Do you label your children's school uniform, and if not why?

[ItWasnaMeGuv]

I ask because after more than 20 years working as an assistant in primary schools, still we end up with mounds of lost property which is not labelled and never, ever claimed [and frustrated emoticon].

When we find labelled items we can get them returned to their owners straight away, which is lovely. Sometimes items are clearly expensive, coats for example. I am always astounded that items like this are not claimed.

I know with my own kids, everything was labelled as I couldn't afford to keep buying replacements. I would be interested to know if there are any mumsnetters who do not label school uniforms. Why not? It is really helpful, to everyone.

The stick in labels come off and trash the washing machine.

The pen smudges so much it's illegible.

I can sew in labels but with multiple children, a busy job, and a life, I don't want to.

You need to try stamptastic it if not already. It’s so good.

Never had a stick in label come off in the wash.

Which stick-in labels are you using? We are something like 14 years into schooling and haven’t lost a Stikin yet.

I looked after lost property in a high school. At the end of the summer term I counted 66 lost jumpers, all hanging up with no names on them!

I used to wash them, hang them up nicely and wait for a kid to come and say their parents had sent them. If one fitted them, they could take it away.

So my advice is put a name on them, oh and not anything like Harry B, that doesn't help to reunite!

Tried several brands. I think the tumble drier is the problem.

Most people use the stick on labels now. Very easy, quick and long lasting.

No you can order sick on labels. They stay on.

I do label but stuff still goes missing including shoes on one occasion. Seeing how he's too disabled to dress/undress himself so it's staff are taking things off for him then misplacing them it's frustrating to say the least.

I use Cash’s name tapes, in a contrasting font colour, sewn into the neck / waistband / next most obvious location in every item. Every lost item has made its way back to my child within a couple of days. Teachers have actually told me how easy it makes their lives that my child’s clothes are labelled so obviously and they wish everyone did sew in labels.

I’m not the fastest at sewing, but I can easily do a couple in an evening when watching tv or listening to an audiobook. So over a week or two they are all done. I don’t mind doing the sewing though.

I’m afraid that no one regularly checks the care label of their child’s clothes, you just assume the item in your house belongs to your child. I think that’s the problem with labelling on the care label, but its definitely better than not labelling at all.

I’ve helped sort out lost property at school a few times, and pen markings are usually passed around between us trying to be deciphered. I think it’s the worst way of labelling. Get the stick in ones if you don’t want to sew in a label, but honestly I think the sewn in ones are the best and the time I spent sewing them in has easily been repaid through not having to replace items.

I’ve ALWAYS labelled everything and not lost anything that then hasn’t been returned. I’m the same as a lot of posters - I can’t afford to keep replacing stuff for starters!!!!!

I also use sew In labels because the sticky ones always seem to come off which is a right pain! Plus the sticky labels cost more and you can’t re-use them like the sew in ones.

At the end of term our primary “sell off” the lost property if it’s not claimed for PTA funds and I’m always amazed - there is absolutely mounds of stuff but useful to buy a couple of extra bits cheap!!!

We have a great trade in secondhand uniform, the school actively encourages people not to buy new, hold secondhand uniform exchanges every term and the only essential uniform is a school fleece or jumper so most children are wearing stuff with at least one other child's name in.

As long as everyone goes home with something resembling what they went in with no one seems to mind.

School provides a school branded rucksack for free in reception and parents can replace for £5 if needed (usually around Y3/4 if they do but there's some pretty raggedy ones by Y6).

The school has also banned personal pencil cases and water bottles - children use school supplied pens and pencils from pots on the table and help themselves to water from a jug and plastic tumblers.

The main 'lost property' issue seems to be boys coats.

Which ones do you get?

My Name Tags

Il maybe get some of these to try, thankyou

Biro is fine imho. I use it too. It does fade in the wash so keep an eye on it and maybe redo it once or twice during the year.

I don’t see much difference between putting a name label on the care tag and writing a child’s name on the care tag 🤷‍♀️
I can’t see why one would make the clothes less appealing and the other wouldn’t.

Agree, I really think not labelling clothes so they can be passed down is ridiculous. Fair enough, a fancy dress but a school jumper isn't some special item.

Also don't like the assumption that it doesn't really matter and if it ends up in lost property it's someone else's gain. I waste so much time as a teacher looking for labels and trying to figure out who jumpers belong to. I don't know if the owner has a parent who cares or not. Lost property is a right pain for schools, with office staff spending time sorting it. We put it out all the time for parents to look through and try to give it away for free (washed and hung up) at the end of the year and still can't get rid of most of it.

Yes but have still lost things over the years. I only label the things they remove like jumpers, PE hoodies, hats and coats. They go to school in PE kit on those days so no changing at school. Anyway, despite the labels jumpers have gone missing… I guess people take them home and for some reason don’t return them.

Teacher of 30 plus years. I don't understand why you wouldn't label their belongings. As for school not making any effort to return things, pupil and parents are responsible for making this as easy as possible by labelling stuff.

There are not designated hours put aside for staff to deal with this. Whilst dealing with these issues, other work is not being done

Everything gets labelled for both DDs and I swap when things get handed down. Took about 30 mins to label both kids full set of uniform for this term.

things without labels get sent to lost property and then passed onto the PTA to be resold at the uniform sales and the proceeds go to the PTA

@Thingsthatgomay I ask when you say old straighteners - is that because it damages them a bit? You wouldn’t recommend using new/current ones? I only have one pair but that sounds a genius hack! (For someone that doesn’t own an iron…)

I'm a Brownie leader. I feel your pain!

A teacher friend of mine used to get her child's initials embroidered on the outside hem of her child's uniform to stop mislaid uniform being appropriated by unscrupulous parents.

You can also use the base of a saucepan heated up on the stove. Just use a teatowel so you don't put the pan directly on the label/clothing.