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Original poster

Affording school uniform.

85 replies

Livinginanox · 14/07/2021 18:51

Hi I have read on line a few times that. Something may be done to stop uniforms being so expensive. It was to do with the school logos only being able to get it from certain shops. And about help that lower income families can get .

So I would come under the category of being able to get some help with school uniform. So I went into my council website. In the past you would fill in a form on the council website that that was it.

Now it Says to contact the school your child will be attending. Straight away I thought there is no way I'm calling the school. And telling them I can't afford my child's uniform. It's embarrassing and downgrading. In my case I will be fine and will manage to sort it. But there will be familys that can't and I think its awful that they would have to call the school and explain they can't afford their child's uniform.

I don't even know why I'm posting. I just think it's horrible

OP posts:

drpet49 · 14/07/2021 19:45

* It's embarrassing and downgrading. Imagine phoning a school you do not really know and say hi my child will be starting year 7 in September. I can't afford the uniform can you help me?*

^If it meant my child receiving a school uniform I couldn’t care less what people thought of me. Your attitude is strange

AdditionalCharacter · 14/07/2021 19:46

The school (Academy) that my DC attend have ridiculous rules for uniform. Everything right down to the PE kit shorts are logoed. Costs me IRO £350 for a new uniform. I can't reuse any of the uniform on siblings, as they changed the logo, and each year group has a different colour badge.

There is a used uniform shop where each item is £1, so thankfully those who can't afford to fork out can at least have the correct uniform for their child.

Original poster

Livinginanox · 14/07/2021 19:48

@drpet49

* It's embarrassing and downgrading. Imagine phoning a school you do not really know and say hi my child will be starting year 7 in September. I can't afford the uniform can you help me?*

^If it meant my child receiving a school uniform I couldn’t care less what people thought of me. Your attitude is strange

It's how I feel . Did not say I was right. Uts just how I feel

OP posts:

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AllTheUsernamesAreAlreadyTaken · 14/07/2021 19:48

I understand your reluctance and embarrassment, OP. I was a free school dinner kid and having to stand in the FSM line was mortifying. We also got free school shoes and coats from the council which everyone knew were free because all ten FSM kids would turn up to school in the exact same one!

But, I was warm and I was fed. That was what was important. You child needs a uniform. No one will even know you requested help. There’ll be no shame for your child.

hummasandcondensedmilk · 14/07/2021 19:50

I would call and say something along the lines of, 'Hi, my child is starting Year 7 in September, I was looking on the council website and says to contact the school for help with uniform costs'.
You can also ask on local facebook groups if anyone is selling or giving away their childs outgrown uniform.

AlexCabot · 14/07/2021 19:51

Both of my children's secondary schools have websites where they sell second hand uniform, the uniform is a fraction of the price and the profits go to the PTAs.

I'd double check with the school to make sure they don't have something similar, lots of schools do it.

SlipperyLizard · 14/07/2021 19:54

My DD’s PE kit alone for yr 7 has cost £130! All school branded.

I don’t see why secondary schools can’t be more like primary and say what colour the PE kit is and let parents decide the price they’re happy to pay.

Ditto school uniform/blazers - why does it have to be so formal when the world of work is increasingly informal?

I support uniform, but not at ridiculous cost/rules.

SuccessfullySaved · 14/07/2021 19:56

Does everything in secondary have to have the logo on?? That's outrageous! I'd be asking for funding on principal...I hope they sort it out before mine start 😬

Honestly OP, the other parents will be phoning the school asking the same question. No one will know you called them and the staff wont think on it for a second, it's their job, it's what they are there for.

quizqueen · 14/07/2021 19:57

Can you buy second hand off facebay. Kids grow so fast so not worth buying brand new sometimes.

modgepodge · 14/07/2021 19:57

I do think it’s deliberate in some cases. Children from poorer backgrounds often don’t do as well academically, so will not get such good exam grades. Having an expensive uniform may put some poorer parents off, meaning exam grades are higher and the school looks better.

Before anyone jumps on me, I KNOW not all children from poorer families do badly at school, but statistically they underperform compared to richer families (that’s what pupil premium is to hopefully counteract). And I DO NOT agree this is a fair or moral thing to do, but I strongly suspect it’s why some secondary schools do it.

Mountaingoatling · 14/07/2021 19:58

I think the point is...a handful of big private equity companies control the market. The small providers are going and it's big business. Another poster on another thread recently said that Parliament recently passed an Act to stop too much profiteering. They are going to publish new guidelines in September. The big providers give kickbacks to the school, which pushes prices up.

SciFiScream · 14/07/2021 20:00

@Livinginanox please just ask.

I understand it's how you feel. I used to be the same. When I was a teenager I wouldn't go near a charity shop or even use the wrong sort of carrier bag.

Now I don't give that sort of worry a second thought.

I know what I want to spend my money on (gadget habit, I save for them!) and prioritise that. You are the same. You have things you want to prioritise your spending on and school uniform isn't it!

