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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think that people really cant afford school uniforms?

128 replies

HaggisNeepsnTatties · 18/08/2009 20:33

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??

OP posts:

katiestar · 19/08/2009 12:24

Haggis - the school blazers for some reasons come with plain buttons which have to be removed and replaced with the special buttons with the school crest on.Mad !!

abra1d · 19/08/2009 12:28

I don't understand this either. A lot of primary schools keep supplies of good condition secondhand uniform to give away or sell for, literally, pennies, to those who need it.

Why don't more of them make it clearer to parents? I'm about to give our primary a bag full of good-quality sweatshirts, trousers and skirts and fleeces for just this kind of case. They'll probably give them away free, at their discretion. Or ask for, say, 30p for a polo shirt.

misdee · 19/08/2009 12:49

if anyone needs red/white check summer dresses in age 6-8, then i have loads here FFP. they are in good condition. i have kept some for dd3, when she ets bigger, but still have loads left.

teamcullen · 19/08/2009 13:31

Katiestar- I bought DDs blazer last year and it still fits with a some growing room, so yes she will get 2 years out of it and maybe longer. She had school blouses and skirts that still fitted her in july that she had had for 2 years and they will be used for spares this year.

I had bought school clothes slightly bigger so she would get longer out of them, but not so they were hanging off her and looked stupid. She has just started to have her big growing spurt so maybe she will grow out of them quicker this time round.

Some girls in her class have had a big growing spurt over the past 2 years but have still managed to get 2 years out of their blazer

GrapefruitMoon · 19/08/2009 13:35

I'm hoping to get 3 years out of dd's blazer! (Think they only have to wear it for Y7-9)

I also bought things a bit big but not too big. She has shot up recently but I doubt if she will mind if her skirt is a bit shorter - will save her the bother of rolling it up at the waist!

thedollshouse · 19/08/2009 13:38

If you can't afford school uniform then I imagine you can't afford to buy clothes as uniform is far cheaper then other childrens clothes. I can understand not buying the school sweater. Lots of children at ds's school just wear the plain ones from Tesco/Asda which I think is acceptable.

I think it is about priorities.

GrapefruitMoon · 19/08/2009 13:40

Lots of people seem to be saying that they buy new ones each year as a matter of course? - I only buy new when they are too small/worn out/don't have any hand-me-downs in right size.

JemL · 19/08/2009 13:45

Every August, when school clothes are everywhere, my mum and I have the same conversation about how much cheaper school uniform is now than it was in the 80's, when there were no cheap supermarket ranges to help. I don't think there are many people nowadays who can't afford uniform at all, even on a low income - my best friend is on income support, and she saves up a few quid here and there on an Asda christmas card - except she uses it in August to get all her DC's new uniform!!

Tamarto · 19/08/2009 13:46

misdee can you email me @ [email protected] please.

TheDMshouldbeRivened · 19/08/2009 13:53

'School uniform is not more expensive that ordinary clothes, even with school logos.'

£12 for a cardi if its logo'ed instead of £3.
Mind you, its PE kits that are the killer. With the rugby boots and reversible rugby shirts and logo'ed tracksuit bottoms etc etc £150 each.
I don't bother with dd's PE kit, she can do her version of PE in her clothes.

glastocat · 19/08/2009 13:54

Well we have a branded school uniform to buy, a long stationery list AND we have to buy school books! This year my kid is going into 3rd class (same as Primary 5) and his book list came to 165 euro! And its not possible to buy second hand, as most of the books are the kind you write the answers in (a bloody joke if you ask me!), and there are new editions every year. I did read in the paper at the weekend that questions are being asked in the Dáil (parliament) about it, but I expect they have other stuff to be bothering with! So, it could be worse, you could live in Ireland!

teamcullen · 19/08/2009 13:56

I agree about uniform being cheaper now than in the 80s. My mum had a John Lewis card store card so she could get all our uniform in. She was probably paying it back all year.

