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.

ZibbidooZibbidooZibbido
not everybody is blessed with unlimited financial means and plenty of time.
A school uniform is my pet peeve. We are forced to buy pinafores and jumpers in school colours which are poor quality and expensive. Gave a feedback, got nothing in return.
The school jumpers has holes on elbows within 6 months of wearing. At the rate my DD is growing, I'd have to buy her a jumper with the sleeves reaching over to her knees at the beginning to be still usable after two years.
I don't have the time to constantly patch the holes, ripped seems on the pinafore etc, even though I did my best so far. I loath to spend money on the uniform, it's constantly dirty as they are eating their lunches while playing tag on the grass but I don't have the time to wash it everyday.
A change in the uniform would piss me off big time and I still don't have to worry where the money for the next uniform will come from. Parents with limited means and relying on their kids inheriting the items are justifiably screwed.
I'd actually prefer if the uniforms were rid off completely, they are antiquated.

Kids need 2 each year for so they want me to buy12 jumpers af £216.
No they don’t. Buy one for each child and buy it big.

Idk how often your kids change their jumpers. Unless op has a bucket with washing liquid in it and washes each evening, the cost of washing the one jumper alone far outweighs the cost of 2. My dd wears a cardigan for 2 days atm. It often used to be 1 when she was younger and probably will be again in the summer.

I cannot believe the comments about buying uniform every year. Surely you buy new stuff when the children outgrow or wear out their clothes. Dd absolutely doesn’t care about washed out clothes.

One of my family members refused, told the head in no uncertain terms that it wasn't going to happen. I think a few others must have said the same as strangely enough it didn't happen, no explanation, they just dropped the subject.

not everybody is blessed with unlimited financial means and plenty of time.

what on Earth are you on about?

Everything I have suggested will save OP both time and money.

Idk how often your kids change their jumpers. Unless op has a bucket with washing liquid in it and washes each evening, the cost of washing the one jumper alone far outweighs the cost of 2.

You don’t wash them every evening!! Who the hell is washing school jumpers every evening? You sponge off the crud and stick it back on them the next day.

That's just gross. They run around, sweat, and come back smelling of school. Of course it needs washing...

Mine don’t. “Smelling of school”? how is that a problem when they’re only going to be wearing the jumper at school (whatever smelling of school means)

Oh gross. Sponge off the crud. Just no. Dd wears a fresh top every day being next to the skin. She more often than not changes when she comes home. So I’m ok for her to rewear a skirt and cardigan the following day as long as they’ve not got dirty. Otoh if she keeps it all on til bedtime, it all goes in the wash. Sorry but I like a clean child. Not a crud incrusted one.

Dd wears a fresh top every day being next to the skin.

Which would be her blouse or tshirt! Not her jumper!!

Sorry but I like a clean child. Not a crud incrusted one.

You seem to have misread “sponge off the crud” as “sponge on loads of crud and let it dry in so it’s encrusted and put it all over their skin too” 😂

My only real hope is if the school care about the financial problem they have caused and decide to roll out to reception only.

But I won't be holding my breath.

Just sweaty and stuffy and bleurgh.. zib

My dd woykd probabky get her yogurt down her too doesn't mean I'll leave it with yogurt in just because she will spill it again tomorrw.

Kids are gross they dint wash their hands properly they have to sit on the floor, wipe noses on sleeves then bug eachother etc

It's gross not to have clean clothes daily at school. Hence why rules should he reasonable so parents can buy enough and afford to wash it

Maybe my kids just aren’t as smelly and grubby as yours 😂

Plus I can't have one jumper for two years as it has to be handed down to the next child. So I have two jumpers per year and every year the jumpers get handed down and the following year, I have the jumpers to parents who want them or back to school to be used as spares.

It's not just a vanity thing for the head, changing uniform raises funds for the school. Uniform providers give a "cash back" incentive to the school, which can be negotiated, though is usually about 10%.

Kids get grubby. More so when surrounded by other peoples kids in grubby clothes who then hug mine.

I'm just shocked one uniform is going to survive three children...

Plus I can't have one jumper for two years as it has to be handed down to the next child

Yes but the second year and ever year after you will only be buying for the older child.

And there will probably be a second hand sale from the second year onwards so you won’t be paying full price. And you can sell your outgrown ones that way too.

It would be nice to buy the new jumpers but it is not possible. Just wondering why its not possible?

I’m a bit confused tbh. You seem to Be outraged that you’ll have to buy 2 new jumpers every year because you need two jumpers each and they have to be handed down. Well presumably that would be the case even without the new uniform being brought in? So you plan to be spending that money anyway.

There are no second hand sales at our school. But as it is small school uniform is passed around between the parents on the playground.

My girls are close in size. If I buy the oldest a certain size for a year. The next year her sister will need that size, so I would have to buy the eldest one a jumper every year (or just use the 2 x jumpers in every size I have in the wardrobe waiting.

It's not just a vanity thing for the head, changing uniform raises funds for the school. Uniform providers give a "cash back" incentive to the school, which can be negotiated, though is usually about 10%.

Yep. Which why I suggest making it clear in advance to the school that they will not be getting that cashback on top of the usual yearly parent funding, but instead of it.