How many of each Secondary school uniform item did you buy

[user1461609321]

Hi all

Planning ahead for September when first born starting year 7

We need to buy blazer, jumper, shirts, tie, trousers etc

How many of each item did you purchase and was this enough to ensure they were well presented and fresh eg not smelling of BO due to repeat wear of blazer and jumper etc

I think this shows how every school is different. Ds would get demerits if he didn't wear his blazer all day every day and also full pe kit including their socks, pe shorts, rugby top or tshirt .
Definitely see if there is a parent around with older kids who can help with what the school rules are.

My plan is 2 kilts, 1 blazer, 1 tie, and topping up her shirts as they are same as primary school. 2 pe kits sounds a good idea.

The pe choice for girls is skort or shorts like the boys... which do you think is more likely to be what girls wear?

Also... what do secondary pupils take their lunch in?

1 blazer, 4 shirts (came in 2's and 6 seemed over the top when I'm doing a washing mid week anyway), 2 trousers, 2 ties. No jumper. PE kit was 1 shirt, 1 shorts, 2 pairs of socks. Never bothered with tracksuit or fleece top.

5 white shirts . That's all I paid out for all the rest from the 2nd hand mums group. Saved a fortune. You don't need half the stuff on the list.

my son has
1 blazer
1 tie
1 p.e top
1 p.e bottoms
1 football thermal top for wearing under the p.e one.
2 trousers
3 shirts
1 pair of shoes
1 pair of p.e shoes

no point buying too much when they are growing.

You will also need less uniform if you LABEL EVERYTHING and so if it’s lost it eventually might make its way back to DC.

My tips are 5 shirts three trousers 2 ties 1 blazer. And yes to hiding the spare tie. Also have “back up blazer” in next size up for emergencies if blazer 1 has been left at school and dc wants to avoid a detention from the deputy head checking uniform at the gate.

as for BO its the feet that are the problem, Febreeze sorts it out.

(he has 6 pairs of socks too because thats how many you get in a pack)

@DaveGrohl

You will also need less uniform if you LABEL EVERYTHING and so if it’s lost it eventually might make its way back to DC.

My tips are 5 shirts three trousers 2 ties 1 blazer. And yes to hiding the spare tie. Also have “back up blazer” in next size up for emergencies if blazer 1 has been left at school and dc wants to avoid a detention from the deputy head checking uniform at the gate.

in my sons school they dont take anything off except coats, and they dont change for P.E they go in on the day in the P.E uniform and wear it all day.

so the only thing that risks being lost is the coat as they are not allowed to be seen without the rest on.

The blazer (if worn) becomes a life support system - bus pass, cash/card, pens, calculator, snacks, tie, hair bobbles, keys, lanyard.
If it needs washing, dump the contents into a box, and replace (minus the crumbs and wrappers).
Mufti days are the worst, as they suddenly don't have everything they need about their person.

Other than that, 2-3 trousers/skirts, six shirts, and 2 ties (but keep the spare yourself).

Shoe polish, and a million identical socks (don't bother pairing them, ever). Oh and decent underwear, replace anything childish.

1x blazer
2x skirt 1x trouser (DS 2x trousers)
2x 3-pack of shirts
2x jumper
Tie

2x PE tops
1x skort 1x shorts (DS 2x shorts)
1x tracksuit
2x knee length socks (football/hockey)

For the swimmers, 1x costume/jammers in school colours (black or the accent colour, so not difficult)

Also needed suitable shoes, trainers and football boots, outer coat in school friendly colours, non-garish backpack

The pe choice for girls is skort or shorts like the boys... which do you think is more likely to be what girls wear?

To know what the girls really wear for sport, then you need to ask a parent who has a DC at the school - any classmates got olderb iblings already there? Or as you seem to be thinking if getting two sets, get one of each

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

My plan is 2 kilts, 1 blazer, 1 tie, and topping up her shirts as they are same as primary school. 2 pe kits sounds a good idea.

The pe choice for girls is skort or shorts like the boys... which do you think is more likely to be what girls wear?

Also... what do secondary pupils take their lunch in?

in my sons school they take a separate lunch bag which they carry outside of the main backpack. I would just email your school to ask if theres any rules about it.

