Affording school uniform.

[Livinginanox]

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

I am about to donate some outgrown waterproof and winter coats into my son's secondary school. I also have PE kit that is pretty pristine which will also be going in. I had to hold onto them because of Covid. I was that child whose parents could not afford much, now I pass things on knowing someone is benefiting from them. School pastoral deal with it. I think it is fantastic.

I am pleased you are reaching out. I understand the feeling of shame, it isn't right that you are made to feel that way even if it is self inflicted. I can still remember the burn from not having the right shoes or bag. I think schools should make it as easy as possible to fill in online forms rather than phoning in or seeing them in person.

I'm really pleased you're going to get in touch!
I understand how you feel though, I hate asking for help, it's embarrassing and I feel like a failure. BUT, it's for my kids not me and we are entitled to it, no one knows unless I tell them. Good luck!

I have four children to buy uniform for, I should be entitled to a school uniform grant but because my kids school is an academy I’m NOT entitled to it. It says to speak to the school which I did and they looked at me like I had two heads and I felt so embarrassed, all they said was “we don’t do that” and didn’t offer any alternative so don’t hold your breath, I wish I had bothered I felt really embarrassed, all they did was give me a funny look.

Not all schools will help with uniform. My children have fsm and I have asked in the past for help with uniforms and got told we don't do that. The council's have made it up to the schools how they spend the money they receive. This was an academy incase relevant.

@PumpkinKlNG Just seen you posted. Must be an academy thing then.

It's odd isn't it. The Senior school I went to had a second hand shop that everyone used. My ds's school is the same, no-one sane spends £100 on a blazer or £30 on a sweatshirt if there is a decent second hand one. All my ds's current uniform is secondhand, from someone who left the school mid-lockdown.
Most independent schools are the same.

It is sooooo expensive. Just kitted out DS2 (11) to the tune of £400 (trainers, football boots and shoes still to buy) then DS1 needs next size up things too so I'll take him to the school shop tomorrow. Plus bags, pencil cases, mouth guards, etc etc etc. Just ordered bus pass for the youngest, and topped up/set up lunch cards for both. Easily £1000 if not more. I think insisting on particular logod items is unfair, especially for PE. Plain black blazer and school tie would be fine but not how any school I know operates.

DS's school usually have a second hand sale at the end of year but have had to cancel due to restrictions. They have directed us to buy and sell /pass on outgrown uniform via this site oldschooluniform.co.uk instead. Definitely worth a look, items are listed by school so if what you need is on there you will find it quickly.

Blazer and tie is definitely mandatory. You’re right that some others might not be. But my school, and my daughters school are definitely not as relaxed as that. At my secondary school the kids aren’t allowed to wear outdoor jackets inside at all, even if it’s been raining. And there are random spot checks by deputes/kids kept behind at assemblies (when we used to have them) if not wearing blazers/black shoes etc

OP, I get it.
OP's attitude is not 'strange'.
I work in a school, I know nobody would judge a parent who could not afford uniform.
That's beside the point.
The point, and it is outrageous, is that secondary school uniform regularly runs into multiples of 100. This is massively exclusionary and absolutely unnecessary.
I see it as a point of principle; people should not be put in a position where they need to approach their child's new school and ask for assistance with buying totally arbitrarily expensive uniform items.
I work in an area of extremely high deprivation. 100% of our parents can afford to buy supermarket uniform, or to supplement from our PTA second hand sales. They can afford to buy non-uniform items of clothing for their children too.
So why this massive hike in the price of secondary uniform, forcing parents who have hitherto been able to buy their kids uniform, to declare financial hardship to an institution they are trying to forge a relationship with, where their circumstances have previously been nobody else's business.
It makes me cringe that posters are telling OP (who has already said she can afford it) "it's OK, nobody will judge", and while correct, missing the point and hopelessly showing the kind of privilege that insulates you from having to contemplate making that kind of call.
Secondary school uniform is an absolute scam and a racket.