Discussion topic Academy subscribers

School Uniform

CEFR: B1 11 slides 45 min Whole class

In the slide deck

A comparison

Unlock the resourceIncluded in the subscription

School uniform — Preview: the first 3 slides, as your students see them on the board.

Preview: the first 3 slides, as your students see them on the board.

Objective & content

Should every school have a uniform? This 45-minute discussion lesson follows one path: the pupils first, then a story, then the world, then what the class thinks. The story is Inès, 13, who lives in France and makes her own clothes: she cuts old jeans and sews on patches. In September 2024 her collège joins a national trial, and every pupil has to wear the same navy jumper. On the first morning Inès feels invisible; but at break nobody talks about brands, and her friend Chloé, who was often teased about her clothes, smiles: "For once, nobody is looking at me." That evening Inès sews a tiny star inside her jumper (a short story written for this lesson). Then the class looks at the real situation: a uniform in almost every school in England, where since September 2026 a secondary school can ask families to buy only three items with the school logo, or four with a tie; no uniform in French state schools, where about a hundred schools tried one from 2024 until the state stopped paying for it in 2026; and no uniform in German state schools, where a few schools choose their own school clothes. By the end, pupils can talk about what a uniform gives and takes away, compare countries, defend an opinion and give advice in a short written reply.

Documents to download (2)

Pupil sheet In your teacher account
Discussion lesson (slides) In your teacher account

Pedagogical guide

Every slide asks the class to do something: choose what people their age like or would never wear to school, learn eight words, pick feeling words for Inès on the first morning and at break, read about three countries, say which of four invented voices they agree with, choose three fair rules for a dress code, compare money, fairness and freedom in three boxes, stand on a line from 1 to 5, and write a reply to Inès. The words come before the talking, and each question has a B1 version for everyone and a B2 one for stronger pupils. The pupil sheet follows the slides, so every pupil leaves with something written. The facts come from the UK legislation site, the French Ministry of Education, Banque des Territoires and news4teachers; the French ones date from November 2026 and may change, so the teacher notes ask you to check the news first. The four voices are invented opinions and are labelled as such. Never ask what pupils' families can afford or what brands they wear: the cards ask about people their age. Chloé's story touches on teasing about clothes; if a pupil seems upset or talks about being teased, follow your school's usual procedure.

Suggested procedure45 min

2 min
Show the cover and read the big question: "Should every school have a uniform?" No answers yet.
8 min
What people wear to school: pairs choose two cards and say why. Then read the eight words and their examples together.
8 min
Inès and the navy jumper: read the story and check the four facts (why did Inès sew a star inside her jumper?), then choose feeling words for the first morning and for break.
10 min
Uniforms in three countries and Four opinions: read the three countries (which is most like yours? why did England limit logo items?), then the bubbles aloud; pairs choose the voice they agree with most.
11 min
A fair dress code, then the three boxes and "Where do you stand?": pupils choose three rules, compare money, fairness and freedom, then stand on the line from 1 to 5. Come back to the big question.
6 min
Dear Inès: pupils write a short reply with one piece of advice and a reason ("If I were you, I'd ...").

Adaptations

SupportKeep the word slide on screen during the story and the voices, and accept one-sentence answers built on the useful language. Pupils can number their three rules instead of writing them.
ExtensionAsk stronger pairs the B2 question on the voices slide ("Can you think of a way to keep the good side of a uniform and lose the bad side?"), and have them argue for a place on the line from 1 to 5 that is not their own.

Materials & prerequisitesA projector or screen for the slides (one PDF page per slide, turned with the arrow keys) and one pupil sheet (two A4 pages) per pupil. The last slide is the teacher's notes, with the timed plan and a note of care, to read before the lesson rather than project. Nothing to install.

🔒 Restricted content

This resource requires a subscription to be viewed.