School changing to an Academy - Uniform costs!!

Last week I realised that one of the 16 year olds I teach had no concept of what a coat hanger was or what you might use it for. His clothes are kept on the floor. His mum can't afford wardrobes to put them in.

Scary, huh? And in reality, there is BOG ALL she can do about it.

theroseofwait would say that an Indie School with such lax uniform can't be much of an Indie School. . . .

Nowhere have I called anyone a 'prole' (such a lovely turn of phrase) and I'm glad I'm found hilarious - I would find you good people that can't afford to feed and clothe your families properly hilarious if it wasn't so serious. . . .

Please remember that's it's not me that can't afford a £22 pair of trousers but I am fed up about how I've got to send my sons to school looking like one of JLS until they're old enough to travel the hour and a half each way to our nearest Independent, if I decide to send them.

We have both worked hard to get ourselves into a position where we are doing quite nicely thank you - but see no reason why others can't have done the same.

Feel free to insult me as much as you like now, I've got better things to do . . .

CardyMow - is your question re. the uniform & the HT's response in the minutes of the meeting? Because if it is, I would be banging on the HTs door with those minutes in tow the next possible opportunity I had.

(Cory, as an aside, I now want to know what your DH does!)

i am quite suprised by these posters saying they can buy the uniform once or twice and thats it, do your children not grow? or perhaps mine grow like weeds! ds1 has just had to have new school trousers, i got him new in sept as he grew out of the ones he had in yr 7, so they were new for yr 8 and have had to buy more again as he has grown, they havent worn out so i shall keep them in the hope that ds2 can wear them in a few years, tho ds2 is a different build so not sure if the waist will adjust enough for his scrawny frame! btu ds1 also needs new jumpers and shirts etc again they havent worn out he has just grown! thankfully the jumpers and shirts will be fine for ds2 when he goes to the high school (assuming they dont change the uniform in the meantime!)

anyway op we have had this issue recently as our primary school changed uniform for the SECOND time in 4 yrs!! madness, esp as i have 4 boys going through the school, anyway we challenged some of the changes on the basis of the gov guildlines and they did then make some consessions, so it is worth making a challenge, basically you write to the governors as THEY decide the uniform but the HT implements it. so you need as many parents to write to the governors as possible stating the gov guidlines and show where they are contravening these.

tho i am not sure if the guidlines have to be followed with academies? but worth trying, esp the fact they are only giving the girls skirts!

cory they find out when the proles go on strike who actually does the work

I always find it entertaining to come across posters in highly paid jobs who totally fail to realise that the whole infra-structure they depend on to do their work is supported by other people working in low paid jobs, and that if those people walked out of their low paid jobs the whole country, including the jobs at the top, would come to a standstill.

(not talking about dh, evidently)

I could manage an expensive school uniform but am very happy to be able to spend those hundred pounds on books and theatre tickets instead: somehow I think that does more for dcs' education. Dcs attend an excellent state school with good behaviour and discipline- and an informal uniform.

I see no evidence round here that formal uniform does anything for either educational or behavioural standards.

fwiw not every parent works in a suit and tie job: dh goes to work in steel capped boots and a high viz jacket, not because he leds a shambolic life, but because he'd look a bit odd in a white shirt and tie down a Roman cesspit.

Sorry, that should have read:

DH wears a shirt and tie 4 days a week and anything he likes on Fridays. I've stopped buying him suits,

Does your DH not buy his own suits?

Does your DH not prefer to buy his own suits? He's not 6.

Same for us, bisjo, except DS's indie doesn't even have the whole blazer/tie/kilt faff it's just a dreaded sweatshirt, navy polo and black trousers. God forbid there's even a school hoody! I wonder what theroseofwait would say to that!

Ds's posh private school uniform is cheaper than our local state school despite it being stocked at Harrods. The only thing that is more expensive is the blazer (which the state school doesn't have) but which most people buy for £20 from the secondhand sales. The logo polo shirts, school sweatshirts, ties etc for the state school are only available from the school so they appear to charge what they like.

My DCs school when uniform changes have been made they have been phased in for existing pupils. Admittedly pester power has meant I couldn't hand down as much as I would have liked. Have you complained to the school?

I agree with you cardymow that they shouldn't be changing the uniform for existing students.

DCs school changed their skirt when DD started but it was only for year 7s and anyone who bought new skirts were supposed to buy new ones. They changed to an academy last year and there was no change to the uniform at all. Other schools i know that changed to an Academy have only changed their ties and badges.

Yes it is scary that some parents can't find £200.

It is also scary that some people are prepared to deny a child of those parents access to a state funded school for the lack of that £200.

Whether those parents are "feckless" or the "deserving poor" matters not a jot here.

If and that's a big if, it is good quality. Schools aren't above charging a fortune for tat.

DD is in yr 9 and apart from shoes she has had no new uniform since she started and won't need any more this year, so its really good value in the long run

As to cost you can buy a whole set of generic uniform for DD2 for the cost of one £18 senior school jumper.

To families on a budget the jump from junior to senior school is astronomical especially if your DC is into adult sized clothes when even logoed stuff has VAT

DH wears a shirt and tie 4 days a week and anything he likes on Fridays. I've stopped buying him suits, he wears a jacket so rarely.

It really does seem mad that only schools insist on blazers.

I find it scary that people who are responsible for children can't put their hands on such a small amount of money if needs be.

You find it scary. How do you think they feel? Add to that, snobs making uninformed comments on your life, based on some limited experience where - when faced with a difficult situation - they happened to also (luckily) hold down well paid jobs and have £££ in savings (which, by coincidence, has come from their well paid jobs).

education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/schoolethos/b0014144/schooluniform/cost-of-school-uniform

education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/schoolethos/b0014144/schooluniform/cost-of-school-uniform

States that PE kit is included in gguidelines to keep costs low

A new school uniform when a school changes status really irritates me.

Unless there's an identified need in the school for a new uniform, it smacks of corporate branding.

There will always be those who blame people for having the nerve to have a penny less than them MardyCow. Sadly until life smacks them right in the face they don't want to see it - makes them feel better about their snobbery.