to urge you all to label every single item of uniform/ clothing that your child wears or takes to school in september?

[gymboywalton]

Doesn't have to be a sewn in label, just a name in or on everything. A laundry marker would do. Put on jumpers, shirts, p.e , bags, shoes....especially p.e pumps! Please put a name in coats too!! And on bags and water bottles- those sticky labels you can buy are ideal for this.

I work in a school and this week I have spent so much time trying to find items of clothing. At this time of year, the lost property cupboard is overflowing. It is heartbreaking seeing lovely coats, smart trainers and hundreds of identical jumpers all with no name on!!!!

I label everything.

Hasn't stopped one jumper disappearing. I think it has actually have reappeared at school with the label cut out.

I now add a 2nd label hidden somewhere other than the obvious.

I used to volunteer to sort lost property at our primary.

I echo every word of OP!

And would add that you need to make sure the name is clear and in an obvious place. And you need to include the surname (I was amazed at how many didn't).

And if you have bought from a second hand sale, obliterate the name of the previous owner.

Naming stuff doesn't stop it getting nicked unfortunately!

I agree. And I second the sharpie suggestion. On the collar, not the tag as tags get cut off, whereas collars can't. On the hem, not the cuff as cuffs can't. Be altered. Don't use iron on labels as they can be melted off, stitched on ones can be picked off. Sharpie everywhere! ( and top up write over as needed!) also, only do surnames if you have more than one child as then it can be passed down.

Can you tell we have a problem with uniform being taken at our school?

X-posted: I don't disagree with those who say to add 'secret' markings. Just have the obvious ones too, so it's easy to return something when found.

My ds school sells unclaimed uniform at the nearly new stall during the school sunner fete. Parents are warned in plenty of time and anything unclaimed by the beginning of June is sold to raise extra lfunds.

I agree! In addiction to planning, marking, organising sports day, writing reports etc, some parents seem to think it's in my job description to hunt for missing uniform.

I'm ordering some embroidered name labels online. Getting some with pictures so they are easy for DS to identify against others.

I know from experience with the attatched nursery there is one mother at our small school who purposely tries to "mix up" he children's poor quality stuff with the better quality.

dd got her tie nicked. she has gone the rest of the year without tie.

And my other request is, if you are going to put your child in lace up shoes, PLEASE teach them how to tie their laces!!!!!!

Who are these thieves that steal other kids uniforms?!!

dd's teacher will look for me... I feel incredibly guilty.. I could look myself but I think parents are nto allowed to be left alone in school as a policy.

Why do you feel guilty???

Iggly, what will often happen, I think, is that a kid goes home with a piece of kit that's not theirs. And I know some parents will just cut out labels, etc and effectively claim it. Because while not giving an outright admission, more or less admit that's what they do.

They can't be bothered to take the stuff back into school.

But there are some parents who do take stuff, possibly the kids might.

DS has come home with someone's jumper a couple of times, and I make him take it back and hand it to whoever owns it.

DD, at secondary, hasn't lost anything. It does seem to be a primary school issue mainly, at least here.

i labeled everything it didn't stop his lunch box being swiped and reappearing with his name blacked out and i sharpied it in BIG letters on the back

'Who are these thieves that steal other kids uniforms?!!'

Sometimes by accident, but many parents look to upgrade or get items for free. They'd rummage through the lost property and help themselves.

My DS spent half a term in Yr1 in one shoe that was his own and the other that was his friend's. Luckily my DS had the smaller feet, but I'm it took me so long to notice.

' It does seem to be a primary school issue mainly, at least here.'

Because most primary schools have parents collecting children, then wandering around and most secondaries don't have the same problem as it isn't usually the children doing the stealing of uniform.

It might not op it getting nicked (can't say I've any experience of blatant stealing as described here) but it will stop it sitting in a cupboard with a ton of other identical items and no hope of it being reunited with its owner!!

Stop that should say

Totally agree. Big black letters in black permanent marker on everything. In obvious non-removable place.

Secret marks are all very well but only if you are there to identify them! Everyone can read a name and return it to you.

Also black pen on everything makes your stuff unattractive to thieves generally!

(20 years working in a primary school)

Yes I agree re secret marks. If I'm looking for your kids p e kit, it's not going to help me if you've sewn on three Orange dots inside the sleeve!!!

YY to labeling in more than one place and in a way that can't be removed.

There's a girl at DD's school whose blazer is old and too small, she kept taking the wrong blazer and the mum tried to deny it was the wrong one every time, even when confronted by someone holding her daughters blazer it's only ever the really new ones she 'accidentally' picks up too, never the 2nd hand ones! The teacher has had to start checking which blazer she's got on at home time because so many parents have complained!

should add, they're reception so the little girl isn't stealing stuff and taking labels out herself