Uniform
Our pupils wear our uniform proudly as a sign of belonging to Co-op Academy North Manchester:
We expect all of our pupils to proudly wear our uniform when attending the academy, or when participating in an academy-organised event outside of normal school hours. Our policy regarding uniform is based upon the principles that it:
- promotes a sense of pride in the academy;
- promotes a sense of community and belonging to the academy;
- is fair and equal - reducing peer pressure around dressing in labels and fashions;
- is suitable wear for school and good value for money;
- is smart and practical;
All pupils are required to wear:
- black academy blazer with Co-op badge
- Co-op North Manchester year-coloured tie
- plain black, tailored, straight-legged school trousers (encouraged for all pupils) with black socks
- or, if opting for a skirt:
- a black skirt with fixed pleats (see examples linked in our Uniform Expectations Guide below) worn close to the knee and unrolled, with plain black tights (not socks). Tights must be opaque, no less than 40 denier.
- white school shirt with top-button fastened
- plain black v-neck knitted jumper (optional)
- flat plain black school shoes (see examples linked in our Uniform Expectations Guide below)
For PE lessons, all pupils are required to wear:
- Co-op North Manchester royal blue PE t-shirt with logo
- Co-op North Manchester black shorts with logo
- Co-op North Manchester royal blue PE socks (boys only)
- plain black sports leggings (no branded leggings)
- trainers
All branded Co-op North Manchester uniform items are available to purchase via the Arbor Parent App. Our recommended supplier for other uniform items is Ziggy’s Harpurhey Shopping Centre, North City Shopping Centre, 20 Lee Rd, Manchester M9 4DH, but there are many supermarket alternatives available (linked in our Uniform Expectations Guide).
How to Buy
All branded Co-op North Manchester uniform items are available to purchase via the Arbor Parent App. Our recommended supplier for other uniform items is Ziggy’s Harpurhey Shopping Centre, North City Shopping Centre, 20 Lee Rd, Manchester M9 4DH but there are many alternatives available from a range of supermarkets.
Price List
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
|
Blazer (Compulsory)
|
Size 26"-34": £24.00 Size 36"-50": £30.25 |
| Tie (Compulsory) | £5.00 |
| Black PE Shorts (Compulsory) |
Size 18/20 - 26/28: £8.25 Size 30/32" - 42/44": £10.50 |
| Blue PE Top (Compulsory) |
Size 26/28" - 32/34": £12.50 Size 34/36" - 50/52": £15.50 |
|
Blue Football Socks *compulsory for boys PE |
Size 1-5: £4.50 Size 6-11: £5.50 |
Each year group has their own tie colour that will remain with them until Year 11:
From September 2025 the year group tie colours will be as follows:
Year 7- black with green stripes
Year 8 – black with white stripes
Year 9 – black with yellow stripes
Year 10 – black with purple stripes
Year 11 – black with blue stripes
Uniform Rules
Footwear:
Instead of insisting on a formal or traditional black school shoes; for comfort and practicality, pupils can wear black shoes that were previously considered to be trainers. There are so many different varieties of black shoes on the market and there are plain black trainers that are smart enough to wear to school. Pupils enjoy lots of extra-curricular activities at lunchtime and this supports them to be more comfortable and avoid the need to carry another pair of trainers in their school bags. Trainers must be black with no logos, embellishments or bubble soles - see the Uniform Expectations Guide for examples.
School Bags and Equipment:
Every pupil must bring a school bag to the academy each day. A school bag is a functional item rather than a fashion item: it has the capacity to hold A4 books, the equipment listed below and a PE kit. School bags are any colour but do not have expensive designer branding, as this puts additional pressure on other parents/carers to spend more than is necessary on such a basic school item. A backpack is an ideal style of bag because it is comfortable and has capacity. Cross-body bags are not allowed as they are fashion items and are not fit for purpose. In their bags pupils need:
- A pencil case
- Stationery: pens/ pencils/ ruler
- A scientific calculator
- A reusable water bottle
- A waterproof coat - coats and all outerwear are not permitted to be worn inside the building and go into school bags during the day
Hairstyles and Nails:
Nails must be natural and of an acceptable length due to the health and safety risks that long nails present. Pupils are not permitted to attend the academy with any form of pattern shaved into their heads or eyebrows. Extreme hairstyles such as Mohican-style haircuts are not allowed.
Jewellery:
Pupils are allowed to wear one pair of stud earrings which must not hang below the bottom of the earlobe. Large earrings that hang below the earlobe, bars or hoops are not permitted, as shown in the Uniform Expectations Guide. No other jewellery is permitted to be worn for school including bracelets, chains, rings or facial piercings.
Banned Items
No hoodies, caps, beanie hats, caps, leg-warmers or outerwear (to include body warmers) are allowed to be worn in the academy. Items worn on the way to school must go into school bags during the day - this includes headphones/ airpods.
Uniform Exchange
As part of our ongoing commitment to sustainability and assisting parents and carers with uniform expenses, the academy offers a uniform exchange program accessible to all pupils. We maintain a selection of pre-owned academy blazers and unbranded items for pupils to choose from. If you require any support with uniform please email noma-enquiries@coopacademies.co.uk and we will be happy to help.