So take every opportunity there is to lessen the cost of school uniform.

You could even dress it up in a concern for the environment and email asking if there is any sort of second hand shop/swap shop.

Please ask.

What would you rather spend your money on? Do it for that.

DaisyWaldron · 14/07/2021 20:05

@Livinginanox, almost one out of every three children in the UK is currently living in poverty. It's a horrifying statistic, but it means that you and your kids are sadly in a perfectly normal situation that won't cause the school staff the slightest bit if surprise or judgement. In fact, it's highly likely that some of the school staff are also in a similar situation - I know several teaching assistants and school admin staff who could no more afford new logoed uniforms than a holiday in the Bahamas.

Cuwins · 14/07/2021 20:06

It would be worth seeing if your town or any local ones where kids go to the same school have a free Facebook page- we have one called (town name) freebay- often see uniform on there from the 3 local secondary schools, lots of people use the site for things regardless of what they can afford to safe it going in the waste.

Nuggetnugget · 14/07/2021 20:07

I despise logo or particular coloured uniform. I hate it.
I can afford logo but why should it be an issue. A plain grey or navy jumper and white or blue polo is perfect.

That said I would certainly ring and get the help. No one will bat an eyelid. We've all had financial issues at one stage or another.

Souther · 14/07/2021 20:14

I wouldn't hesitate to ring.

Luckily I wouldn't have to but I dont think there is anything wrong with this.
I'm always looking for the cheapest option. Shopping in charity shop. And pound shops.

There is no shame in ringing the school and asking for help.

And if I found somewhere that does sell second hand uniform that I could get cheaper I'd be straight there. Even for my daughter this last year. Her jumper and T- shirt we got from her cousin, as well as her joggers for PE.

There is no shame in secondhand or hand me downs.

hamptonedge · 14/07/2021 20:16

Please ring the school, you will not be the only one by any means. Our number of pupil premium families has quadrupled in the past 18 months, all covid related. Most are embarrassed as they have never been in this position before.

Souther · 14/07/2021 20:19

@AllTheUsernamesAreAlreadyTaken

But, I was warm and I was fed. That was what was important. You child needs a uniform. No one will even know you requested help. There’ll be no shame for your child.

I didnt get free school dinners but we weren't rich when younger. I think we were borderline. So not poor enough for free school dinners but not rich enough to have any luxuries. Or maybe my dad didnt understand how to apply? I dont know.

So we'd get a small amount of cash, which would buy me a main meal and a drink. Everyday we'd watch the free school dinner children, jealous that they'd get the meal, drink and a dessert. It was a high free school meal area. Id say more that 70%.

I cant say how they felt getting free school meals, but I was definitely jealous that they'd get a dessert every day.

TheCanyon · 14/07/2021 20:20

When I was in high school, the compulsory blazers were £160 for my fairly small one, I left 19 years ago, dread to think what they cost now. Our high schools pretty good, they have the option of the school logo overpriced shit but plain stuff is more common.

BunsyGirl · 14/07/2021 20:23

My DCs school sent an email to all new year 7 parents confirming that they had a supply of nearly new uniform that parents could have for free (including rugby/football boots). Just have to email the school to arrange an appointment to view the items and take what is needed.

whattodo2019 · 14/07/2021 20:24

@AOwlAOwlAOwl

Lots of schools aren't run by the LA any more so the system you mention wouldn't work sadly.

I work in a secondary and we get requests from parents to help with uniform costs. Our head of pastoral went and bought a full uniform for a kid joining the school last week and we have a stash of second hand blazers that we get dry cleaned to give to people.

I know you say you'd be embarrassed but people work in schools because they like to help people and we don't bat an eye at parents who say they can't afford things and do our best to help. Not to say all schools are like this, but I reckon most are.

However I agree with your general point that uniform can be exclusionary, especially for schools like grammar schools with branded blazers and shirts and so on. It must put some parents off applying.

You and your fellow teachers sound wonderful. Thank you.

Original poster

Livinginanox · 14/07/2021 20:26

@BunsyGirl

That actually seems a kinder way to do it as they are then reaching out to parents.

OP posts:

whattodo2019 · 14/07/2021 20:27

I understand that you feel embarrassed. I too work in a school bit my
school is private. I can't tell you how many people phone me to say they want to send their children to us but can't afford it and want a bursary. quite of few succeed too and lots ask for discounted uniform.

One family who eat over £140k applied for a bursary!!

LittleBearPad · 14/07/2021 20:31

I can understand not wanting to ring the school but they will be able to help and you should ask. No one else will know.

Would emailing to ask feel better?

santabetterwashhishands · 14/07/2021 20:35

My daughter is starting a junior school so year 3 and there pe kit is even logo shorts ,pe polo and pe hoodie that's before the logo uniform 😳.
It's madness because they grow so quickly at that age it won't even last a year 😡

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