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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Primary School Coat?!

72 replies

Toomuchtooyoung01 · 08/08/2021 19:20

Am looking for a school coat for DD who starts primary school in September, was obviously wanting to get her one that’s warm and at least showerproof, and have found a really pretty one but it’s quite expensive (for me anyway) at £60. A friend who I was chatting to about this told me not to get a “nice” school coat as most children’s school coats get ruined or lost/stolen. I obviously get that young children can get their clothes muddy etc, but if it is very clearly labelled, will her clothes really get lost? And stolen?!
Is this a thing?!
So my question is basically, do other people buy cheap school coats for these reasons and am I being ridiculous to be thinking of buying a pricier one?
Thanks!

OP posts:
PumpkinKlNG · 08/08/2021 19:21

My son had 3 coats stolen at school 😡

Peace43 · 08/08/2021 19:22

Yep, stuff gets lost and trashed all the time at primary!

Sirzy · 08/08/2021 19:23

I wouldn’t send anything into school that you aren’t willing to get lost/damaged

LagneyandCasey · 08/08/2021 19:23

None of my dc ever lost a coat or had one stolen. They don't treat them that well though and often end up trodden on or pulled around. I just used to get coats from supermarkets. As long as they are showerproof and warm with a hood, no need to spend a lot. Maybe get a nicer coat to wear outside school.

Thehop · 08/08/2021 19:23

Sadly, yes. She’s right. It’ll get ruined lost or pinched. Stick to Asda.

rainbowunicorn · 08/08/2021 19:24

Yes they will get lost, stolen, covered in mud and probably ripped as well. I always bought a supermarket coat for mine. Just as warm as the more expensive ones and easily replaceable if any of the above happen.

Swearwolf · 08/08/2021 19:25

Wow! Neither of mine have ever lost a coat or had one stolen at school. They get dirty and stuff but not any more than outside of school. I've always just bought the same coat I usually would!

Original poster
Toomuchtooyoung01 · 08/08/2021 19:25

Wow 3 coats!!!
I don’t remember losing my coat (or any other item of clothing actually) when I was at school, but I’m glad I asked and it seems cheaper is the way to go!
thanks for your replies!

OP posts:
PicaK · 08/08/2021 19:25

Our school put discarded coats in the lost property. The school staff just don't have a spare minute to start sorting through. So if you can do pick up it's fine, you can go get it back. Working mum who uses wrap around? Say goodbye.
Get the cheap coat.

Whinge · 08/08/2021 19:26

I agree with the other posters. Don't do it. Coats get left in the playground if the weather changes during playtime, fall on the floor and get hung on the wrong peg, and sadly yes they get stolen by other children or parents.

ScarlettDarling · 08/08/2021 19:27

I’m a primary teacher and I’ve never known coats to get lost or stolen. Cardis and sweatshirts go missing all the time, PE kit too, but not coats, They do get scruffy so you need something that will withstand being washed frequently and you definitely need something warm as Reception children spend a lot of the day in the outdoor area. When my own dc were in primary I used to get high street coats such as Next or Mand S.

PumpkinKlNG · 08/08/2021 19:27

Yeh I kept getting told that someone must have taken it by mistake, it had his name on it! They were never in lost property and never got brought back to school, If It was a mistake you bring it back surely

Pegasusmail · 08/08/2021 19:27

Asda coats are excellent and I have bought from various places.

Bimblybomeyelash · 08/08/2021 19:27

My kids haven’t lost anything at school. They don’t have ‘school coats’ , they just have coast that they wear to school and at the weekend too. I think some kids do leave their coats in the playground and ‘lose them’ but they show up in lost property. Jumpers and cardigans etc are more likely to end up getting taken home by other people by mistake as they all look the same.

hehehhehe · 08/08/2021 19:29

Label it clearly. I always buy a Boden one with a furry lining and bright print. They're distinctive so awkward to steal. It needs to be warm.

TheLovelinessOfDemons · 08/08/2021 19:29

DS2 is always losing coats and he and another boy have gone home in each other's coats before.

Florencenotflo · 08/08/2021 19:30

Dd had one from asda last year, warm, waterproof etc. It never got lost but it definitely needed washing every week! It always came up lovely and could still do dd2 as well on a few years. I was impressed for an £12 coat.

Honestly, buy the nice one for her to wear at weekends etc. Cheap and cheerful for school!

Pinkflipflop85 · 08/08/2021 19:33

Haven't had coats lost/stolen that we know of, but sometimes have children taking the wrong coat home!

Our cloakroom pegs are crap. The coats constantly fall off and the kids don't think twice about trampling all over them.

lanthanum · 08/08/2021 19:33

My child only lost one cardigan at primary school. I think it's easier if you are the one who does both school runs - then you know what they were wearing in the morning, and you can send them back in immediately if they come out without it. Her friend went to an after-school club (off-site) most of the week, and was pretty good at losing things in general; her mum picked her up on Fridays and rounded things up, at which point she would sometimes go home wearing three coats and two pairs of gloves!

Go for something reasonably practical and washable. Showerproof is probably more useful than massively warm - some kids don't feel the cold, and September is often fairly warm anyway.

CecilyP · 08/08/2021 19:34

My son had 3 coats stolen at school 😡

Blimey, where was that? DS went to primary in an area considered rough but never had anything stolen.

Dishwashersaurous · 08/08/2021 19:35

Never lost anything at school.

They just have coats. One for winter and one for summer.

They get worn but they don't get thrashed

PhantomErik · 08/08/2021 19:35

We've never lost a coat but they do get trashed even if your DC is careful, others can knock them off the hook & they get walked over etc.

Get one you can put through the wash regularly. I stuck to a supermarket/secondhand coats for school especially while they were young.

Maybe have a nicer one for weekends or for when there's no time to wash the school one!

HalfShrunkMoreToGo · 08/08/2021 19:36

We always go for the Asda ones with the clip on mittens.

They get dropped, dragged along the floor and generally mishandled so it's not worth spending a fortune.

MyMushroomsInATimeSlip · 08/08/2021 19:37

My son alway had two cheap coats (both were for in and out of school) to allow for all the washing needed

careerchangeperhaps · 08/08/2021 19:37

We found that the best ones were the Lidl waterproof coats or their ski jackets. They're about £6 and are waterproof, fleece lined and it's not the end of the world if they get damaged or lost. The downside is that you can't always get hold of them as they're not instore every week.