Nursery - uniform?

[eatentoomanygrapes]

Our 2 year old has just started having his settle sessions at a nursery we’ve been on the waiting list for for a year. He was at a childminder previously.

Been very pleased so far with how it’s going aside from one thing — they’ve only just told us about branded jumpers and tops they want us to buy, and seem quite pushy on making us buy them.

All the other kids there were wearing them but as he’s gonna be there four days a week that either means buying four or constantly having to be washing tops.

I really don’t see the need for a two year old to have to wear a branded top for nursery, I’d rather he just wears whatever is clean, he has a whole wardrobe of tops, jumpers and t shirts.

I asked if they’re mandatory and she looked sort of surprised and said, well, no, but… and it seems like no one else has ever asked that question? I just sort of said we’d get back to her.

i suppose my question is — does your child wear a uniform to nursery?

When my oldest went there wasn't a uniform. My youngest has just started at same one and they want uniform now but it's not compulsory. I will buy cheap clothes in the same colours though so hers doesn't get ruined.

Ours didn't but a lot of the nurseries around us do particularly, but not exclusively, the ones attached to schools.

A lot of preschools do this, DS’s does. It shouldn’t be compulsory though.

ok but that’s the nursery you want him to join and they have requested that he wear a uniform. Their establishment their rules so yabu

Mine have never worn uniform to nursery (two different day nurseries and one attached to the school) but some do.

Did you not notice when you visited the kids were wearing the same, or is it something new they've introduced since you signed up?

Pre school - yes but not a private day nursery.

I bought cheaper polos without pre school branding from Asda/next and then a couple of branded jumpers.

they’re not compulsory tho - just handier!

Yes I have twins and the cost is ridiculous. £9 per pill shirt £20 for a jumper for something they will only wear one year and that will get wrecked

It was over a year since we had a look and I don’t remember seeing the uniforms so they’re either new or I just don’t remember it. It’s definitely not in any of the paperwork or information they sent over.

The preschool my daughter goes to has a uniform. It's two years old up until 4.
They made it clear that she doesn't have to wear it or can just wear bits of it. I only bought one branded polo shirt and the cardigan and everything else I just got from Tesco.
The younger kids that arnt yet 3 seem to wear joggers just in the schools colour and a top.

No, and he’ll often get messy enough that he needs a change of clothes once, if not twice in the day at nursery so how many of their tops are you expected to buy!?
Stick to your guns on this for sure.

Uniform for nursery kids is ridiculous. I'm glad they didn't have that nonsense when mine was that age. It's bad enough when they get to secondary school and expect branded and name labelled PE kit for summer and another lot for winter - on top of school uniform. But starting uniform at preschool is just completely unnecessary.

I wouldn’t bother, no.

Branded items have never been mandatory regardless of what any school may say. I would buy cheaper versions in the colour requested

Ridiculous idea. We sent DT’s to nursery in their oldest clothes as we knew with outdoor play, arts and crafts as well general play, they would get dirty.

They also went to a non uniform school so wore their normal clothes every day.

Yes but it’s school nursery. I like that it’s easy, no battles of what to wear, doesn’t require any thought in the morning and it’s not home clothes getting stained with paint. I don’t like that it’s more than I’d typically spend on kids clothes outside of special occasions e.g. £17 for a polo, almost £40 for a jumper. But if anything still fits next year and isn’t totally trashed then it is the PE kit for reception so hopefully it’ll be decent value in that regard.

Do your kids normally wear a tshirt for longer than a year anyway? I know mine grow out of things faster than that!

I think it works out quite well to buy 4 branded polo shirts and then always wear those to nursery- don’t have to faff about choosing anything else to wear every morning, don’t have to worry about non-nursery clothes getting trashed/covered in paint/food etc.

@Bernadinetta
I don't pay £9 PER polo shirt for the twins to wear that's for certain normally no. They are branded and so I can't buy a pack from ASDA that works out at £2!

Dgs's pre school had a uniform, not compulsory. Dd bought the supermarket equivalents rather than branded items though. She thought it saved his decent clothes getting trashed and supermarket uniform prices are pretty cheap.

It’s nothing to do with age. School nurseries had uniforms 30 years ago too.

My 1 year old is at a Nursery that goes up to 4 years old. There isn't a uniform and I don't know any Nurseries that have a uniform except the school ones (3-4 years old).

Our preschool had uniform and I actually quite liked it. It wasn't compulsory and about half the kids wore it. I didn't have any arguments about what to wear and as long as it was clean I didn't worry about paint stains etc as they happened at the nursery anyway. It's easy to get second hand ones in my area and I handed ours in too when they went to school.

Ask the nursery if they have a second hand uniform shop, or ask on the parents' Whatsapp group if anyone has outgrown ones they'd be interested to sell on?

Mine did. It is easier to tbh, as nursery clothes often get paint etc on.

Private nursery and they did have branded polo shirts in the pre-school room, not before that. Not jumpers though. It wasn't compulsory, I don't suppose they can make it compulsory bit everyone wore it. Was nice and easy.

My sister has just had the same issue this year with her twins and nursery. The tops were largely made of polyester too which decided it in the end.
These institutions have reached new lows in coercing parents to spend money, in this financial climate, on unnecessary sweat-shop polyester clothes. Polyester, and the chemicals involved in the manufacturing process, being proven endocrine disrupters and lots more besides. Shameful.