Page 2 | Why is Secondary school uniform so expensive?

UndertheCedartree · 2024-05-10T21:31:02+00:00

I've just gone to order my Y7 DD some P E shorts now the weather is warm and they're £16 each! Primary ones were £5. It makes it so difficult to afford enough uniform. I feel like I'm constantly washing it! My DD's school is much better than some in that they don't have blazers or ties. But we have a checked school blouse and a logo jumper that is really expensive. I get her trousers and skirts from Next as seems to be the only place that I can get hold of uniform beyond the summer holidays. Then the P.E hoodie is logoed and the P.E top has the school name on so both expensive. There must be so many struggling with this. They did have a second hand sale the other day but they didn't have much. I did manage to get a second jumper. The P.E kit has changed recently so they had no P.E kit.

HeraSyndulla · 10/05/2024 23:52

juliesambush · 10/05/2024 22:38

Blazer nearly 50 quid for me... crazy times we live in

£175 for her blazer and then she needed a lab coat, protective googles, DS tabard, three different sports kit ( Gym, tennis and field/hockey ) plus gum shield. Jumpers were £40 because they had the school crest on. The rest you could pretty much get from M&S.

She left last summer and is taking her "A" levels at the local college so I cleaned and packed everything up neatly and sent it to the school. Hopefully they can make use of some of it.

I did keep her Blazer though, for sentimental reasons, but I gave her the opportunity to go through the pockets before I had it cleaned. I heard her on the phone to her friend about it, " chill-out Bethany, I've got everything ". She looked up at me, " honestly mum, you really don't wanna know".

Was I like that at 16, I'll have to ask my mother.

Original poster

UndertheCedartree · 10/05/2024 23:51

Starlightstargazer · 10/05/2024 23:49

Cost of secondary school uniform is extortionate!
Here, the summer dresses are £40 each, kilt £35, jumpers £30, blazer £45, logo skort, rugby top, house top, pe top, tracksuit trousers, fleece, socks - so pe kit is around £90!
Then there’s the multiple shoes / trainers, drama kit, dance stuff.
Kitting 1 child out came to £450!!

That's crazy! 😲

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Original poster

UndertheCedartree · 10/05/2024 23:50

Our P.E kit had no logos, it was just certain colours - polo, gym knickers, netball skirt and sweatshirt.

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Starlightstargazer · 10/05/2024 23:49

Cost of secondary school uniform is extortionate!
Here, the summer dresses are £40 each, kilt £35, jumpers £30, blazer £45, logo skort, rugby top, house top, pe top, tracksuit trousers, fleece, socks - so pe kit is around £90!
Then there’s the multiple shoes / trainers, drama kit, dance stuff.
Kitting 1 child out came to £450!!

Original poster

UndertheCedartree · 10/05/2024 23:48

DementedPanda · 10/05/2024 23:34

To put it into perspective... my dc attend the same secondary I did. The blazer was £90 when I went. The tie was £10. Now the blazer is £30 and tie is £4

£90 for a blazer? 🤯 I remember mine was £50 which my parents thought was extortionate - especially as we only wore them to assembly then stowed them in our desks!

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SoLookUpTonight · 10/05/2024 23:47

It can seem expensive but I found things lasted really well. Both my kids only had 2 blazers throughout 5 years if secondary which for something they’re wearing so often works out very cheap. The PE kits do seem expensive for only wearing them a couple of hours a week but again I only ended up buying a couple of sets of it over 5 years. Football boots were probably the biggest waste of money for my kids.

Original poster

UndertheCedartree · 10/05/2024 23:44

lanthanum · 10/05/2024 23:31

It often seems to be the PE kit which is extortionate, especially as they're only wearing it two hours a week. That could be massively reduced if they just asked for plain joggers/shorts/T-shirt.

Tbf, my DD wears P.E kit all day on P.E days. But that would make it worse!!

But yes why not plain colour shorts and t-shirt?

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Original poster

UndertheCedartree · 10/05/2024 23:42

blondieminx · 10/05/2024 23:31

The vile skirt / kilt at DD’s school is thirty five bloody quid.

M&S plain school skirt is a third of the price and 3 times nicer but not allowed 🤔

It's just ridiculous!

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Original poster

UndertheCedartree · 10/05/2024 23:41

Singleandproud · 10/05/2024 23:30

I think in terms of cost per wear school uniform is actually a bargain. The trouble is it's a large outlay in one go. A pair of Nike shorts to wear in his free time would be £30 and not yet nearly as much wear.

The thing is I can't afford branded clothes so I don't buy them (odd thing from Vinted.) But with school uniform you have no choice!

