To ask how much your new starter dc's state secondary uniform has cost this year?

[SistemaAddict]

Including shoes, bags, stationary, PE kits, coat, lunch bag, water bottle, flask etc?

Dd2 starts year 7 next week. Dd1 goes into year 9 and needed some stationary, trainers, tights. I've had to tell her she has to use her old bag as I can't afford a new one just yet. Their dad contributes nothing outside of the bare minimum fraudulently calculated maintenance (but that's another thread). I'm on UC and I'll need to ask for an advance to pay the rent. I'm on a course to return to work so this time next year I'll hopefully be better off but that doesn't help me now. I do get some help for uniform but it covers very little. I am very grateful for it though. I've spent £250 but still need to get her a coat. I get her blazer paid for and £30 towards PE kit.

Our secondary has changed the PE kit so that is now not only school branded but also a well known sports brand branded. PE kit alone in trainers has cost over £100 and that's the bare minimum kit. Why do they need branded kit for school ffs?

DS going into Y7 and I think it all comes out to about £200. I dont mind paying for the blazer (£35) as DS will not need a coat but the PE kit really annoyed me as it has to be logo'd so was £25 for a rugby shirt, £10 for a t shirt and £12 for a pair of shorts I spent less than that on shirts, trousers and socks from Tesco.

Most of the stationary we've got will be used by me/DP anyway. We only got it in case DS' laptop isn't sorted out straight away

Last year the rugby shirt cost me 22...he lost it before he'd even worn it

About £200, that’s for everything though including new trainers and shoes.

Blazer is £30 from school, tie is £6 but he won't need a new one. Jumper is £12 I think. The rest is plain grey trousers and white shirts which can be got from anywhere. School shoes from Next were £35. There is a school rugby shirt but that still fits.

I'll probably spend about £150 by the time I fill the pencil case and get some new socks etc.

My new to y7 in September £280 plus additional cost for shoes and trainers.

@EveryDayIsADuvetDay well done you. Here's a medal for correcting a minor spelling error which did not interfere with interpretation. Bravo.

Some of these costs are crazy. I have spent about £50 as we aren't required to buy any particular brands, blazers or special kit, and DD's shoes from last year still fit.

However she went through the knee of her new trousers on first wearing today 😭

@SqidgeBum
Stationery/stationary is spelling rather than grammar - and given the number of people that have used stationary in this thread alone, teachers being aware of the meaning of each word would be helpful.
I stated at the outset that I rarely correct spelling or grammar in threads, but given that you opened with the fact that you're a teacher...

[quote EveryDayIsADuvetDay]@SqidgeBum
Stationery/stationary is spelling rather than grammar - and given the number of people that have used stationary in this thread alone, teachers being aware of the meaning of each word would be helpful.
I stated at the outset that I rarely correct spelling or grammar in threads, but given that you opened with the fact that you're a teacher...[/quote]
She could be a PE teacher with no need to know the difference

Or just a human who makes the occasional mistake. Its hardly crime of the century!

@EveryDayIsADuvetDay catch a bus to life.

These sums are shocking. In Scotland things are different - branded everything doesn't really exist apart from private school. My kids are at a very good state school and all that is branded is the blazer (£32) and the tie (£5). You simply can't buy branded jumpers, bags, PE kit and the rest of it. It does not exist.

So for my 12 year old the cost was:

£32 for a blazer
£5 tie
£15 for 3 pairs of trousers
£12 for two jumpers
£16 for 8 shirts (all Asda/M&S)
£35 for shoes = £110 total

PE kit he had already as the requirement is just shorts, tshirt and jogging bottoms with no logos. Trainers he already had. Bag he got last year is still OK so he's using that. Stationery - just the usual of pencils, pens, rubber, ruler - maybe another £5 as I bought bulk packs and split between him and his siblings.

I think it was around £400 when our eldest started. Even this time around not having to buy multiples of everything as we have some of his brother’s it’s several hundred pounds. They’ve changed the PE kit as well so can’t use any hand me downs. The PE kit alone was £130 not including trainers.

@EveryDayIsADuvetDay do you have nothing better to worry about? No better contribution to make to this discussion?

And yes, I am a teacher. I am also a person a tired person.

But I suppose being pedantic makes you feel like a better human. Good for you.

this is crazy! better start saving

Blazer £30, skirt £20, jumper £20. Ridiculous prices for a skirt and jumper so I'm very grateful that I get those given to us via the council scheme.

DD2 starts year 7 this week. £140 on uniform, plus £52 shoes, £50 trainers, £30 school bag, £30 stationery including calculator, and probably another £20 on bits and pieces such as hair bobbles, new water bottle, socks etc.

My post upthread has got rather lost in the petty bitching about stationary and stationery but please do take a look at the DfE guidance. Most of the schools cited here seem to be in clear breach of the affordability guidance, which is already law in Wales and the norm in Scotland. It would have been well on its way to becoming statutory in England were it not for the lockdown and I anticipate it will become law in the next few years. There is absolutely no reason why a PE kit needs to be fully branded.

Far too much imo. About £400. It’s such a huge outlay.

If you have twins it must be awful!

I have 4 school children, one in primary, one starting high school and 2 already in high school. I have spent just over £500 this month on uniforms, shoes, etc. Completely ridiculous. My costs will be increased if my oldest doesn’t find his pe kit when he returns later this week. He lost it just before lockdown!

Twins starting Y7 next week.

Luckily the blazers and a pair of trousers were free with vouchers, as will ties.

Overall costs were:
Shoes £50
Trainers £25
PE kit (short, polo shirt, socks and fleece) £54
Calculator £7
Pencil case and pens £5

Luckily no new coat needed and they’re not bothered about a new bag so that’ll be later on. So total £141 each. I asked about the blazers and they’re only £30 each which they were when I was at school!

I’ve spent the best part of £300 on them and about £70 on their little brother who needed shoes and trainers but luckily most other stuff fit.

I think about £170 on uniform and PE kit
£50 shoes
£20 trainers
£30 bag
£15 lunchbox & water bottle
£15 pencil case and contents
£10 calculator
£8 masks

I don’t want to add it up!

I’m starting to feel that even with the double cost I’ve actually done rather well!

Somewhere between €1,250 to €1,500 each child.

Guessing you mean state school in England though!

£300. 3 kids. Shoes and trainers each and some shirts and a couple of trousers. I hate Clark's.