To think that people really cant afford school uniforms?

[HaggisNeepsnTatties]

I realise that affording a lot of things for many people is not easy. But one girl in dds class is always getting into trouble for not wearing uniform. Just thinking about this as dd1 is about to go back to school. I have kitted her out for next to nothing (Asda are selling skirts for £3) The girl in dd1's class is always wearing designer trainers etc.....is it genuinely a case of not being able to afford the uniform...what do you think...AIBU??

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Our school doesn't insist on logo stuff, even the secondary school.

So it is pretty cheap.

And at secondary level when they're nagging for designer clothes it's probably cheaper.

Isn't that why a lot of schools went to compulsory uniform?

At least that girl had a thoroughly decent human being for a teacher.

Unlike the ones we've heard of who tell off the poor kid.

'Unlike the ones we've heard of who tell off the poor kid.'

Or the 'teacher' at the school where DD1 was supposed to go.

But I'd happily walk 10 miles through the worst of Highland winter and push and carry all three of them than subject my daughter to someone like that.

I'm desperate to get some school uniform stuff but am needing to get baby sized clothes customised with school logo (which am also having to get made specially)

just cos I so desperately want my dc to fit in and be like her classmates

tis going to be v expensive (but offset that against the fact dc has not really grown out of anything in years)

Ionlyread... That story is so sad. Reminds me my kids have a lot to be thankful for. They might walk to school but they are always clean and wrapped up, and the main reason they walk is so they can stay in the school where they are happy and settled.

Miss Sunny I wasnt extraordinary , lots of us did it, although it was a hard, dismal kind of school it was such an inspiring place to teach as there were acts of kindness in every corner.

Yes expat it is one of the reasons why schools have uniforms, when we had non uniform day our attendance would plummet (sp?) as the kids would just not want to be seen in their own clothes.

I have been out today to get prices of ds1s secondary uniform..

black polo shirts with logo - £9.99 each
Jade Green (???) sweatshirt with logo £25.99
Richmond or Chelsea black trousers @ £17.99 and £22.99 per pair

P.E shorts with logo £12.99
P,E Shirt with Logo £16.99
Track Bottoms with logo £14.99

School reversible fleece £29.99

Have to find plain black shoes no coloured stitching or soles...totally black.

ok so not so bad...but the trousers are plain black trousers nothing special!!! why am i going to spend that amount on them when asda is cheaper???

Still need to get bag, stationary (what do yr7 need?) and others bits n pieces!!!

I really resent having to fork out for a nasty nylon uniform I despise. I certainly can't afford to buy all four of my primary school aged children the nicer, less rash-inducing cotton shirts and trousers they deserve.

I can understand why secondary school children should have uniform so that they don't wear clothes which might distract each other from work, but there's no excuse whatsoever for forcing little ones into uniforms unless you're preparing them to join the workforce of MacDonalds or go into the army.

I'd love to see teachers and those parents who seem to adore uniform being forced to wear the same clothes in cheap nasty teflon coated fabrics.

Yuck!

TLE - we have a whole stationery list at DS's new school, it includes items such as

-fountain pen
-rollerball pens
-various coloured biros
-highlighters
-coloured pencils
-HB pencils
-geometry set
-30cm ruler
-scientific calculator
-dictionary
-thesaurus

and so on.

According to the school, teachers do a spot check every so often & if you have any missing items, you are sent immediately to buy them from the school shop!

I suspect DS won't use half this stuff either!

I found it more expensive to get the bloody P.E. kit than the uniform itself.
I agree that uniforms can be bought really cheap now but not when it comes to having a child that isn't average in size. Then it can be a bloody nightmare, but no matter what, you have to get them what they need. If that means you doing without something then that is what you do.

Also, if you are on benefits then you get an allowance for each child to help you buy uniforms. So really there is no reason not to have you kids in the appropriate uniform.
I for one totally agree with uniforms.
Imagine miss designer label and her designer label friends around some poor kids who dont have anything of the sort. Well to much for kids to handle so best for it not to happen at all in my opinion.

Yayyyy for uniforms!

Isn't the issue more about replenishing the uniform? Most of the kids at the school I taught at were in uniform the first week, but come the eighth things were not so good. Thier parents simply didn't have the money to replace stuff that they had to wash every day and that literally fell apart - yes it was cheap to start with but it couldn't withstand teenage boys.
Some did get by with just one polo shirt, one pair of trousers etc, but the kids were filthy. As a school we took the decision to stock up on cheap uniform items from Asda and discretely allow some students to change into clean clothes at school.