In fact, uniform has gone cheaper in the past 10 years. Whenn DD first started school it would cost about £12 for one skirt in M&S. Now you can get 2 for that price in that same shop.

teamcullen · 19/08/2009 14:01

glastocat- are you in Ireland. SIL is in Ireland and has to buy school books every year. Its a big headache. Do they get help if they are on benefits. It must be terrible if DC cant go to school if they cant afford books

louii · 19/08/2009 14:02

Ex-pat, i think i have asked you before but where about in Scotland are you?

expatinscotland · 19/08/2009 14:08

i'm in the West, louii.

expatinscotland · 19/08/2009 14:09

and today spent a record 6 hours on the hoof!

mrsmortenharket · 19/08/2009 14:14

no grant here either where's the cheap tesco uniform???? not here it isn't.

MillyR · 19/08/2009 14:34

My DS starts state secondary in September. The cost of the uniform and sports kit is £232.85. This does NOT include school shoes, white non-marking trainers, football boots, bag, coat, scientific calculator, atlas and art folder. All of these items are compulsory. The total cost is likely to be around £350.

I am sure some people can't afford it. Even if you were to save all year, you would still have to save £30 a month, which is a lot for someone on benefits or a low wage.

mrsmortenharket · 19/08/2009 14:40

ftr, i went into the local tesco's yesterday specifically to try and find the uniform bundle'. nope, nada, zilch. they only had the clothes that cost 5er plus. top, skirt, socks, shoes (if they had them) would have cost more. now have to try asda, or wait til she actually starts and ask the school for help . they are quite good and have given dd sweater and polo shirt type tops, but what about pe kit, and drinks bottle, etc?????? it all adds up.

i am lp, yes on benefits, no grant - the reason given is that uniform is so cheap now. have the council tried to buy any???? no.

mrsmortenharket · 19/08/2009 14:42

millyr is right. i don't have 30 quid a month to spare. i hate going 'cap in hand' to the school. and all the time her dad is on ft wages (quite good too, thank you very much) and will not help with cost of uniform.

fwiw, i don't drink, smoke or do drugs and as for nights out - what are they?

mrsmortenharket · 19/08/2009 14:44

and the link for f+f at tesco's (quite early on the thread), is only for browsing online and if you go to the teso site, they've mysteriously disappeared.

glastocat · 19/08/2009 15:53

Yes teamcullen I'm in Ireland. I think there are some benefits available, I am lucky enough that me and my husband are working FT and only have one child, so we can afford it, but I have absolutely no idea how many people manage, especially as many families here are large ones! My neighbour has four kids, she told me her book bill this year was ?800! And that's before we even start on stationery and uniform!

hatesponge · 19/08/2009 19:20

School uniform is not cheaper than 'normal' clothes UNLESS you are able to buy the uniform from Tesco, Asda et al.

Logo-d clothing is plainly not cheaper. And most secondary schools (& some primary) require this, not just the plain uniform coloured clothes you can buy cheaply in the supermarkets.

It is also unnecessary. I understand the reasons for uniform. No problem with that as a principle but there is no reason I can see for having to have logo'd jumpers/blazers/PE kit etc.

I'm lucky. I have a good income, I can afford to spend the £200-300 or whatever its likely to cost to kit DS1 out. However if I could buy everything from Asda (or even M&S), it would cost half the amount, if that. And to be honest I would rather spend the money on something else for my DC other than overpriced uniform.

As for uniform lasting DS more than a year, unlikely in my opinion. He will undoubtedly have outgrown it by then. His primary unifrom has never lasted more than a year, sometimes not even that long! And I also suspect I will be having to replace items that are lost or damaged throughout the year. I have been used to doing this with £5 jumpers whilst he was at primary school, but will not be happy doing so with the £25 each jumpers he wil now be wearing.....

piscesmoon · 19/08/2009 20:12

You can get a lot second hand.

Original poster

HaggisNeepsnTatties · 19/08/2009 20:21

Actually, I have a some items that are in very good condition and some never worn if anyone wants it....not logo'd mind and bought in supermarkets/department stores....

OP posts:

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