to think £92 for PE kit is extortionate?!?!

[seeitoldyou]

My DD will be starting at a top grammar school in Sept. Up until now she has been at a below average state primary (which just got slated by ofsted). I am giving you this background to emphasise just how unfair it is that the parents of intelligent kids from poor or normal (us- 2 parents working, own home) backgrounds are essentially penalised for wanting our children to attend a grammar school. We, as a family, are so pleased for DD to attend this school as I think it will be the right place for her. But I can't help but feel annoyed that the school is charging so much for essential items. By the way, I have checked if I can buy some of the kit elsewhere and have been informed that I cannot as all the kit has the school logo on it! Don't even get me started on the actual school uniform........

[squeakytoy]

YABU if you didnt factor in the costs before you enroled her.

[glassescase]

Not only the school logo, but personalised with the name embroidered on, so no passing down!
I think it may be commonplace, these days.

[Sirzy]

Do the school not have any way you can buy second hand uniform cheaper?

If not perhaps you need to suggest a scheme which would allow that.

[EldonAve]

complain officially about the costs - it's the only way to change these things

[Shakirasma]

That not much more than my daughters pe kit, and that's for a regular secondary school.
secondary school uniform seems to be ridiculously expensive regardless of where it's for these days

[DragonAlley]

That depends what you mean by PE kit. DS1s consists of PE top, PE shorts, rugby top, rugby shorts, rugby base layer, rugby socks, tracksuit bottoms, tracksuit top, sports bag. These are all school specific.

[valiumredhead]

Rugby shirt - £19
Football boots - £20
PE trousers - £13
PE top - £5
Shorts - £8
Rugby shorts - £8
Trainers - £15
Gum guard - £5

All comes to £93 and we are just a bog standard school. So looks like YABU

[HairyFrotter]

Buy it second hand and unpick the initials and resew?
How much are the individual items for it to be 92 pound? That is extortionate imo.

[twinklypearls]

Grammar schools are a form of social cleansing at the tax payees expense and this is fairly standard. One of the many reasons why I hope my very clever daughter will not want to go.

[twinklypearls]

Payers - auto correct sorry.

[valiumredhead]

Btw the only thing that is school specific is the rugy top - everything else you can get elsewhere.

Stuff costs

[seeitoldyou]

by PE kit I mean the whole lot- tops, socks, tracksuit bottoms, netball skort. I have a problem with how much each item costs- £25 for a hoodie? £19 for black tracksuit bottoms? Is this really how much PE kit at secondary school costs? And no, I don't think checking the total cost of PE kit was even on my radar when looking at which school to apply for! I'm not saying I can't or won't pay it...I'm just peeved and shocked at the moment. Eldest child, off to secondary school- need I say more? Perhaps I'm just temporarily insane and might recover in time for October half term

[BornInAfrica]

Social cleansing? Really? Now that is a crock of right on shit if ever I heard one! Still, if you want to wipe out your daughter's potential in the name of right-onship who is anyone to stop you!

OP YANBU - it is extortionate but you just have to suck it up in the name of getting your child a decent education.

[valiumredhead]

Oh I forgot shin pads and football socks - so another tenner at least"

[ShellyBoobs]

At our DD's (independant, girls only) school the uniform shop sells secondhand items. These are donated back to the school by parents and then sold at 50% discount against the new price. I'm not sure if other schools do the same but it seems like a good idea given the rate that kids grow out of clothes.

I do think that there are some large assumptions made about how much parents can afford to pay for uniforms. A few of DD's friends are on bursaries and not from particularly well off (by any stretch of the imagination) families but as far as I know they pay the same for each item. I think it would be more fair to subsidise the uniform for everyone and raise the lost revenue elsewhere, really.

[twinklypearls]

Hardly wiping out my daughter's potential when there is an outstanding comprehensive with better teachers, better facilities and she can mix with pupils of many backgrounds and both genders rather than attending a school full of kids who are not necessarily the brightest anyway.

I had a competely open mind about grammar schools, infact one of the things that tempted us to move here was the lure of a grammar school. Having seen them in action though I have lots of reservations. I also do not know a single ex pupil of the 2 local grammars for girls who would choose it for their own daughters.

Firstly the try to put kids from poor backgrounds off with a test that requires coaching, then the huge uniform bills, then a fortune for lockers and so it continues.

[NonnoMum]

Schools have been advised that uniform shouldn't be prohibitive...

Letter to chair of governors?

[seeitoldyou]

BornInAfrica- absolutely sucking it up and crossing fingers hoping DD makes the most of the opportunities on offer at this particular grammar school; which are undeniably far greater than what the local comp has to offer.

twinklypearls- social cleansing is a bit harsh. There is just no way that the top percentage in a cohort are going to be challenged enough with the restrictions that teachers face with delivering the national curriculum and dealing with quite a few kids who have no motivation at all. I'd rather my DD was in a school where everyone is expected to achieve highly- which is something she has always done without any pushing from us.

[twinklypearls]

I don't think a letter to the chair of governers will do much, they will know that the uniform is prohibitive, that is why it is there, But by all means contact your MP. ofsted and local press. The Mail and Telegraph will be your best bet.

[twinklypearls]

I teach in a comprehensive, I challenge my most able pupils every day of the week.

I meant governors above sorry. I am not saying all comps do that in all lessons but it is wrong to assume that a bright child will not do well in a comp. I would not risk my daughter's future to make a right on point, I am far too self centred for that. I am giving her the best option both academically and socially, doing the right thing is just a nice bonus.

[valiumredhead]

Tbh that doesn't sound that much -ALL the schools round here have similar priced PE kits just different colours. The grammar school would be much more I expect. Think you have got off lightly.

[culturemulcher]

I was fully expecting you to name some well known public school, not a state grammar. That's a shocking amount to pay. Pity the poor parents with two or three children at the school

[seeitoldyou]

nojustificationneeded- what a great idea!!! Am going to nick it for the next lot she will need (no doubt in a couple of months as she is growing like crazy)

[NorksAreMessy]

It is utterly daft! they are running around playing sport, why on earth do they need special, branded clothes? Daft, just daft