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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU or Does this sound about right for first year of school uniform

137 replies

userchanger · 04/07/2021 14:58

Does this list sound about the right amount for first year of school uniform for a child?

1 school bag
1 lunch box
1 pencil case
1 water bottle
1 school book bag
1 school gym bag
2 pairs of gym shorts
2 school polos for gym
1 hoodie for gym
1 pair gym shoes
1 pair of school shoes
1 school waterproof fleece lined jacket
1 school blazer
1 school tie
6 school shirts
4 school pinafores
1 school skirt
5 cardigans
5 pack knee high socks
5 pack white frill socks
3 pairs of tights

OP posts:
BarbarianMum · 04/07/2021 15:34

Lots of people will tell you that you need only two jumpers. We always had 4 or 5 and never regretted it. With two, one gets lost then the other's dirty.

LilyinWonderland · 04/07/2021 15:36

I have 3 cardigans, 2 pinafores, 2 skirts, 2 logo shirts for the skirts and 2 plain shirts for the pinafores, 1 PE top but 2 bottoms in case of accidents and a million pairs of socks and tights.

Jessicabrassica · 04/07/2021 15:36

Ds has 5 jumpers. D's managed with 2.

It's worth checking currently rules in your school.
At our school bags and pencil cases are not permitted currently. DS takes just his lunch. Also they go in in pe kit on PE days so no need for a bag. DS currently does after school sports 3 days a week plus a PE lesson so is only in uniform 1 day a week.

Cattitudes · 04/07/2021 15:42

We had about 4 cardigans but get a couple which are bigger, they grow really quickly at that age so get two which are big and two which are bigger. If both cardigans which fit are dirty you can size up for a day.

Carboholic · 04/07/2021 15:50

My reception child would have been ok with:

1 Book bag
1 PE kit (trainers not PE shoes as PE is outdoors only due to COVID)
1 pair of school shoes
2 pairs of trousers
2 T shirts
2 jumpers
1 fleece
5 pairs of school socks

I had more than that, of course, and it’s spent the year sitting in the closet unused.

They do PE once a week, go in wearing the kit and come back in the kit (no changing in the school due to covid). The do forest school once a week and can wear their own clothes. The remaining 3 days would have easily been covered by 2 full uniforms - they don’t really get sweaty at that age, and can wear the same outfit for 2 days unless it gets sauce, grass stains, glitter, glue etc on.

We do laundry on weekends.

Slipperfairy · 04/07/2021 15:50

Dd varies year by year, depending on what she fancies..

2 cardis
Rest from asda:
2 skirts or pinafores
2 pairs trousers
5 polo shirts
2 pe t shirts
1 pair pe shorts

Ds gets 3 pairs of trousers. School shorts too, but he didn't wear them this year. Gutted he had to have high school uniform from a named shop. Asda has been great.

PumpkinKlNG · 04/07/2021 15:51

Lots of people will tell you that you need only two jumpers. We always had 4 or 5 and never regretted it. With two, one gets lost then the other's dirty.

This!! Trust me they get lost, get dirty, need a wash, not dry etc I couldn’t manage with only 2. I think 5 is sensible!

Fitforforty · 04/07/2021 15:54

What has the school said she will need? We don’t need to send a pencil case. I can’t imagine she needs a school bag and a book bag! Surely she just needs one. Is she having packed lunches - most reception kids have school dinners. Are you going to send her in a cardigan and a blazer? Surely she will only need either a cardi or a blazer.

xyzandabc · 04/07/2021 15:55

As others have said, 1 x pe kit is fine. It will probably stay in school and only come home at half term/end of term. They only wear it for 30 mins twice a week or so, they don't paint in it or eat in it so it really doesn't get mucky.
If you have a blazer, why do you need 5 x cardigans? Do they wear a blazer every day? in which case you don't need any cardigans, or is it a choice, one or the other. Take a walk past school at home time and see what everyone else wears. If it's cardigans, don't bother with the blazer and vice versa.
If you do need cardigans, 3 should be more than enough.

5 shirts should be enough and you probably don't need 4 pinafore and a skirt. I've never seen a receptioner with a pencil case either.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 04/07/2021 15:55

Primary or secondary?

Shadedog · 04/07/2021 15:59

1 lunch box
1 water bottle
1 school book bag
1 school gym bag
1 pairs of gym shorts
1 school polos for gym
1 hoodie for gym
1 pair gym shoes
1 pair of school shoes
1 school waterproof fleece lined jacket
1 school blazer (if they have to wear it)
2 school tie (so easy to lose)
6 school shirts (can manage of fewer if necessary)
2 or 3 school pinafores
2 or 3 cardigans
2x5 pack knee high socks
2x5 pack white frill socks
8 pairs of tights (not necessarily knee socks and tights but don’t skimp on these)

cancancan · 04/07/2021 16:08

Are we talking first year in primary...as in reception?

DD had 3 pinafores, 5 polo shirts, 2 cardigans.... she did PE twice a week which they wore pe kit into school so 2 tracksuits. 2 summer dresses. Big bundle of tights and white socks.

No lunch box as reception to year 3 get free school meals.

