To think we shouldn’t be expected to buy uniform for the next school year

[worldsworststepfordwife]

It’s a ridiculous expense at the best of times but it may barely get worn

I really don’t get why there’s such a hang up about this type of uniform. They have to wear something

Because even when the primary school allow you to purchase at the supermarket often they still at least require a logo jumper/cardigan a book bag and pe bag.

3 jumpers at 15 pound each and the bags cost more than the rest of the uniform put together.

Once you throw in pe trainers and school shoes ( pe kits are left at school so u need to provide a pair of trainers for home too!) It adds up.

You dont want to be washing every night nor tumble drying so less than three jumpers is hard work as they regularly get mucky in class when they are little.

I find uniform cheaper. I tend to buy in aldi or asda (prefer the aldi trousers) and we have no logos. For an adult sized or uniform with a logo its incredibly expensive and I would wait. I really hope there isn't a second wave of this for everyone's sake.

I think that’s a good point that someone made earlier - even when schools reopen there may be another lockdown later in the year. I may buy less now for my secondary school pupil and see how it goes.

I also like them wearing uniform - saves the hassle of trying to find what to wear in the morning and I think it looks smart when they are all dressed the same. No teasing of kids who can’t afford the top brands either!

@SarahTancredi see I don’t agree. Even with paying for PE kit etc I still don’t think it adds up to anymore than if you were gradually buying “normal” clothes across the whole school year. I didn’t find laying out for uniform anymore costly than kitting her out for normal the year before. The only difference was it came all at once in July/August as opposed to picking nits up when I was out and about.

But we can agree to disagree.

Bits not nits!!

My Ds is at a secondary none uniform school - he is wearing same clothes in lockdown as school, I don’t spent £50 on a pair of school shoes that fall apart after a few months. Many schools are adding blazers specific skirt / trousers.. yes supermarket uniform is cheap - I still find none uniform cheaper.

I also don’t get why people say it is a leveller. Do none of you not notice the uniform that has benn handed down and down , the discoloured shirts, the worn out shoes that aren’t replaced.

I purchased all new uniform & shoes for my two dd... gutted quite honestly!
Now I’m wondering what to do about high school uniform (dd2 is year 6).
As a single mum, it was a lot of money to spend for me. I hope she gets to wear her primary uniform one last time - sob!

I think everyone is wasting so much money on uniforms. I never went to the school uniform shops and bought my DD the plain uniform from Asda without the school logo. The teachers at school said that as long as the uniform is the correct colour they require, it doesn't have to be with the school badge on. Most parents told me they spent over £200 for uniform. I think is ridiculous to spend so much just because they have the school logo on them plus the quality is not so good. I also ordered from ebay a few plastic badges with the school logo just in case which I can attach with velcro on the sweatshirt or cardigan. Everyone can save some money plus you won't feel that bad when it gets lost.

Yeah maybe at primary. At secondary it's a whole different ball game. Uniform is stupid anyway. None of my kids have worn uniform since lockdown and their brains haven't melted and nor are they mugging old ladies in the street. It doesn't have magical powers and it's a waste of money. You have to buy other clothes anyway so all that uniform means is buying two lots of clothes, one of which is required in order to access education. Really if it's so essential for education then the school should be supplying it.

Have your children grown in the last 5 weeks? Would you need to buy them uniform if so? If yes, then buy the next size up in readiness but if not then don't

Wearing a uniform for some children is the nearest they get to normality.... uniform is also cheaper than buying normal clothes regular.... uniform wearers stand a better chance of not being bullied

do people by new uniforms for the every new school year? I buy whenever the DC have outgrown their uniform but never for September as such.

Surely your dc can wear it at home if it bothers you that much

I know that the conversation has moved on from this comment, but I have not

Our key worker children are wearing their uniforms for school. We were talking about it as we have taken in some pupils from another school who don’t have a uniform. My girls said putting their uniform on was helping things seem a bit more normal in a very strange world. Some of our SEN children who are being home schooled are also wearing theirs for a similar reason.
I bought my son a new pair of trousers just before lockdown - he has shot up and they will be too short by September. If he doesn’t go back I’ll have to sell them on to someone. I think he wore them once!

