To think this is fecking expensive?

[Littlefluffyclouds81]

I bought dd1's uniform for secondary school today. It has to be ordered from a certain supplier online, as it's all got the school logos on.

I didn't go wild, I bought 2 kilts, 4 shirts, blazer, tie, PE kit (2 t shirts, tracksuit, shorts, skort, swimming hat), and one knitted jumper. It came to £257, and I still have around half of the things on the list to get, e.g shoes, tights, sports bag, gum shield, shin pads and loads more. I reckon all in it's going to cost about £500.

Is this normal? Seems like a lot of money to me. It's a state school btw.

Yoke. Dd going into year three and altho I have no idea what deco fary she will end up at best start saving now. Love fact that at her primary only polo and sweatshirts have logo (sweatshirts shrink so actually better bought pre washed from second hand stall at £2.50 a go). Been lucky so far polos bought for reception still fit after three years ought to get at least another year out of them too. V happy that they are blue tho - white would have lasted about five mins

Bloody hate auto correct. That should read yikes not yoke. Deco fary (wtf???) = secondary.

That sucks.

As you have years of this ahead, be proactive and start a Facebook group for 2nd hand uniform for sale from that school. I know you have nothing to sell yet but word will get around and people will start flogging their uniform on it and as you are admin you can get first dibs in the future

I take it this isn't a private school - our winter shirts used to cost £45 each new!
I've just spent £75 on two grey skirts, 6 polo shirts, x3 summer dresses, 6 pairs of tights and 3 school logo jumpers. That's for a primary school though so poss not comparable?

There must be a second hand shop - we got things like blazers in there as they were over £100 new and the knitted jumpers, winter skirts etc used to be over £50 - all way under half price and usually barely used as, well, kids just seem to grow!

that's very expensive :(

The kids school have logos on the blazers, ties and sports kit - the rest we can but anywhere still the best part of £100 to kit them out (each)

Oh and just following on from that, if you put stuff in to sell the sale price came off the end of term bill. A good way to do it! I think there was a small charge to sell though...hazy on that.

My DS's blazer alone cost ca. £70 (they are a bit cheaper for younger boys, from £46), shirts with a logo £11 apiece, tie £8-ish and that's before trousers and various bits of sports kit which is ridiculously expensive - think PE T-shirt £20 and rugby shirt £30... I have just spent over £250 just to replace the things he has grown out from! My only consolation is that if my youngest goes to the same school, he will wear his brother's uniform.

My DD3 is a senior, I bought her 2 skirts, 2 shirts, 1 sports shirt, 1 pair of sport shorts, 1 Jumper with logo, These are just plain polyester with no logos or special things Except the jumper which has an A on it available in only ONE shop within 50 klm, with shoes and socks(Black shoes for school, white sports shoes and 6 pairs white socks, no colour or logo allowed even manufacturers logos) That cost me $385 ( about 210 pounds) & that is just my DD, I'm looking at another 200 pounds worth for my son. When my DD1 & DD2 were at school they had pleated Netball skirts that were available in any Target , Lowes or discount chain store, Polo shirts that were the same availability, the school would give us a Logo for $3- to sew or iron on the shirt, sport shorts were the same,cheap at any department store, Shoes were any affordable Joggers, socks were as close to white as possible for girls, I think It cost me Less than $150- (75 pounds) each to buy full uniforms each for them including socks and shoes, our schools have gone from expensive specific uniforms in my day to cheap generic uniforms for my older 2 (at one stage they were able to wear their Polo shirt and shorts every day and ALL the kids did that) Now the schools are going back to specific expensive uniforms, and the styles are so OLD, In 1977 we had an A-Line shift that zipped up the front with a side pocket , My 15 yr olds Uniform is more like the one my mother wore in 1937! Huge boxy long skirt, Ugly dropped waist white button up to the neck shirt. I am waiting for them to re-introduce woollen tights, Straw Boater hats and plimsols. With the cost of Computers, books, equipment & school fees increasing every year ( you know, those "Voluntary Contributions" that your kids are discriminated against for if you can't afford to pay them) running at over $1000- per child per year the cost of uniforms are doubling that, so much for a "Free" public school education.

There will be second hand stuff available if you ask

If it's S G***, then it deffo has a second hand shop.

Very dark blue blazer with bright blue silk lining and a neckline that allowed it to be buttoned to the chin- rather strange but very smart- £85. That was an Academy. Gulp. Then we had to move out of London suddenly; whole new logo'd uniform in Somerset...x2 by then. Took my bank months to recover!

My daughter goes to a private school but its a struggle to pay the fees as it was the only option left after bullying. The blazer costs £75 alone and everything has to be school logo specific, One set of essentials costs £500. Then the outdoor black shoes, indoor brown shoes, pumps for labs, trainers for sports, football boots, astro boots and wellingtons in winter come on top. The school refuses to have a secondhand sale as they don't make any profit on it and all uniform has to be purchased from the school shop. The last school she was at had a used sale and I had 2 or 3 of everything now we are down to only 1 of each item and when its dirty I really feel the stress on how to have it clean for the morning. I so wish I go shop in the supermarkets £4 for a summer dress instead of £30!!!!