"Recycling" school uniform

[BeingFluffy]

My daughter's school is moving into a new building in September and becoming an academy. In order to celebrate this great event the school has decided to design a new uniform which has to be bought from the school during August - cost about £250. I have just received a text asking that old uniforms be brought back for "recycling". I wondered if it was genuine recycling or a nice little earner for the company supplying the uniforms - if the latter I would rather chuck the old one in the bin. Does anyone know?

DD says that the school are not bringing anything - not even a pencil or a bench to the new building - everything will be new (the capital costs are apparently funded wholly by the sale of part of the school site). Seems bloody extravagant though in these days of austerity!

Do you think that this windfall has caused them to completely lose touch with reality? While their costs have been met by this bonanza, they forget that the parents' uniform costs have to be met though the parents' normal earnings - which will vary considerably from family to family. Seems especially hard on the parents of Y8s who all had to buy a new uniform last year.

I don't understand having to buy a rucksack & a school anorak at all.
I am off to buy DS's y8 uniform tomorrow. He needs everything (school change), right down to socks and pants*. I will check back in to give the hideous total. I will also make sure to buy nothing extra.

• okay, admittedly, school has no uniform demands re boxers, but DS is down to just TWO pairs at the moment.

Thank you for your comments. Yes CecilyP, I think you are right - the leadership have been blinded by a surplus of money to spend and think parents should spend it as well. I didn't complain about the uniform issues, as I know from experience that while other parents mouth off, they are too scared to approach the school to do anything about it. There is no PTA or parents group, just a so called Parent Leadership Team, appointed by the school leadership, who speak for us apparently!

Voles - I am surprised the school haven't decreed which underwear the children should wear, an oversight on their part no doubt! By making the children wear the same coats and have the same bags they seem to want to get rid of the last vestige of individuality.

We've got "an outdoor coat" down as Essential Wear. Like any teenager wears a coat to school!!

The new academies who give out free uniform for the changover will not be doing this every year for new pupils, so it still acts as a barrier to poorer families. Selection by stealth. or do I mean wealth?