How much should I save for school uniform? When do you buy it?

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What exactly do children need? My MIL has offered to buy DD's blazer and shoes.

I was counting up this morning and it seems a big expense, I'd like to be prepared.

If you can check out what they do about PE kit. At ds's primary they started PE after Christmas and now have to go into school in PE kit two days a week. A few parents were pissed off because they had bought 5 sets of uniform and now only really need 3.

Buy a spare set in the next size up. It's so much harder to get emergency uniform mid-year when you suddenly realise trousers and skirts are too short.

Most schools have second hand things via pta. Also found we didn’t need five sets as have a younger sibbiing and turns out we do a wash most days!

Is it primary, £200 is a lot if it is, how have you calculated that?

You won't know if you need boots until you see what the weather's like surely. I've never had to buy a pair of boots for school.

Unless you need something extremely specific for dresses/skirts/trousers you can get them for next to nothing in all the supermarkets, assuming your DD is 4 imo it's a waste to buy anything expensive.

Primary can be quite cheap. Multipack of supermarket shirts or polos, couple of pairs of trousers/skirts/pinafores & a logo jumper with an unbranded for spares.

Secondary is a lot more. Usually everything is branded with blazer, special skirts and trousers at some schools and multiple variations of logo PE kit.

Rufus, where did you get the patch tape? I could do with some to cover small holes in DS2's trousers... I got it off of ebay, Nortexx mending tape, it was £2.

Primary or secondary?

Don’t forget the cost of pe stuff.

Primary, in Scotland and walking to school, so will definitely need winter boots, new winter coat etc (she's currently outgrown a wrecked old one, it's all muddy!).

Get one logo jumper for photos and the rest from the supermarket.

I'm in Scotland too. 5 sets of cheap uniform plus decent shoes, winter coat and school bag I budget around £200.

With 3dc, I usually spend around a thousand pounds on uniform just before they go back to school in September.

My youngest finishes secondary this year. Oh the joy, the utter joy, of not having to go through this any more!

Mind you, there are driving lessons and enormous clothes and a wedding on the horizon so maybe not that much better after all.

I always do 5 sets of uniform, shoes boots, two winter jackets (ds always gets very muddy). A jacket for spring/autum. My son also needs indoor shoes for school. School bag and pencil case, water bottle. I have never added up the cost but it is alot.

Tesco do logo'd stuff if your school has signed up for it. Can be way cheaper than buying from the school.

We buy big and hope to get 1.5-2 years out of stuff!

Start buying bit by bit.

Remember socks and tights. If skirts.

Primary? I bought polo shorts from Sainsburys, they were £2 each, pinafores also from Sainsbury's (easier for young girls than skirts) and then 3 school cardigans which were £15 each. The next year i bought 1 logo cardigan for school photos / sharing assemblies, and two much cheaper supermarket non-logo in the right colour. All Sainsburys stuff bought when the 25% off is on, usually May bank holiday. Shoes were my biggest expense because DD went through a pair every 8 weeks and i was buying Clarks.

When she preferred skirts, i bought those from M&S with their 20% school uniform. Found they lasted a lot longer than Sainsburys which bobbled after a term.

Buy when the offers are on, or early July latest. Otherwise sizes go out of stock and don't come back in before term starts.

Winter coat - buy big and get two seasons from it.

DD is starting secondary this year and the cost of uniform in comparison is eye-watering - everything has to be bought from the uniform shop, no supermarket cheapies allowed!

I always buy in early June for September and tend to take advantage of the M & S offer. I also buy from John Lewis. Have to buy logo pe kit, blazer and tie. This comes to £75 or so. I then buy 5 pairs of trousers, 9 school shirts (3 packs of 3 ) and 5 jumpers which don't have to be logo-ed. Sooo I probably spend more than some others but I like a whole fresh uniform for him every day. Shoes I buy from John Lewis and likewise trainers - I keep an eye out for discounts etc and then I pounce

With a ruck sack and pencil case and the other bits and pieces, I come in at about £300 and that does him for the year thereabouts

Primary school I had a couple of the loggod jumpers and polos (about £9 each) and topped it up with the unbranded ones from supermarket. Trousers from supermarket too.
Do they need to wear blazers every day? If not and it’s just for starting p1 I’d give it a miss. Ours was about £60 for a total of a weeks wear. Most didn’t bother.
I also like to have more sets so I’m not having to worry about washing midweek.
High school is all unbranded stuff apart from tie & gym top but slightly more expensive because won’t wear supermarket clothes anymore.

Agree buying bit by bit starting now

Do you have to buy football boots for high school,

Depends on the school. You don't for ours

Primary can do quite cheap - dds had 2 jumpers, 2 pairs trousers, 5 t shirts, socks, school shoes, trainers, 1 pe kit (white tshirt, shorts and joggers) - all supermarket, all cheap.

Secondary is a different matter £150 for one of each - pe kit, blazer, jumper, school skirt or trousers + more ££s for 5 shirts, socks/tights, school shoes, trainers, studded boots, shin pads.

Haven't been impressed with Asda for uniform. Cheap yes, but trousers felt really stiff and jumper ripped all up a sleeve halfway through the year (one of several). M&S/ Sainsbury's seem to be better quality and have lasted to be passed down to younger sibling.

Buy PE shoes from supermarket or cheap shop. Don't pay Clark's prices to sit at school.

Label everything! I've never lost uniform.

There's no point in buying winter stuff now if she's still little, unless you buy at least a size too big she'll outgrow them by next winter.

Check with the school office, ours has a list of what the kids must have (logo stuff) and an order form so you at least have an idea on price.

You'll need tops
Pinafores/skirts
Cardigan
School shoes
Tights/socks in school colours
PE kit
Plimsolls.
Possibly school bag.
Trousers if allowed and she's keen to wear them.(really good in winter with leggings or tights underneath)

The things is it's a very general list, and the rules,requirements and prices will vary from school to school.

If logos items are optional, get standard from the supermarket. I find Asda has the best choice online (and clik and collect is free). We've lost more cardigans than I'd like to count. Thankfully they're each about three quid - logo ones about £15.

I'm also in Scotland and we didn't need boots til after Xmas. I wouldn't buy them early as they grow so quickly. We had M&S boots this year for £24. It doesnt have to be super expensive.