AIBU re: mystery uniform swap (petty, sorry)

[TheAtlanticWatch]

DS in Reception. Bought several good quality school shirts with school logo at start of term sized 5-6. Bit too big but will hopefully last a bit, or that was my thinking.

On sorting his uniform this morning I have noticed that at least half have been mysteriously replaced with well worn plain shirts without the logo and a size smaller. Only realised when I was thinking DS must have shot up because the shirt seemed small.

I totally get that uniform gets mixed up/goes missing. The thing is that I had used those sticky name labels which appears to have been peeled off and re-applied to the replacement shirts. Would reception kids do this? Did a well-meaning adult think the shirts I had provided were too baggy and swap them round?

I'm a bit narked about losing several nearly new shirts, but I'm more perplexed than anything and also a little concerned in case it is another child forcing DS to swap shirts.

I feel faintly ridiculous writing this, but has anyone experienced this? AIBU to raise it with the school?

It's theft. Mark shirts in a hidden place (under collar, on tail etc) and run a machine over the sew in labels. Then there's no argument.

Sounds like a parent helper.
It does happen.

That is so strange.... does he do pe? (our reception only do a short pe lesson and dont get changed)

I would mention it to his teacher, as taking a name label off and putting on a different one is clearly theft.

Is there a parent helper who may be swapping it around so her child has new?
Is it a child doing it?
Either way they should try and get to the bottom of it...

You probably wont get yours back, unless the teacher finds out who swapped and prove its yours (did you say you sharpied name on too?)

My daughter's hockey-stick 'disappeared' from secondary school. (It had been a birthday present as she was in the school team.) She put up posters containing a description and with cartoons of her attempting to play hockey without it. It was returned in days!

Sadly cartoons didn't work for clothes. We spent much time in lost property over the years. Coats had a very bad record.

You need better sticky labels if the ones you are using now can be unpeeled and restuck. The ones I use are permanent, and don’t come off without a fight - certainly can’t be stuck down again on something else.

Apart from that, is this seriously a thing? So much stolen and misappropriated uniform and kit? I’ve never come across anything like it. Mine have had the odd bit of uniform go astray, usually after swimming tbh, but a quick email to the parent of whoever’s jumper came home usually sorts it out, and a swap back is effected the next morning.

Worst case was ds’ blazer being picked up by another boy/ds pick g up his blazer. Other mum handed ds’ in to the school office instead of keeping hold and sticking it back on ds’ peg the next morning. It took me 3 days to track that down, but it came back in the end. I can’t believe that blatant and deliberate theft is as rife as is described here.

I buy seriously distinctive coats for my two, haven't had an issue yet. This year for clothes, I've done sticky labels, sewn in labels and sharpie everywhere. So far, we've been ok.

Thanks everyone. I have sent a polite calm email to the school. Not expecting to see the shirts again but maybe if it is circulated it will stop.

I can’t think when they would swap apart from PE (they do get changed) and agree it’s more likely to be an adult. Maybe if the teacher finds a shirt with the written name on the collar she’ll get to the bottom of it.

DS when questioned said his grandma swapped them which initially I ignored as definitely no way it could have been either granny but guess it could have been parent helper .

Thanks again for the advice.

I would be fuming! That is pure cheek! You're not being petty at all!

Sadly IME this happens a lot. I have known parents to cut out labels too. I know the peely stickers you mean and have ditched them for a sharpie.