Expensive School Uniform

None of the state schools in Europe and whole America needs uniform, why British schools are so particular about it?? It is so expensive that it increases financial burden to most parents like us.

I'm in my 40s and a friend's mother passed the 11+ but wasn't allowed to go because of the cost of the uniform. That had changed when I went to grammar in the 80s. Any navy skirt, any navy jumper. No blazer or tie. No longer in the area, but my old school now has an expensive kilt and blazer and regulation jumper. Seems to go in cycles!

I agree with you OP, it seems to be part of the 'quick look busy' mentality that goes with new heads in cackademised schools (schools on the skids being academised).

The further my DCs' school has disappeared down the pan the more changes have been introduced to the uniform. The latest being tartan skirts and house ties as a 'Notice to Improve' letter from DofE is shoved into the Head's hand.

There is no real evidence that the uniform will improve educational outcomes for students.

And I am sure that the posters concerned will forgive me, but I have little sympathy to spare for private school parents and their need to purchase cricket caps............

Happy to say that I am by no means alone in this conspiracy theory.

Your conspiracy theories....

Bertrand I agree that the costs of some school uniforms are far to high and that the costs should reflect the economic circumstances of the location.

However, you conspiracy theories that( Expensive uniform is an 'inside' job used for 'economic' cleansing ) should be up there with the 911 Truther's !

Nothing like a £15 tie to keep the riff raff out..........

That is so cheap. I expect to pay £400+ for a complete new uniform.

We spent over 200 in the uniform shop. A friend with a son at a South London borough private school spent 400 in the same shop. Doesn't include stuff that can be bought elsewhere like trainers, shoes, coat, bag, socks etc.

sandy
2 State Grammars FSM rate girls 2.7% boys 1.3% !
I think that means the uniform costs of £220 are not prohibitive for the parents of pupils !

Isn't that exactly the point? The parents who qualify for FSM may not even consider applying for the grammar due to the cost of the uniform...

Our state comp introduced a new logo skirt for Y10 & Y11 with only a couple of weeks notice before the end of term. Start of new term and most of DDs class haven't either bought the new skirt, or had the old one embroidered. School are beginning to rumble about it, but at £5 just to get the embroidery on to an old skirt never mind £32 for a whole new one, many families are just saying no. It will be interesting to see how it pans out, because I really don't think they can impose detentions or whatever on something outside the girls control.

I saw dispatches c4 academies and linked trustees being linked to uniform providers all seems but corrupt.

What I would love to see is a it all published

So school
Postcode
%fsm
and total cost of uniform as it's not transparent to parents when choosing a school what the costs are.

The prospectus and the website lists the uniform list no prices.
Sometimes doesn't even link the provider I suppose that's stuff they think they do when place offered

I guess they broadly same but woukd live at open days it had clear list / prices and compare to other schools.

Think would name and shame the academies who gone ott

I watched documentary within last year about child poverty

The mum was a single mum
She worked
Her eldest was starting usual bog standard nearby academy and how much the uniform cost was stressing her.
In the end her boyfriend helped out.
Despite working when her boiler was broke she had go round her mum's boyfriend to use his shower or have a bath.
It's the families with such low income and total uniform cost is maybe 2 weeks worth of income that would stress the most.

I did Google and found providers for a few of my senior preferences as someone said was crazy £500 it's not that bad closer to £250-300 which seems a lot compared to primary but they are top state schools ex independents.

Then spoke to local parent attending local comprehensive and even theirs is over £200.

Makes me glad prinary so cheap although with primary when you have more than 1 child seems like huge cost even if much is handed down.

If you only have 1 child must see like fairly infrequent cost.

We live in a deprived area and our state school uniform is twice the price of yours which btw I think is entirely reasonable. I did huff a bit when I had to fork out £15 for a tie!

2 State Grammars FSM rate girls 2.7% boys 1.3% !

I think that means the uniform costs of £220 are not prohibitive for the parents of pupils !

I can imagine £220 would be a massive 'stretch' for the majority of parents at Bertrand's sons school.

My three DCs two DDs 1 DS Uniform costs are the same about £220 each for all three . This includes everything 'shoes' and PE kit.

DD 1 is year 13 but still wears the School Blazer skirt and tie.

Secondary schools use uniform as a way of covert selection. It's outrageous.

By way of contrast, ds has a logoed blazer £25, a tie £4.50 and a PE top £9.99. That's it. Trousers and shirts can come from anywhere. Team kit is provided by the school- dished out on match days and taken back and washed by the PE staff.

People donate blazers as they are outgrown and they are given to parents who need them.

But it's a school where nearly half the kids are on FSM and most mumsnetters would rather die than send their children there. The grammar school uniform costs a minimum of £400 and can cost much more if you buy everything.

I think those prices are reasonable. £25 for a blazer is about right. The PE stuff will not get worn out and surely with that you can buy a reasonably big size. IIRC DS1 had the same red rugby shirt all through school. Must have been a bit small by yr 11 but it was only once a week for an hour by then...

I don't understand why he will need a new blazer in six months... DS2 is in year 9 and has had the same blazer since start of yr 7!

DD meanwhile has had everything since year 7 I think...maybe one new blazer in yr 9 - she is in yr 11 now.

BTW logo skirts are a good idea IMHO as they make sure the skirt is the right style... and avoid teachers male and female being embarrassed by a student in a stretchy belt that barely covers their knickers - it's not what I want to see in my classroom!

When my daughter started primary I spent £50 on 4 blouses (not plain colour and therefore not available from supermarket) however they lasted 3 years and now my youngest is in her second year of wearing them. Maybe 2 lost buttons between all of them. I was a bit 'oooh' at initial cost but looking back it's been far cheaper overall then cheap ones each year.

I totally agree.. a tie should be enough.. or maybe a blazer or jumper..
the school asks for everysingle thing with Logo!!! Gladly not the underware.. seriously why logo blazer £34
Logo jumper £18
Sikrts and shirts and ties and school bag and pe bag etc
I didnt buy every sigle thing from the uniform shop and yet i spent £190 plus non logo items and shoes from clarks £60 from here and there.. end up with £400!!
Thats one child.. i have 3!!! We paid a family earning for one monthes on uniforms!! Thats a lot and was all on credit card!!! Our High school changes the colors of the strips on ties every year and they said clearly you cant use you old ones!!! Why???

I agree it was brilliant when the likes of tesco, asda even Aldi made affordable uniforms for those on reduced incomes. Schools are making in considerably harder for parents.

When I was at school the only things with a logo was our jumpers, we could get skirts and shirts from new look, asda, tesco etc now the secondary school have completely altered their uniform after becoming an academy their uniform consists of a blazer, blue tartan skirt amongst other high priced items. I would imagine it is considerably higher than it used to be. They were in the phrase of getting students to stop wearing designer coats to prevent bullying but they utilmately put the poorer families under pressure to get the correct uniform makes no sense. Now the primary schools have introduced Blazers. I can get a my DS a designer coat much cheaper in the sales than a blazer and he can wear it all year round. With parents with multiple children, single parent households the costs can be worrying for them. I spent over 200 pounds on my two dcs and one of thems only starting nursery.

I get the impression might be rightly or wrongly that there's a lot of middle class MNs. What is cheap to you might not necessarily be cheap for someone else, especially if they are trying to make sure they get the funds together. You don't know people's finacial situation so I do think it's a little unfair to say OP could of put money aside.

I just forked out £99 for a blazer for dd who is in year 8 ( private school with prep so she has had the same blazer since year 5 so I think it has lasted well. also the school pta shop will take back her old blazer and if they sell it as second hand we get half the cash)