They weren't allowed to use the normal book bag due to Covid and have plastic wallets instead.

BikeRunSki · 04/07/2021 16:09

Think about your lifestyle. If you can wash and dry midweek, then need you need less than if you work long hours all week. I’ve always had 6 shirts, in case of mid week mishaps, or really busy/going away weekends. We managed with 3 jumpers and 4 trousers (largely because they tend to come in2packs), but probably could have managed with 3, with only occasional mid week washing.
However - both my DC’s schools are currently asking for “fresh” uniform every day as part of their Covid strategy.

Blazer + cardigan + coat may be a little OTT?

You only need 1 PE kit

Cocomarine · 04/07/2021 16:10

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

Primary or secondary?
Given the mention of frilled ankle socks, I bloody hope it’s not secondary 🤣
BikeRunSki · 04/07/2021 16:11

That’s a point - some schools are asking children to wear PE kit all day on PE day, so fewer pinafores etc needed there.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 04/07/2021 16:11

Haha true
But then they said tie - no primaries round my way wear a tie

NuffSaidSam · 04/07/2021 16:13

It's going to depend on your school, but at mine it's book bag OR school bag, not both. She's going to be quite loaded up with a bookbag, a school bag, a pe bag and a lunch box!

You only need 5 shirts, 2 dresses and a skirt. Two or at a push three cardigans (5 is madness!).

Find out if they actually wear the blazer. My school has a blazer on the uniform list, but there is literally one child in the school who wears it! Coat and a jumper is enough for all the rest and blazer is optional.

One PE kit is probably enough (although stuff does tend to go missing...).

More tights.

NuffSaidSam · 04/07/2021 16:16

I'd also get a second tie because that is the thing we lose most often because they take it off on the way home and then put it somewhere but can't remember where the next morning....

But maybe you're tidier/more organised than we are!

Treezan82 · 04/07/2021 16:19

Probably depends on the school, but for dd in Reception :

5 x white polo shirts
5 x grey pinafore dresses
4 x school cardigans or jumpers
1 x PE Kit consisting of t shirt, shorts and plimpsols and joggers and hoody in cold weather in PE bag
8 x grey tights or white socks depending on season
Black school shoes
Book bag
Water bottle (labelled)

Then in summer term, 5 x summer dresses.

I've never known Reception age need a pencil case or school bag and they get free school dinners at that age but lunch box if you're doing packed lunches

CoffeeWithCheese · 04/07/2021 16:21

Actually this year we DID need 2 sets of PE kit. Having to wear it all day meant it got covered in the usual stuff school uniform gets covered in, and we had PE twice a week on consecutive school days and school also put the fear of god into the kids that they couldn't wear the same clothes twice running anyway.

Cardigans - we have more than five if they ever reappear from lost property but DD2 can literally lose anything and this year we can't go into the school grounds to even enquire about looking in lost property.

ChocolateCakeYum · 04/07/2021 17:22

If this is primary school why the lunch box? Children are entitled to free meals until year 3 (at least in England).

I would also ditch the pencil case. Reception aged children don’t need one as everything is provided for them and they’ll mostly only be doing colouring and letter formation anyway.

ChocolateCakeYum · 04/07/2021 17:23

We had 2 PE kits though (plus swimming kit). A warm weather one and a tracksuit one for cold/wet days.

PumpkinKlNG · 04/07/2021 17:23

Maybe she’s sending pack lunches? My dd will be having packed lunches and she’s going into reception. Also they have school trips etc which needs a lunch box.

SleepingStandingUp · 04/07/2021 17:29

1 school bag - what are you putting on her bag? Ours walk in with water bottle, book bag with snack in etc so don't need a seperate bag unless it's spares for frequent toilet accidents etc
1 lunch box - don't forget school meals are free in Reception / Yr1 so would you not prefer to do that?
1 pencil case most kids don't need one as school provides a pencil etc. Ours aren't allowed them at all even before covid
2 pairs of gym shorts /2 school polos for gym. It's generally PE kit in Monday, home Friday so you only need 1 of each or one shorts and one jogging bottoms is allowed
6 school shirts depends if you do a midweek wash of that colour but I do tend towards having about that number so I can wash end of week
5 cardigans does she have to wear jumper and blazer together? If so that should help keep them clean so I'd drop to 3

BlackCherryCandle · 04/07/2021 17:41

Our school has a no bags or pencil case rule for the infants, they send a big plastic folder home and everything goes in it.

PE days we go in kit and trainers.

Stationary is supplied - currently they all have their own but usually it's per table.

My DDs about to enter year 3 and only now is she allowed to bring a rucksack.

Uniform we have;
1x Summer Dress
2x Pinafore
2x skirt
6x Polos (white so I change after a day as they stain, only came in 2 packs)
1x trousers (never worn but they're there)
2x logoed jumpers 1 of which is kept in the wardrobe for photos the other is for school trips where they have to wear the logoed jumper or cardigan
4x none logoed jumpers (usually only use 1 or 2 but someone gave me some)
12x socks
12x tights
1x PE Tshirt
1x Shorts
1x school shoes
1x trainers