to think £200.00 on a school uniform is shocking

[Racheyg]

DC1 starts school in September he has just turned 4.
the only uniform that can be purchased from the non school uniform shop is shirt and trousers. He even has to wear a tie.

The rest even pe kit is branded with their logo. Its all come in at nearly £200.00. I only ordered 1 pe kit fingers crossed he doesn't lose them :)
Im guessing its only going to get more expensive. as next year he needs to wear a blazer. I think I will be wrestling him to get him dressed every morning :)

Ltgreggs is right, you've bought too much. I'd also just get one tie and return one of the jumpers.

If your school is anything like ours you'll find they have a big second hand uniform sale at the Christmas Fair. Good chance to stock up on extra ties / spare clothes then.

Ds1 starts comp this year, his uniform will cost roughly £500-£600

Ds2 is still in primary school his will cost £200, if you work it our per wear is cheap.

I agree wiht the other poster in Scotland that we just dont have the same level of fuss here.Blazers are optional

I think it must depend on the area, as I went to a Roman Catholic school and blazers where compulsory, my nephews go to the school now and it's still the same, my niece goes to another HS and she also has a strict blazer and jumper policy.

Blazer, tie, jumper and logo'd tennis whites, cricket whites, athletics kit, football/rugby kit, universal tracksuit - all had to be monogrammed - all bought from the school uniform shop, not forgetting with that goes, gym plimsolls, rugby studs, astro studs, tennis shoes, cricket pads and all the sodding bats and racquets that go with the various sports. Then there were the niche sports played if you took GCSE/A Level PE - golf, sailing, fencing etc. I almost forgot the monogrammed DT apron.

Trousers and shirts could be bought from the high street but I was desirable you had them monogrammed.

That was a good state grammar school, but compare it to the comprehensive the other child went to where the staff were just so excited if any turned up vaguely in school colours.

It's crazy how much others have spent. It does look a lot but I have to leave a spare uniform at school hence the two ties.

Did I say 4 trousers? As I only got 2 and 2 shorts and 3 shirts.

Anyone got advice on school shoes? What's the best quality?

Most private schools have second hand shop this where I sourced DD's entire senior school uniform including PE kit for £132.
With these more expensive school uniforms I don't understand why the PTA don't run a second hand shop at DD's school 25% goes to PTA and rest goes back to parent sell clothes. Raises money, parents who bought new recoup some of cost ( though certain items go through second hand shop again and again and still look good) and makes uniform more affordable.

You can ask the school if they have any second hand clothes you can buy.

The school has a duty to ensure uniform is affordable. You are entitled to complain if they don't adhere to the regulations

Make sure everything is labelled with those stick in name stickers from amazon.

Our school had lots of second hand stuff.

People who say it's good value, bollocks. It's just lining people's pockets. When I was at school it was a grey skirt and white jumper, trousers and shirt for the boys, that's it any design just those colours. Everyone knew what school we belonged to. I think the teachings getting worse at schools but if they blind everyone with expensive uniforms then everyone will think the schools are great

DD goes to a Catholic Primary in NZ (a state school).

She has one summer dress ($85), this has lasted 2 summers now. It washes and drys overnight. White socks and black shoes or sandals.

For winter it is a wool tartan pinafore ($120), again this has lasted 2 winters and will probably do a third. Then white shirts x5 (from M&S), green tie ($25), green jersey (M&S), black socks and shoes.

Black jacket required, but no PE uniform until year 4. They wear anything years 1-3.

In her first year it cost about $450, but less this year.

I buy proper black leather shoes, she has hard to fit feet and she's in them all week any way. They cost $120.

I'd be very put off a school that required blazers from year 1 and ties in reception.
To me that's a school that is more interested in their public image not what is actually best for young children.
Did you choose this school or did you not really have an alternative? If you chose it but had other choices, you can't really complain.

Make sure you buy everything large so it lasts.

I do think it's a rip off. I wonder whose pockets the cash lines!

School uniform isn't compulsory in state school Scotland our head teacher told us the kids could turn up head to toe in Barbie pink or track suits and there wouldn't be a thing she could do about it. Our high school took legal advice on making blazers compulsory and were told they could only do so at s5 and s6 i.e. Once the child is over compulsory school leaving age. The school websites say something "no child will be denied access to education as a result of not wearing uniform". As it is our schools do have a high standard of wearing uniform I like uniform but trying to force people into logo items which are often very expensive and poor quality and things like weird coloured shirts/tartan skirts etc is madness. I don't know why schools can't just all have uniforms which can be bought cheaply in supermarkets

Ds1 school is grey trousers, shirt & tie and school jumper (£12 each). Pe is either plain polo and joggers or any t shirt and joggers. Black school shoes.

Ds2 - grey trousers, plain polo and logo jumper (£10) pe is same polo and any colour joggers. Can wear any shoes

I've just priced up uniform at Asda for a 4 year old, it comes to around £50 for everything - shoes, socks, pants, trousers, jumpers, PE kits, etc. And that's minimum 2 of everything.
If school clothes are available at that price then that should be on the school uniform list.
Of course it won't change though, when some people come out with things like '£200 is good value'. How can it be when you can buy the same stuff (minus logos) for a quarter of the price?

And just to add, what is the justification in expecting 4 year olds to wear shirts and ties? It's just absurd.
As for blazers, has there ever been a more useless piece of clothing?

It is not good value compared to the countless other state schools who let you buy cheaper (but equally hard-wearing) school uniforms from ordinary retailers.

Also, if most items (like skirts, trousers etc) are not school-specific you get a wider range of charity shops and other second-hand outlets, so much better chance of finding something that fits individual dc.

Most parents are not supplied with such a wide range of school choice that they can make the uniform their main criterion, especially not poorer parents who may not be able to afford transport.

If I ruled the world I'd have a pe friendly uniform for primary school. Or at least let them wear pe clothes on pe day. But imagine if all that money was spent on work books- that would make such a difference, much less copying from the board or photocopying for the teacher or TA.

In England, however, uniform can be insisted on (prh47bridge once linked the DofE documents)

And although you don't have to enrol your DC below compulsory school age, they are covered by those rules (and any school rules and other parts of a home/school agreement) from the time you enrol them.

Schools should however have a sensible, affordable uniform. Using a single suppliers is not good practice. No family should be inhibited from applying to a school because of the level of ancillary costs

There's no reason why uniforms can't be PE friendly, at least at primary level. Tracksuits or joggers/shorts and polo shirt tops are fine to be worn during the day at this age, warm and practical too. Young children don't need to look 'smart' ie done up like a dogs dinner for their everday life.

That is not true. If it is a state primary school he will not be sent home for that. Whoever told you that is lying.

I've just bought secondary school uniform for my twins. It's cost circa £1000 and I have followed the list and not gone overboard. I have bought from supermarket where I can. List seems never ending.

One is off to a state school grammar and you can only buy sports wear from school.

Juniors seems cheap by comparison - used to cost about £100 per child inc shoes.