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Original poster

UndertheCedartree · 10/05/2024 23:39

ToxicChristmas · 10/05/2024 23:29

YANBU. DS secondary uniform cost a small fortune. The blazer was £85! No chance of cheap PE kit either, all has to have the school embroidered logo. The school do have a great second hand selection available to buy at the school office though. DS leaves this year for college so last year of uniforms for me thankfully.

£85?? faints

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Original poster

UndertheCedartree · 10/05/2024 23:37

bluecomputerscreen · 10/05/2024 23:26

tbh 16£ for shorts is a good price.

It's not for me! 😂 3 times the price of the Primary ones!

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DementedPanda · 10/05/2024 23:34

To put it into perspective... my dc attend the same secondary I did. The blazer was £90 when I went. The tie was £10. Now the blazer is £30 and tie is £4

ToxicChristmas · 10/05/2024 23:34

lanthanum · 10/05/2024 23:31

It often seems to be the PE kit which is extortionate, especially as they're only wearing it two hours a week. That could be massively reduced if they just asked for plain joggers/shorts/T-shirt.

Agree. The logo trackies here are £40! They also "need" the rugby shirt, shorts, t shirt and logo socks. Plus football boots, indoor trainers and outdoor trainers. They also recommend buying thermals for underneath for winter.

lanthanum · 10/05/2024 23:31

It often seems to be the PE kit which is extortionate, especially as they're only wearing it two hours a week. That could be massively reduced if they just asked for plain joggers/shorts/T-shirt.

blondieminx · 10/05/2024 23:31

The vile skirt / kilt at DD’s school is thirty five bloody quid.

M&S plain school skirt is a third of the price and 3 times nicer but not allowed 🤔

Singleandproud · 10/05/2024 23:30

I think in terms of cost per wear school uniform is actually a bargain. The trouble is it's a large outlay in one go. A pair of Nike shorts to wear in his free time would be £30 and not yet nearly as much wear.

ToxicChristmas · 10/05/2024 23:29

YANBU. DS secondary uniform cost a small fortune. The blazer was £85! No chance of cheap PE kit either, all has to have the school embroidered logo. The school do have a great second hand selection available to buy at the school office though. DS leaves this year for college so last year of uniforms for me thankfully.

bluecomputerscreen · 10/05/2024 23:26

tbh 16£ for shorts is a good price.

Shardonneigghhh · 10/05/2024 23:25

It's because the school gets commission from the sales.

JohnofWessex · 10/05/2024 23:24

Well complain

Original poster

UndertheCedartree · 10/05/2024 23:21

JohnofWessex · 10/05/2024 23:06

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms/cost-of-school-uniforms

Well, not much good if schools don't follow it. No schools round here do. My DD's school is probably the only school that is anywhere close!

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Original poster

UndertheCedartree · 10/05/2024 23:20

PuttingDownRoots · 10/05/2024 23:05

I added up the compulsory logo items DD2 will need next year. Less than £50 for blazer, tie and pe top. Unfortunately a bit more for a school skirt £30 and PE jumper, but they aren't compulsory (trousers are generic)

Ours are £22 for a jumper, £25 for 2 blouses, £20 each for P.E hoodie/P.E top, £16 each for P.E leggings/P.E shorts.

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Original poster

UndertheCedartree · 10/05/2024 23:11

Maray1967 · 10/05/2024 22:57

Ours isn’t -at least not for boys.Girls have a kilt which has to be the specific school one. Our PE shorts and top are £8/10 each
Blazer £30, jumper £15, tie £6. Plain black trousers and white shirts, M&S or wherever.

If I was PM I would ban ridiculous expensive uniform items eg piped trousers, and force the price down on blazers and PE kit. There is no need for expensive uniform. Plain items are fine.

I agree. Everything doesn't need to be logoed! Schools used to just have different colour jumpers.

I think the checked shirts are very nice but plain blue would mean a cheaper generic blouse could be bought. Why does the P E top need the name on? Even the hoodie and jumper could just be a plain colour. Does a logo really matter? The shorts are a particular design in 2 colours - why not just one plain colour?

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JohnofWessex · 10/05/2024 23:06

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms/cost-of-school-uniforms

Cost of school uniforms

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms/cost-of-school-uniforms

PuttingDownRoots · 10/05/2024 23:05

I added up the compulsory logo items DD2 will need next year. Less than £50 for blazer, tie and pe top. Unfortunately a bit more for a school skirt £30 and PE jumper, but they aren't compulsory (trousers are generic)