trousers are not permissible.
  • School trousers will be identified with aDESC badge; those without the badgewill not be accepted.
  • Skirt lengths - the shortest is to touch the ground when kneeling andmid-calfto be the longest.
  • ​Sensible black polished leather shoes. No heels to be more than 4cms.
  • ​Short black socks only
  • Tights are not permissible.

Boys:

  • ​White short sleeved shirt with new logo. Sleeve and pocket trim in HOUSE COLOURS. See above for House Colour guidance.
  • Tailored grey trousers, Skinny, bootleg or drainpipe trousers are not permissible.
  • School trousers will be identified with aDESC badge; those without the badgewill not be accepted.
  • ​Sensible black polished leather shoes.
  • ​Black socks.
  • ​Plain white t-shirts can be worn underneath shirts but cannot be longer than the shirt.

DESC PE Kit (All items are available from Stitches)

Shirt:Red and black Polo shirt with DESC badge

Shorts/Skort:Black DESC shorts/skortor Black DESC Canterbury shorts/skort

Socks:White ankle socks or trainer liners

Shoes:Non-marking training shoes

PETeamwear

Students selected to represent the College sports teams are required to wear DESC Canterbury kit and will be advised by the PE Department: .

Should the weather be inclement, students are required to follow the school uniform and wear the official school sweatshirt, which is available fromMagrudy’sor Stitches. Any other sweater or cardigan is not acceptable and should not be worn. Students can wear a suitable jacket to school, if it is raining, which must be removed once inside the building.

Bags

Students may, if they wish, obtain school bags for PE and Games Kit fromMagrudy’sor Stitches. However, provided that they fit the purpose of carrying kit and equipment, students are allowed to choose their own bags.

Footwear

We expect all students to wear smart, business like shoes. Boots are not to be worn, i.e. no footwear should be above the ankle.

Shoes must be completely black with no coloured stripes, swishes or logos. Black versions of trainers or tennis shoes are not permissible.

Shoes must be leather.

Students must keep their shoes polished. Trainers are only to be worn for PE. Black, ankle length socks should be worn as such and not tucked into the back of the shoe.

Examples of Acceptable Leather Shoes for Boys

Examples of Acceptable Leather Shoes for Girls

  • Ballet style pumps for girls are not permissible as they do not offer sufficient support and protection
  • If girls choose to wear black leather pumps, they must offer support to the sole and the heel of the floor. Picture 4 above is a version of a pump style shoe with sufficient support. The picture below is of a softer ballet pump style shoe which is not acceptable

Jewellery

NO JEWELLERYshould be worn apart from, for girls, one small, plain pair of gold or silver studs worn in the conventional position in the ear lobe for those who have pierced ears.

  • Students who decide to have new piercings during term time, either in an unconventional part of the ear or other part of the body, will be asked to remove the earring. Plasters covering earrings are not permissible.
  • Multiple earrings are not permitted. Nose studs and piercing in other parts of the body are not permitted. Friendship bands, ankle chains, etc. are not to be worn.

Items of religious significance may be worn with the prior written permission of theHead of House only, following written parental request.

6th Form students are allowed to wear a discreet necklace, one braceletand one ring (this applies to both male and female students)

Hair

  • All students should have conventional haircuts, no shorter than a grade 2.
  • Hair should be neat and tidy.
  • Fringes should not obscure the eyes.
  • Tram lines or other shaved patterns are not permissible.
  • Boys' hair should not be longer than the top of the shirt collar.

For Health and Safety reasons, the excessive use of wax or gel is not allowed and hair should not hang over the face. A member of staff may ask girls to tie their hair back if they feel it is in the way. Howevergirlsmusttie their hair back for all practical lessons. Hair should not be braided.

Any artificial change in hair colour should have a natural appearance. Students coming to school with extreme colours such as purple, red or bleached, will be sent home and required to restore their hair to an acceptable colour before being allowed to return to school.

Hair ornaments should be plain and functional, kept to a minimum, in black and in keeping with uniform. Decorative or elaborate hair ornaments are not permissible.

PE kit is worn only for PE lessons except with prior permission.

Caps

A student cap is available to purchase should students wish to wear headwear for sun protection during breaks and sport.

Body Adornment

Nail varnish (including on toenails), transfers, tattoos and studs in any part of the body or face, including the tongue, are not permitted.

If any of the above items are worn to school, they must be removed immediately on any member of staff's request.

Year 11 and Sixth Form Girls may wear light make up, of natural appearance. Excessive eye make-up, unnaturally heavy mascara, brightly coloured or overly glossy lipstick are not permissible and girls will be asked to remove make up, on the day, at the discretion of any member of staff.

Sixth Form Girls may have clear polish or French manicure only. No coloured polish.

ForHealth, Safety, EnvironmentalandLegalreasons the following are not permitted in school:-

  • Cigarettes (including e-cigarettes, tobacco or other smoking materials or paraphernalia
  • Matches
  • Aerosols (including anti perspirant)
  • Lighter or flammable materials
  • Solvents
  • Chewing gum
  • Dangerous instruments
  • Nail varnish

These items will be confiscated or students will be asked to remove them and, in certain circumstances, will be suspended from school, as the items may present a danger to themselves and others or cause damage to the environment. Any items taken by staff from students will be returned to the students at the end of the day. Students wanting to bring anti-perspirant to school must only bring the roll on variety.

If students bring in their own sporting equipment, they should be stored in the tutor’s room or PE Department during the course of the day.

Students who are persistently wearing incorrect uniform are required to attend a break time detention. Exceptions will only be made where students are injured and have a written, parental request.

How do we ensure that the dress code is maintained?

INSET Week

Expectations

Sanctions are clearly defined below and staff members have a responsibility for addressing concerns before referrals to DHOH

  • Tutors - through DAILY monitoring of uniform, can address some infringements immediately, make a record of infringements and make impositions as suggested (3 x minor infringements = imposition, record in E1, phone call). Persistent offenders = imposition and phone call home, referral to DHOH. If inappropriate uniform infringements continue, referral to HOH).
  • Extreme situations which cannot be addressed (such as hair color or cut), should be referred immediately to DHOH and/or HOH
  • Class teacher - must tackle uniform infringements and address immediately by asking student to remove or adjust offending item. Persistent offenders should be recorded in E1 and e mail sent to form tutor to contact parents. Extreme situations which cannot be addressed (such as hair color or cut), should be referred immediately to DHOH and/or HOH
  • Head of House and Deputy Head of House - will periodically spot check uniform in tutor time, lessons, break times and assemblies

First Day

  • Details about uniform expectationsclearly explained to all students.
  • Posters displayed on tutor notice board outlining expectations and sanctions
  • Tutors explain how uniform will be monitored and checked on daily basis and how records will be kept and sanctions (impositions) delivered. (Tutors must have individual means of recording student transgressions)

First Week

  • Monitoring of uniform will be sustained throughout the year, HOH will periodically visit tutor time and lessons at least once a week to check uniform.

First term

  • End of September, beginning of October, HOH to spot check range of students to monitor that system is working effectively.
  • Review effectiveness of implementation of homework policy at end of first term

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Dress & Appearance Policy