to think £92 for PE kit is extortionate?!?!

[seeitoldyou]

My DD will be starting at a top grammar school in Sept. Up until now she has been at a below average state primary (which just got slated by ofsted). I am giving you this background to emphasise just how unfair it is that the parents of intelligent kids from poor or normal (us- 2 parents working, own home) backgrounds are essentially penalised for wanting our children to attend a grammar school. We, as a family, are so pleased for DD to attend this school as I think it will be the right place for her. But I can't help but feel annoyed that the school is charging so much for essential items. By the way, I have checked if I can buy some of the kit elsewhere and have been informed that I cannot as all the kit has the school logo on it! Don't even get me started on the actual school uniform........

theres an awful lot of bragging on here.

The thread is about ££s. Any thread that mentions how much people have to/are prepaired to pay might seem 'bragging' but I'm sure to the poster it's not. Most of us have to buy school uniforms and they get much more expensive as the dc grow and do more sport.

please give us an accurate split down of the number of items this amount covers as i do not find it unreasonable - certainly compares with my sons state secondary a few years ago

what ever you do DO NOT send her with a selection of 'cheap alternatives' apart from the fact that they will not last 2 minutes she may well be made to feel inferior by her peers (own experience of grammar school and parents who would not pay for proper school kit (cos they preferred nights out, gambling etc))

if you are whinging about cost now perhaps you should re-think where you send your DD to school as it gets more as they get older

Why on earth does PE kit need to be branded? Is it in case they're involved in some sort of tournament with other schools?
DS goes to primary school, and they have the option of branded schoolwear, but only insist on on the correct school colours. That meant I could by sweatshirts/jumpers/polo shirts from asda/Tesco /m&s.
I've spent around 50 quid so far for 6 pairs trousers, 4 jumpers, 6 polo shirts, 2 shirts and socks. Id be struggling if we'd to pay 90-odd just for PE kit

£250 to kit out DS1 for secondary (yes, yes, state comp, every bloody thing logoed except the mouthguard and boxers, though I wouldn't put it past them), and he grew out of the whole lot, barring the bizarrely long shirts, before the end of yr 7 after which we bunged him in the nearest Tesco substitute.

£150 to kit out DS2. Who didn't get into the same secondary.

£75 to kit out DS2 all over again, as he moved schools. And is smaller than DD is now, so can't hand down, whichever school she ends up at.

I swear I work entire weeks just to buy school uniform.

Molly, I'm not sure 'whinging' is kind. What if every school in the area has extortionate PE kit? What if, strangely enough, the government guidelines for admission to a school don't run
Category 1: Looked after children
Category 2: children with a Statement naming the school
Category 3: Children who can't afford anyone else's uniform
Category 4: Children in catchment and attending a feeder school...

Mollymole, that is the whole point why should a parent with less disposable income have to accept a lesser school because her first choice comes with a uniform that is out if her price range, how is that in anyway acceptable ?

I wonder how it works with children in care actually because they have a set uniform allowance, if the foster carers aren't prepared to pay the difference does that mean that child cannot go to grammar orvthe good comp ?

Mollymole, wow you're very judgy. You think if you don't buy the branded school uniform it's because you'd rather spend money on nights out and gambling? ! Hahahahahahahaha!

Fwiw the asda jumpers we used last year were worn more than the £9 official school jumper, but they STILL looked newer by the end of the year. So it's a myth that cheaper means lower in quality. Far from it.

My secondary (not a grammer) had an expensive uniform and regulation PE kit. It had to be embroidered with your name too. Mum bought mine (being as I was oldest) and then unpicked and restitched for my younger 2 sisters. We also had to have other school items like home economic/art apron, again had to be embroidered.

So I'm sure you can do the same with second hand PE kit (and uniform) if you can get it.

Might add that I never lost an item of kit ever, it was always returned. Hard for someone to nick borrow your kit and pass it off as their own when it has your name emboidered on it...

At ds's school he has misplaced several items (including having his whole kit taken one time and it had obviously been used as the t-shirt was inside out when it came back). I have had to replace several items this year and have taken to writing his name with permanent pen around the inside of hem and collar in huge letters. Althugh his kit is cheaper than yours, by the time I factor in the replacements it has cost me more.

Ds's school also do a special deal if you order a polo shirt, tshirt, shorts and football socks together. Cheaper than buying them individually. Perhaps ask the school if they can consider a reduced/cost price for a whole PE kit for new pupils. After which you should only ened to replace items as they outgrow and need them.

I think Molly was referring to her own parents, vmcd28. That's how the sentence reads anyway.

