School changing to an Academy - Uniform costs!!

IMO the last two places on this earth where shirt and tie are compulsory will be school and the defendant's box in court. Most offices are gradually doing away with the jacket and tie culture in favour of people doing their jobs efficiently as far as I can tell.

I had enough when DH left - we lived off it for as long as we could - it doesn't last forever though. Like you therose I had a well paying job but then ......my son was diagnosed with autism, as he has got older do his life (and mine) has got much harder. Now I cannot work simply because my nights caring for DS are so disturbed.

So £200 might be "a small amount" to you but for me it would be huge. I WAS financially secure - I no longer am because while I planned my finances I did not factor in the disability element.

He looks smart for school( in the despised sweatshirt etc) and also smart in church where he learns a more Christian approach than the one you have just displayed with your posts.

Sometimes people just do not have a "small amount" like £200. Care to donate this "small amount" to a local school charity so a child can benefit seeing as it's so little to you?

I suspect academies can do what the hell they one as regards uniform !
( they can do what they like re teachers contracts after all).

School concil should already. Be shouting loudly.

I agree that probably the only thing you can legally object to is the supply of skirts only not a choice though.

Dunno what your yr10 dd gets up to though. My girls trousers/ skirts last a week between washings. Yes we have a clean shirt daily and jumpers x2 a week but ds is the only o d that plays out in the mud!

Cost wise it's on a par with our school. The clothes last much better than supermarket stuff too. Dd2 has 3 shirts and they are nearly 2yrs old and I shall replace them in the summer. She has 1 skirt and 1 jumper a year ( had 2 in year 7 so 3 in use now) . PE kit was £££ but dd 1 wore hers for 5 yrs ( and dd now has it lol. I don't believe the sweat shirt ever has been worn).

She's in adult sizes now so what she's given and what you buy should last year 10 and 11. I appreciate you don't have spare cash- but they have given nearly 6 months notice - so you don't replace any old uniform and put the money towards the new for a start.

Theroseofwait - You are hilarious

Kez100 - I don't think it's me that's out of touch with reality - it's those who don't plan ahead properly and expect others to lead similarly shambolic lives.

If, God forbid, anything happened to DH, life would go on pretty much as normal. Having seen the exact scenario you describe unfold during my own childhood, we would simply carry on using savings where necessary and I earn enough to be able to pay for a carer while I work. I earn as much as and sometimes more than dh. 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.

Therose. You are completely out of touch with the reality for many in this country.

Your children are lucky to have a father who has a job for which he leaves each morning in a suit and tie. I dare say, you also ensure they are well fed at breakfast time too. Saying, to those who cannot afford this, 'it's their fault for having children' is Victorian in the extreme. It is very sad when people in our society who have a decent income critisise (and you are by no means the only one) parents who are not in such happy circumstances.

Next time you go to post something similar to what you have above, just step back first and think : what would it be like if, say, due to a major disability/accident/illness your husband wasn't in work and you had to stay at home and care for him while your children grow up. How would you feel if someone advised you that you shouldn't have had children because you don't have £200 to spare, per child, every September.

What schools don't take into account as well as cost is that one style of skirt or trousers does not necessarily fit all. We have had huge problems getting a school regulation skirt to fit my daughter as she has a 'sway back' and the skirt does not fit without a huge gape. Had to resort to the sewing machine to get it to fit!!!
I too object to having to pay huge amounts for logo uniform when it isn't even of good quality. £9 for a polo shirt when I can get 3 smart white shirts in M&S for £10.???
Oh and to pick up on a comment earlier....of course it is cheaper than Jack Wills......or Jack Willies as we call them , because Jack Wills is over priced and pretentious

therose I won't flame you (although your comment about a couple of hundred quid each September is revolting).

You are perfectly at liberty to dress your children as miniature Bill Gates. But it would be unreasonable of you to expect everyone else to do the same.

I'm sure that I'm going to get flamed for this - and to be honest I really don't care.

There are some of us that would like to see their children go to school in a proper uniform; shirts, ties, blazers etc. I wore a shirt and tie to primary school and got used to making sure that I look smart at all times from an early age.

I am sick of these scruffy looking sweatshirts that everyone has to wear now due to making sure everything is 'affordable.' Surely if you can't afford a couple of hundred quid every September for your children then you had no business having them?!

My boys see daddy going to work in a shirt and tie and I make sure that they have smart clothes to go to church/restaurants/parties in. We try and show them how to dress appropriately as we hate to see children in sportswear unless on the sports field. It really gets my goat to hear people whinging about uniform as I really think people need to be instilling some standards into their children when they are young, not pandering yet again to the lowest common denominator.

IMO schools need either a uniform uniform, not tat in a specified colour bought as cheaply as possible from wherever, or more parents to take pride in their child's appearance so non uniform smart casual clothes can be worn at primary age. My two often wear chinos, a shirt and a smart blazer style jacket and they're aged 2 and 3. I'm not too fussed about what they get up to either because I buy them quality clothes that will withstand being washed and dried.

Otherwise the entire population of the country will be thinking it's acceptable to wear trainers and tracksuits all day every day. Sorry, but this is a real bugbear of mine. . . .

Claireall I see you are back sprouting rubbish as usual.

I'll be kicking off too OP in a intelligent way of course. This isn't at all inclusive and is a clear breach of trust between head and parents. He made a declaration (minutes) that it wouldn't mean a change of uniform. What else will he renege on?

My DD's always looked smart in theirs bruffin - better than the mini kilts that some of the local schools wear, the girls roll over the waist band so they stick out like lampshades

They look awful webwiz, I see the girls on the Cambridge train, I don't know anyone who think they look smart.

It didn't seem to (obviously coated with teflon or something) instead of going as short as possible the thing to do was to wear it on the hips so that it practically touched the floor :)

Ankle length? Didn't it get all wet and yuck in the rain?

My DD's wore an ankle length kilt - it was fabulous as it accommodated growing upwards and outwards and was virtually indestructible. DD2's has been chopped to knee length and is now being worn for university back to school fancy dress nights.

They last the whole of secondary school? Do the girls not grow? I can imagine they are a good quality, have a changeable waist and wash well and could last (in theory) but do they really without becoming too short?

despite the john lewis label, yup its flat panel at the front

Do they wear them that way round TalkingPeace, they look back to front!

Here is a local one to me
www.johnlewis.com/103441/Product.aspx
and I know that those skirts put up with all sorts of wear and tear