Mine haven’t been with me during lockdown because of my job. They’ll have grown out of everything at home but clothes are bottom on my list of worries.

Dont expect our schools back till August, DCs uniform doesnt fit as they had a growth spurt , so will be handing it all in to the school clothing bank whenever we are allowed to do so. I will not be buying anything until schools are back including shoes as DS is tall & broad for his age ( plays rugby ) & typically wears clothes made for children 4 years older than him.

I felt the OP is maybe thinking along the lines that further lockdown will happen next school year or if classes are maybe cut in half as social distancing measures have suggested could be a solution so kids are going in for a couple of days instead of the full five.
I feel it wouldn't be unreasonable for schools to not bother with uniforms for next year with the uncertainty of how much time pupils will spend in school and the non-essential shopping for it.

The teachers at school said that as long as the uniform is the correct colour they require, it doesn't have to be with the school badge on. Most parents told me they spent over £200 for uniform. I think is ridiculous to spend so much just because they have the school logo on them plus the quality is not so good

Many secondary schools have "uniform cards" they get sent home if their trousers arebt the right patented shade of grey or theres a kickers logo on the shoes uniform is monitored alot. Cheap non logo alternatives would lead to being sent home or detentions so yes spending 400 quid to kit out your child is necessary to get them through the door.

Just who fo you expect to foot the bill? Surely not the already strapped government. People like you really annoy me. Set up a secondhand uniform swap through the school as everyone will be in the same boat.

spending 400 quid to kit out your child is necessary to get them through the door

This is the main issue. It shouldn't cost £400 to buy a minimum level of uniform. I thought there were meant to be moves towards insisting that costs of school uniform were minimised?

Actually , I agree with you. When schools to re-open it's likely that pupils will only be in part-time.

To control the spread of infection it'll be recommended that all clothing is stripped off and washed immediately when they get home (I'm a teacher and this was the advice for us when we got home from our hub- strip, clothes into a binbag and then straight into machine, straight into shower and wash body and hair). I think pupils should be allowed to wear their own clothes and that way parents can choose what's easiest to launder frequently.

Luddite26 You’re right that’s exactly what I was thinking especially as it’s regulation comp uniform not a few bits from Sainsbury’s

It's only minimised if you literally buy one set which having been made out of polyester they smell after a while.

I purchased 2x skirt at 18.50 each
2 x blazers 30 pound or so
Shirts. Had to be blue which is harder to get and even harder purchase as a girls shirt in slim.fit so 15 pound for 3 in m&s . Bought 2 packets as I work most evenings so dont even see her to wash them and I'm not putting a wash on for 1 or 2 shirts so that lasts me the week or til I have enough for a light load.

They expect proper shoes too. And when it's well over a mile walk cheap ballet pumps dont cut it so the shoes cost 60-75 pounds in themselves .

And the pe kit isnt cheap either. 11 quid for a polo shirt. Theres the skort that's like 12 quid or the leggings and the official sweatshirt that cost 19 pounds.

I suppose if you wash daily and have plenty to make up the loads so you arent putting the machine on for like 3 items then u may get away with less but I couldn't do it with less than 2 blazers and skirts.

Then theres the other bug bear. That even when they "allow" high street stuff that the restrictions placed make it impossible.

For instance you can get a cheap black hoody in asda for pe. But no goods allowed.

You can buy sports leggings. Great but try getting ones with no logo or no visible logo and are black and not see through.

Base layers. They sodding go under a t shirt so you would assume it wouldnt matter . Wrong. U cant buy the 5 pound sainsbury one cos well coloured piping.

So it all ends up being easier to get at inflated prices from suppliers . For shit quality