End the school uniform rip off after price of kit soars to £300 a year.

[HelenaDove]

Families are cutting back on food and heating so they can afford it. School uniform was supposed to be a social leveller so this is beyond parody.

www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/end-school-uniform-rip-after-18892579?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sharebar

haveuheard
I do not want to derail, but I am from a country without school uniform and there is no need to have more clothes.
Like adults they are expected to wear work-apropriate clothes (no see through, up or down) - so jeans, t-shirts, sweatshirts and hoodies made from non "plastic" materials often bought second hand, the occasional summer dress or skirt and everything is sorted.
The only expensive (sp. ?) item are DS's shoes - I can almost watch his feet grow.

Didn’t realise how lucky we are with uniform. Grey trousers/skirts/shorts/pinafore, white polo shirt and royal blue jumper or cardigan. Can he bought from anywhere. Logo polo shirts and jumpers/cardigans are available but not compulsory (I buy one for school trips and photos but that’s it). PE kit is generic black shorts, white t-shirt and black plimsolls.
I don’t think they look any less smart than any other school!

It is the PE kit that drives me mad. Bloody £35 quid rugby shirt (and the rest). Probably cost me over £150 for PE kit. I really don’t know how it is justified.

It's outrageous really. Putting a premium on children's education. My daughters primary is great because they don't make you buy anything with a logo and you can buy from the supermarket. Buying everything still costs near on £100 and that includes the 25% off. So many people just don't have that money. This has to change. I wonder if we can do anything?

I wish they'd just do away with uniform completely. It's impractical and looks horrible.

I'm having to buy DS a blazer, new jumper, new PE kit and new tie as the uniform has changed this year. He's in year 11 so will only wear it for a year.

.

And don't get me started on PE kit!

I’ll go!!

DS rugby shirt £36 Shorts £18 socks £5 gum shield and shin guards £30 Astros £50 Football boots £60 Total £200

Then - white shorts white socks clean trainers and hoody for indoor sports £100

£300 - Average comp!!

Then there’s the school shoes £50, shirts £30 ties £5 socks £12 blazer £26 shoes £60

Total. £180 ish

Plus bags pens calculators pencil cases school books trips donations photos

So much for a leveller - for growing children!

I’d get rid and let them wear joggers and hoodies trainers.

That's ridiculous! We had £10 jumpers, ties were about £5 and could have any white shirt and any trousers/skirt as long as they were the right colour. Shoes weren't allowed any branding showing, and the school specific stuff was good quality and lasted well (lots of year 7s in very baggy jumpers so they grew into them ). It's so unfair to expect people to fork out that much when it really doesn't make a difference to the quality of the education

Totally agree, it's extortionate. Social leveller my arse.

@GreenTulips

I am very fortunate that very little is official. Jumper, blazer, tie and pe top. Everything else can be from anywhere. Dd1 is going into yr 9. Still in the same shirts from yr 7. She needs new trousers as she has grown taller than me and a new blazer.

I need to kit DS out as he starts yr 7. I also have dd2 joing a new primary with totally different colours but it was less than £40 for 2 cardigans and 3 polos (logo) I have picked up some plain cardis and polos, so only about £50.

Some of the other local schools are ridiculous though, and I really hate schools that insist on initials. A dreadful, anti- environment policy as little if anything can be passed on.