Blimey Expat!

Have you thought about home edding? Seems to me to be an easier option than doing all that.

this year I have had to pay for DS1s secondary school uniform, these means that my DDs have to make do with last years uniform. Luckily the jumpers I brought in jan are still in very good condition.

£28 for a blazer, £32 for rugby shirt, £12 for Pe shirts, £40 for sport shoes, new school shoes, £6 for blumming PE socks FFS.. it all is too much... But I did buy his jumpers from the lost property sale (yah) for £2 each. and shirts and trousers from Asda as I am refusing to pay the school uniform shop's prices

the council here got rid of uniform grants last year, so we have to find all the money.

But sparkly unless it doesn't fit why would you expect to buy new uniform for your dds?

(You have just made me realise that since I'm intending to split my yr 2 dcs uniform-which has lasted 2 years allready between my 2 I'm going to have to buy some more bottoms!! before the first day)

Sparkly ours is not worth having at £25

juicyjolly

we dont get any help with uniform costs here in Essex

ayes i agree vat on clothes sucks when your kids an under 16 they are still children are wearing men sizes

but then have oppsite problem for ds 3who is going to school he only wears 18months -2years trousers

i like idear of uniforms but why oh why make them specilaist items only

There's no way on God's green earth I'd ever home educate, Quattro!

For one, DD1 has learning difficulties and gets trained support and help at school

And Dd2 thrives on the socialisation at nursery.

Just about to dash off and get everyone ready - on my second large cup of coffee here.

It's wet and wild, but it's actually fairly warm.

'I'd love to see teachers and those parents who seem to adore uniform being forced to wear the same clothes in cheap nasty teflon coated fabrics.'

DH wears one every day for work. I worr one, too, for a 10-hour week job in a bookies I had over summer.

Big deal.

I'd go naked in Highland winter for money if the offer were high enough.

In fact, there isn't a whole hell of a lot many people wouldn't do to earn a crust or get their hands on money for food, when push comes to shove, including wearing a uniform in 'nasty' fabrics.

'Fraid I just can't see the big deal.

Among things to argue about and get riled up about, that just isn't very high on the radar right about now.

'I'd love to see teachers and those parents who seem to adore uniform being forced to wear the same clothes in cheap nasty teflon coated fabrics.'

Teachers do more or less in the primary school, you need something that can get covered in glue, paint and worse, that doesn't matter if it gets snagged on chairs, rubbed by grubby hands, that you can sit on the floor in and go outside in all weathers. That is all a uniform needs to be-cheap and hardwearing and washable. There is nothing worse than a DC worrying about clothes and scared to get up to their arms in papier mache because 'mummy will get cross'.
Something that you can fling on in the morning without a thought and know that no one can look at it and sneer at your choice makes life simple for all. I was very, very thankful for school uniform as a child, my mother and I would have had very different ideas and she would have won! Life would have been a perpetual embarrassment.
I am quite happy with cheap, teflon coated as long as it wears and washes well. School isn't a fashion parade.

uniform is very cheap in tesco/asda as quoted by others

or if someone really can't afford new unifrom then there is freecycle, NCT sales and most schools have 2nd hand unform. The school I work in has 2nd hand uniform and for parents genuinely in need we will give away 2nd hand unifrom free to them, as we would also pay for the children to come on trips, see theatre performances etc.

I think anyone who honestly claims they cant buy school uniform but then sends their child to school in designer trainers are being unreasonable, whoever bought them the trainers could have bought them a uniform instead! Needs must if you cant afford it yourself.

Uniforms are only expensive because we tend to wait until July/August to buy it all together. Most items are quite cheap. Starting secondary school is also very expensive. But the first year is the worst.

Apart from shoes, (buying 3 pairs of shoes together is always expensive), DCs school jumper with badge costs around £16-18. I dont thik thats bad value for money for something that is worn for 5 days per week. It just adds up because I have to buy 3 (1 each), their jumpers from last year I use for spares.

DD has a wool blazer which cost £65 but that just needs to go the dry clearers she will get 2-3 years out of it.

I do find it hard getting it all in for the new term but I wouldnt swap it. Its good value for money.

Not everybody will agree, but I do think children enjoy the feeling of belonging and the sence of community that uniform brings. Children do not need to worry about dressing differently from their friends. This is even more important for people who are on low incomes or benefits, and also children from other cultures.

DD has a wool blazer which cost £65 but that just needs to go the dry clearers she will get 2-3 years out of it.

Do you really think an 11 yr old girl isn't going to grow/develop out of a blazer for 3 years ?