To refuse to rebuy five years of primary school uniform

[Schooluniform2018]

Our small primary school has always had a uniform. I have had one child pass through the school into high school and therefore have enough shirts, pinafores and logo cardigans to pass down to my youngest two. Currently in years 1 and 3.

Deputy head was recently promoted to head and promised 6 months ago that the uniform was staying the same with a logo change in the cardigans.

Today they have decided that the colour of the uniform has to change. (Not sure if pinafore/trouser colour is changing yet)

So could we buy new pe kits, jumpers/cardigans and maybe pinafores/trousers !

So I have five years of uniform...enough for my youngest two to wear all their school life, in good condition and they want me to spend a lot of money which I simply do not have to replace the uniform.

Oh and they didn't bother to ask parents opinion, just presented it as a done deal.

AIBU to tell the school that my kids will be still wearing their old uniform colours until they graduate to high school in five years time, as I don't have the money to rebuy new stuff :(

I heard that uniform is optional at primary school, so hoping that will work in my favour.

I am so upset. It is a good school with no reason to change the existing nice uniform, the new one is made by the same uniform shop in the same materials just different colour and logo.

To be honest I think schools for this reason should allow children to wear non logo uniform, in the school colours obviously, the kind that can be bought so cheaply from supermarkets.

This insistence on logos boils my piss, frankly. We've had a couple of academy schools change their uniforms for no reason other than a a new head's ego, and everything bar their knickers seems to have to have a logo on. I've had clients in tears about the cost. If they go for logo uniforms, it should be possible to buy the embroidered logo and stitch it on to a garment that's the right colour.

One poor woman bought all new uniform last year because her DD had had a growth spurt. New HT decides on a new uniform from September, no lead in time, so she'll have to replace it this summer.

Next summer, her daughter is leaving that school to go to a UTC because the academy school can't offer the GCSE options her daughter wants to do, so she'll have bought 3 uniforms in as many years.

It's a huge financial burden for people on low incomes.

Sorry - I’ve just seen some of the answers as I hadn’t rtft. Just focus on the £1300 cost and the difference it will make to your children’s attainment. Perhaps some other questions:

4. does the governing body have any evidence that demonstrates blazer-wearing improves outcomes for primary-school children?
5. is the governing body aware that childhood poverty is a key factor in under-attainment of children in primary school?
6. can the governing body explain how imposing an additional cost of £1300 on your household over the next few years is going to benefit your children?

If they really enforce the uniform change then you wouldn't want to send your children in wearing the wrong colour, it wouldn't be fair, even though you will have to pay extra (it might just be the jumpers, if the trousers and pinafores stay the same), so you could get away with buying just a couple of those each, with a couple of new ones for the older one periodically, and one PE top each? And perhaps volunteer to set up a second hand uniform club at the school, so you people can swap them about? The best thing would be though if they school kept their original plan to phase it out sympathetically, and if enough parents got together and wrote to the school about it they may do that.

"Obviously the extra cost is unfortunate but I wouldn't want my DC going into school in the wrong uniform. They get their class photo taken every year and I wouldn't want my DC standing out like a sore thumb in something I hang on my wall and will look at for decades."
I'm sorry, but this shows such a total incomprehension of and lack of empathy for the OP's situation that words fail me!
OP, please take note of the sensible posters who are telling you to make an issue of this, if possible band together with other parents who agree with you that this is an unnecessary, not to mention unaffordable expense for primary school children, and put your case to the Head and the Parent Governors at the school. YANBatallU with your concerns.

Is the school struggling and trying to become stricter in the hope of raising their ofsted rating? Sounds like they’re trying to emulate a private school or something. Or attract a wealthier demographic!

That’s bloody ridiculous!

Could you send them in same colour trousers/pinafore dress but if polos change get new colour ones so kids don't stand out. You will most likely get at least until September before new colours come in.

Bingo zib !!

Thats crazy. Do you have school facebook page?
You need to gather support and maybe a petition.

ds wears uniform that has been worn by two boys first, it then gets passed on to a fourth boy.

we are still wearing the old logo about 3 and a half years after the uniform change. someones kid was not even at school and is going to be wearing the old logos many years after the change.

school thankfully are not fussed. not a colour change though.

The head offered me a two free jumpers which is nice of her. But £36 reduction in a £1000 bill is not exactly making me jump for joy.

Tiny bit of good news the date is optional for September 2018 and compulsary from September 2019.

Which means I don't have to buy anything new for my lad who will be in year 6 next year. He will just wear the new (old colour) uniform I have for him already for next year.

But is does mean the first £200 bill for primary school uniform bill lands at the same time as the £300 high school bill for my lad which I am committed to saving for and takes priority over primary school stuff.

"Tiny bit of good news the date is optional for September 2018 and compulsary from September 2019."

Could someone who knows more than I do about English primary school education confirm if the new wearing of a new uniform is indeed compulsory?

I am in conversation with the head via email. Though I am probably coming across as cross and randy.

I have suggested loads of alternatives.

1. Keep current uniform
2. Roll out just to reception
3. Keep current white tops and grey bottoms and just have blue jumper bit in a sensible colour which has a supermarket alternative for £6 rather than the weird stupid colour they chose as it is unique.
4. Her response was I can give you two jumpers and no response as to where the rest of the money will magically appear from. :(

Cross and ranty (what an autocorrect !)

It seems bizarre to me, that one school uniform should do 3 children during their primary school years.
YABU.

I really hope you didn't come across as Randy

I thought you had girls?

Lol at randy!
Email her back, says thanks for the response but you haven't addressed the other questions and 2 jumpers is a drop in the ocean
Maybe tomorrow at school ask other parents are they unhappy at the proposals, and collect their email addresses so you can communicate with them and raise this as a group. Definitely involve the Governors too.

I imagine the head has already signed a contract with the shop supplying them, so not sure how you will get the school to reconsider.

I realise you have saved up loads of the old uniform but is the new one more expensive than the old one or is it roughly the same price. I am not sure bandying about a figure of £1300 is going to sound plausible, most parents haven't saved up 5 years of old school uniform.

Have you asked about hardship funds to help?

That is not on. I would kick up a huge stink about it. Are there other parents that you can get on board?

Look back at korgs posts as there are some excellent questions in there to ask re updating the uniform.

at randy.

I suggested that and was told there was some leeway (which I am guessing will be 6 months) and to read letter this afternoon.

18-24 months leeway was given when the uniform changed at DD's school.

Firth
Three girls and one boy. Oldest girl is at high school. My lad is in year five and I don't hand his clothes down of course.

My main concern is my two youngest girls who have three and five years to go in a school which I wouldn't of chosen if I had know this was going to happen.

Plus I am not paying for anything optional from this point forward. We are no long buying raffle tickets, sending in bottles, money, chocolate, million of other optional things.