Now I find this very disappointing as I am a strong believer in a school uniform where pupils look smart. Driving round Blackpool when the schools throw out, it is always noticeable when pupils are well dressed, and I believe it reflects well on a school and its ethos if they are.

And it’s not just me who thinks that. St Mary’s Catholic College on St Walburga’s Road makes clear to parents on its website that

“Uniform gives a sense of belonging and identity to our students. It is an outward sign of the high standards they expect of themselves. We believe that the individuality of our young people is reflected in the richness and depth of their characters and personalities not in their clothes or hairstyles. For this reason the college expects all students to wear our uniform correctly and in full. In this way we aim to help young people develop a sense of pride in themselves and a growing self-worth.

It seems it is easier to lower standards rather than persuade pupils to adhere to higher standards. It’s easy to make excuses for why exam results are lower in Blackpool than the national average in most cases. But low expectations for pupils are the enemy of aspiration – and Labour are letting pupils down by lowering those expectations.

I wonder if there is any connection between uniform policy and the fact that only 29% of Collegiate’s pupils obtained five GCSEs Grades A-C (including maths and English) compared with an above-the-national-average 46% at St Mary’s? Furthermore, St Mary’s has a higher percentage of SEN pupils than Collegiate does.

I’ll leave you to make your mind up.