I wonder why schools specify so much different kit? Unless you are playing on a school team, shouldn't tracksuit bottoms, a t-shirt and correct footwear be sufficient for most sports? I bet that's what the P.E. teachers wear!

DD only 2ish so all this is far in the future for me but i remember when i started grammar school. my poor mum! she had to get the full logoed kit tracksuit skirt trousers shirts socks etc but on top of that we had to get full equipment like tennis rackets hockey sticks etc. and i barely went to PE always skived, had legitimate excuse for first and second year to not go to PE but 3rd year onward never bothered except for swimming. luckily my parents were well off but feel major guilt now that they spent so much money on stuff that was never used.

It's all the fault of the changing school system. This is the least of your worries, you Englanders, as your comprehensive system is constantly chipped apart by successive governments.

You need a comprehensive system and a private sector. One as near free as dammit, the other with clear prices attached to privilege.

As soon as you have grammars and academies and all the other schools you have that place themselves a cut above, money will come into it as a way of proving that these schools occupy a shiny higher level.

Mollymole and Spotty...
Apologies and

Must learn to read properly, instead of seeing half a sentence.

AFAIK the uniforms are decided by the governors. If this is not in accordance with govt guidelines, I guess they're your go to guys. But they'll probably (not always) be parents who are happy with the way things are and want to support and help run it that way. We need something stronger than national guidelines to keep the situation under control. Some schools buy logo sweatshirts in bulk, eg. The sole trader for profit is obv not good.

my daughter is at a primary special needs school

each jumper costs 12 quid realistically u need 4 or 5 so there is 50/60 quid ish
branded polo shirts to wear under the jumper 8 quid again 32 quid for 4
skirts or trousers £8 a pair so another 32 for 4
shoes if like last year she gets start rite 35 they did her all year in comparison to year before 3 pair of clarkes.

then all the usual new stuff socks , pants and a winter coat, school bag , lunch bag. would not be far off the 200 mark

its an expensive time and i have another one at primary too, however she manages to keep her self cleaner so need less

These figures are current prices from the school stockist web site:

£3.99 school tie
£10.99 boys trousers/ girls skirt
£10.50 twin pack of shirts
£22.99 blazer
[£12.99 optional jumper which almost no-one wears]
TOTAL COST: £47.98

£4.99 aertex shirt
£3.99 gym shorts
£6.99 hockey skirt
£6.99 rugby shorts
£12.99 rugby shirt
£3.99 gum shield
£7.50 shin pads
[£20.99 optional fleece, advisable in winter]
TOTAL COST: £27.46 [£48.45] for girls or £40.45 [£61.44] for boys.

Initial set up cost for a girl, buying all brand new = £75.44 [£96.43 with fleece].
Initial set up cost for a boy, buying all brand new = £88.43 [£109.42 with fleece].

There are a few days each July when the school has negotiated a 10% discount at the stockist.

And second-hand clothes are always for sale through the school.

Any student can apply to the governors for assistance with uniform costs.

Any comp out there who can undercut this particular grammar?

i WAS referring to my own parents when i commented on boozing and gambling - and i DO KNOW what it is like being the one at a school who does not have 'the right clothing' to a child it is very important

It is important you're right but I'd still rather my kid was teased for 7 years and had 60 years of benefit from the better education. Bigger picture and all that.

it may or may not be of any help on here but M&S uniform is 20% off until 20th July

Most schools who sell uniforms get a share of the profit hence the push to buy it from them. I'd buy the stuff she will need the most then see if she actually has to have the tennis skirt , shin pads etc when's she's at the school. I remember being given a list which a set of sabatier knives for a college course costing £££ but when I queried it they said it was entirely optional

I was horrified at the £40 a day uniform DS needs for this Sept (£16 joggers, £12 polo shirt and £12 sweatshirt) - I say day because either I wash nightly or need 5 sets. Plus a spare set. This isn't even reception - it's nursery school.

I went second hand for all bar one 'best' set. A quarter of the cost. I am amazed at how few parents turned up to the second hand sale.

My DC is starting pre prep in Sept (didn't want him at the very bad/could close state option) and I thought I would be the only one turning up at the second hand sale held every month. How wrong I was - it was full of mums digging through stuff! It actually made me feel a lot better about the school. I had been warned it had a reputation for being 'flash'. Quite the contrary. Got quite a few bits and will be going back again.
Although it's a bit late now OP, once in, can you suggest running the sale each month if there isn't one at present?

If any one lives in the Hertfordshire area I use a site called education recycle - it lets families sell and buy second hand uniform - I got my daughter kitted out very cheap.

Also now she has left school - she made a bit of pocket money selling it back on the site.