1 blazer, it only needs washing once a half term - it says dry clean only but washes fine in the machine.
5 shirts
2 jumpers - someone with older kids told me they never wear the jumpers but in dd’s year they do.
3 skirts - at £25 each I only bought one new but picked up a couple more at the PTA uniform sale for £2 each.
PE kit - one of each thing bought new. Got spare PE top second hand and it’s very useful as that is the first thing that will smell and she sometimes has PE on consecutive days.

PS six shirts is in case they forget to do their laundry, and need a clean one for Monday morning.

Packed lunch goes in a plain plastic box, as small and flat as possible so it doesn't take up space in their bag. Get them in the habit of emptying it and putting it in the dishwasher/ washing up as soon as they get in.

And for the future, if you have more than one DC in the same uniform, put their initial on the inside shirt collars and labels with a sharpie laundry pen, to avoid endless arguments. And have a communal sock pile.

And buy antiperspirant, shower gel, head and shoulders and lynx spray in bulk! And pray they use it!

Broadly agree with the consensus on here. The next-size-up blazer stashed away somewhere is a great idea!

Other observations: two out of three here do wear jumpers, but are allowed plain black rather than branded.
If there's a choice, find out from existing parents if in practice everyone wears one thing. E.g. my girls can wear skirts or trousers, I bought both for DD1 but they have only ever worn the skirt when they absolutely have to (the washing machine broke with the trousers in there once). Likewise with PE - neither will touch the skort and this seems to be the general rule at the school.

I keep a small stash of emergency stuff hidden away (e.g. I have a second hand blazer that any of them could wear at a push). Lots and lots of socks, including 'drama socks' (the grippy ones you get at trampoline parks).

DS has more uniform than the girls as he plays football and lunchtime and messes about in the woods with his friends on the way home so tends to come back filthy.

I would do a drive by and see what they actually wear. if you have a girl, you will be horrified at the length of skirts! You can check out shoes/ bags etc. if you get these wrong, you will end up buying again.
Also tights, which they even wear in summer, buy about 60 pairs.

Our school has two branded aprons for food and wood tech....they do need them.

Agree about having two children, endless arguments about who owns the good jumper, or the clean jumper. I've just marked one set with a bleach dot, as the buggers will even rip a label out in order to win. I wouldn't mind they have three each!

Per child: 1 blazer, 2 skirts, 1 tie, 1 jumper (waste of money, never worn no matter how cold it gets), 1 set of PE kit plus 1 spare PE T-shirt.

Blazer and skirts get washed every couple of weeks. I ignore the 'Dry Clean Only' label.

Also 4 shirts per child, but then FiL bought a pile of 8 shirts that he found (brand new, still in wrappers) in a charity shop. Which is actually quite handy, because I only have to do a white school shirts load every 2 weeks.

1 blazer, 5 shirts, 2 ties, 3 trousers, 2 PE kits for DS and the same for DD but no trousers and 2 skirts instead.

One blazer, 2 ties, 2 trousers and 6 shirts (that way if I don't get around to ironing at the weekend he still has a clean shirt on Monday without the mad rush!).
Daughter has 3 blouses as they had to be school ones at a ridiculous price, but luckily they dry in the airing cupboard without really needing ironing!

I’m suprised by these answers! Mine are primary age so not had to deal with secondary uniform yet but we’ve always bought 5 of everything. That way we do the washing and setting out of uniform on the weekend, couldn’t be washing uniform midweek!

We actually have 10 shirts because we send them to Granny to iron and swap them back on the weekend on rotation, two sets of five shirts. One week’s supply alwaysnready.

we’ve always bought 5 of everything at Primary they may well get muddy or covered in paint everyday at Secondary their trousers/skirts can usually get a few days wear out if them. I dont wash mid week it looks just goes in on a Friday.

@LimeSupper

I’m suprised by these answers! Mine are primary age so not had to deal with secondary uniform yet but we’ve always bought 5 of everything. That way we do the washing and setting out of uniform on the weekend, couldn’t be washing uniform midweek!

Secondary uniform is more expensive. DDs skirts will be £27 each, Blazer £26...

She only has two school skirts currently and its fine.

2 trousers, 1 jumper, 1 blazer, pack of 4 shirts, 1 tie. I replace the shirts and trousers when they need to. I probably could have done with getting 2 jumpers but it wasn't essential. I just wash it daily.