Secondary School changing uniform with one week of term to go. Argh!

[InfestationofLannisters]

DD is starting year 7 in September and the letter about this was received today. There have been no warnings in newsletters and the prospectus and website clearly outlined uniform requirements.

I have five blue shirts and four black jumpers (mainly M&S / BHS) which are now useless as it has changed to a logo-ed polo shirt and logo-ed jumper. The fit of these was carefully checked against DD then tags were taken off and receipts thrown out. I even ironed name tags into them no that's a lie I'm not that organised

I may be able to return the items bought using my debit card - not sure.

Rang school and it is unfortunate blah blah but DD will not be allowed to wear what I have bought. It's a state comp but I have signed and returned the home / school agreement so I think they can insist

Is the HT being unreasonable? I wonder how many children he has ever had to kit out for school

Thats massively unreasonable. Not sure what you can do tbh besides try to take them back.

Maybe check round other parents to strenghthen complaint - sure you wont' be only one.

If you can't return it I'd bill the school for it and copy in the LEA. Daft muppets.

Oh and DS (4) is autistic which is why I bought the uniform before the end of this month and while he was in pre-school. I am going to have a nightmare taking him into town during August trying to get returns.

They are being incredibly unreasonable. My daughter's primary school went through a massive uniform change while she was there. It was phased in gradually over several years. Basically, they brought in the change but old uniforms could be used for a few years. Then, well known in advance, the new uniform was compulsory for first years, then the following year first and second and so on.

Ouch! Sympathies.

I would be unhappy too. I think you could make a very good fight against this, as while the school are not breaking the law, they are hovering dangerously on the point of breaching guidelines.

However, given that your DD is starting a new school, do you really want her to stand out from her peers? Think how awkward and confidence crushing that could be for her (unfortunately, schools know this and play on it ).

I would have thought that phasing would be acceptable too but apparently it isn't. I want to say or do something but I can't send DD into her new school in incorrect uniform. She'd get grief and I'd look like a rubbish parent.

An email perhaps. When I have calmed down a bit, obviously.

sunshine I am going to emphasise that point in my correspondence, thank you!

I think you should write a letter that sounds very reasonable in tone but makes it clear how unhappy you are about this and how out of pocket/inconvenienced you are. Lay it on thick about your younger DS's autism and the stress you and he will be put under by having to go shopping again. You bought the clothes a couple of months early, not a couple of years. I would expect them to be accommodating. Under the circumstance I don't think a goodwill gesture of a free shirt and jumper would be too much to ask, especially as you can no longer afford to buy replacements and you don't want your DD set up for a lifetime of bullying in which the school have played a majorly complicit role... etc.

Has the school gone academy recently I wonder? This is often the reason for such a quick change. if it is now an academy, you can no longer complain to the LA. but you can still contact chair of governors which I would if I were you. It's massively unreasonable of the school to do this at such short notice. Trouble is- and one if the disadvantages of the academy system - you no longer have the generic support you would have had under thd LA. Academy schools can do what they like now. They might be reasonable if there are enough parental complaints/concerns, but they also might not, sadly.

do they sell the logo badges, so you can put them on your clothes?

my old primary did this.

No it has been an academy for a while and they don't sell badges.

I'll still write the email and thank you for the advice sunshine. Any more non-sweary phrases and ideas very welcome MNers

I have contacted M&S / BHS and they can only give me credit notes. I don't buy clothes there usually but they do sell --drink- nice chocolates etc

Good lord. I don't know about unreasonable or 'unfortunate' as they said; plain wrong and inconsiderate are words that spring to mind. And the old uniform is still mentioned on the website?! Blimey they're handling this terribly and doesn't give a good impression of things to come re communication.

Do you know any other parents who have bought the old uniform? There must be others. Could strengthen the argument if you complain en masse. Or maybe the school would like to reimburse you.

It strikes me that an en masse complaint via the local newspaper might help the school see how unreasonable they are being...?

Good though that M&S/BHS will issue credit notes. They will indeed always be useful for posh meals and booze and chocs PE kit/socks/underwear etc.

it's too late in the day to make such a huge change. You could try and return items but if you can't write to the LEA and copy in the Head. He is being unreasonable.

You won't be the only parent in this situation.

If they don't sell the badges, is it worth finding out where they are made and asking company directly

And lots of other parents will have been tempted by the offers on school uniforms thatch shops are running; lots of them are nearly finishing so lots of people will be in your predicament I bet...

Are there any other schools around that wear the old uniform colours that you could sell it on to someone?

zipzap, no, but I can see myself wearing gaping blue shirts and black jerseys for the next few winters

It will be my personal fashion trademark. They will call me the woman in the blue shirt and clinging black jersey while they point and laugh.

Ht massively unreasonable. The practice is to a. Provide plenty of notice and b. Phase in so that you can buy new items as old ones wear out. Does he think parents can magic up uniform at no cost? I would be absolutely fuming and he would know it. But then I'm known for my ability to get refunds, make people back track et. [Grin]

What he should do now is put in place phase in given that old uniform was still on website. Or, credit your school account with cost of uniform... But he may find himself having to apply lots of credits as I'm sure you're not the only one in this position or similar!