THE traditional school tie appears to be the latest victim of “elf and safety”, with up to 10 schools a week switching to clip-on ties because they are deemed less dangerous.

Schools fear that pupils could accidentally be strangled if they yank each others’ ties or that they could inadvertently set fire to themselves during a science lesson, if their neckties were to dangle in the flame of a Bunsen burner.

This comes eight years after schools across the UK started banning time-honoured games such as conkers and throwing snowballs, as head teachers feared being sued in the event of an accident.

“It’s just absolute nonsense really and the more we keep pandering to this ‘oh it’s safer and easier for children’ the more they lose their values,” says Margaret Morrissey, a Dorset grandmother who used to work for the National Confederation of PTAs and as an Ofsted inspector.

“There needs to be a really good reason why schools are giving up ties and I have been in schools for the last 35 years and I can’t see any reason not to have a decent tie.”

Margaret believes that wearing a school uniform, including the traditional tie, is all part of growing up – a sentiment echoed by 400 pupils at The McAuley Catholic School in Doncaster, who have signed a petition on Facebook demanding the traditional tie be reinstated there.

“Learning how to dress yourself and how to act properly is part of your education,” she says.

“Wearing a proper tie ensures that when pupils do go to work and have to wear ties, they actually know how to tie one.

“I understand the concerns, clip-on ties probably are safer, but I sometimes think we’re not making life easier for pupils by going down the safety route all the time.”

Although the academic year is over and children across the UK are breaking up for summer, the Schoolwear Association is noticing a spike in demand for clip-on ties.

“One key factor in the changes in school uniform design is health and safety,” says a spokesperson for the association, which represents the UK schoolwear trade.

“Individual schools’ concerns about regulations and looking after their pupils to the best of their ability has led to various bans on any item which may be perceived as having the potential to cause harm.

“The traditional school tie has been affected by this health and safety epidemic and Schoolwear Association members have reported a considerable increase in demand for clip-on ties as a result.”

Not only are the controversial clip-ons deemed to be safer than traditional neckties, but they are also thought to be smarter because they can’t be worn in a scruffy style as seen on programmes like Grange Hill.

“Another benefit for schools of the clip-on tie is uniformity,” says the Schoolwear Association.

“There is little opportunity for pupils to style their tie with short tails and fat knots.”

However, some argue that one of the many pleasures of being a pupil is that you can individualise your tie and afford yourself a small opportunity to be different within the confines of school uniforms.

“To be honest part of the joy of being a schoolboy is to knot your tie in the wrong place,” says Margaret, who also runs an interactive parent website called parentsoutloud.com “We need a better reason to remove traditional ties from schools.”