Should the government introduce a scheme to help families afford school uniform?

[Darcey123]

A government e-petition has been set up which, if successful would help ease the burden on parents of buying school uniform but what are your views? Read all about it here: epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/65790

Bun that's fine if your dc goes to a school where supermarket clothes are allowed, but I think a state comprehensive charging £32-42 for a pair of compulsory blouses is outrageous.

So that's what needs changing Helpys, not the state lining the pockets of the uniform suppliers.

I agree Helpys. I think AMumInScotland has the right idea about schools not being allowed to specify expensive uniform.

I don't think school uniform saves me any money at all. It's just that i have to buy pairs of school trousers, polo shirts and jumpers rather than jeans, tshirts and jumpers that don't have the school logo on. Indeed, tshirts and jumpers without the school logo are cheaper, and I pay about the same for jeans/normal trousers as I do for school trousers.

And without school uniform, I wouldn't need to buy school shoes (which only get worn to school). My children would only require one pair of shoes every time their feet grow. And they'd only need one coat too (instead of the school coat and a normal one).

Or the specially branded PE kit, which at DS1's school features both a rugby shirt and a polo shirt (in a different colour to the normal school polo shirt, of course) and two pairs specialised socks (which I've refused to buy and had to fight with the school over).

My school has a uniform but they are very relaxed about it. I don't even bother buying the regulation shoes any longer because trainers are fine.

I do wish for a polo shirt in any colour but white. Stain removal is a nightmare in the summer when the navy sweatshirt isn't worn.

Generally I'm fine with uniform but would be less so if I had to buy expensive items. Thankfully none of the schools into city have gone down the blazer route.

I agree with Frontier. Make all state schools have affordable and flexibly sourced uniforms.

DD1 needs hardly any 'home' clothes during the term. School 'uniform' is much cheaper! I love it.

Ds1's school has no trade in second hand uniform. They've cunningly developed a 4 year cycle for uniform (with different coloured badges on everything) that means you can't even pass uniform down to siblings (unless you happen to have them the right number of years apart). Instead you get to buy a set of polo shirts, sweatshirts, a school coat, two lots of PE tops and a bloody apron with the correct badge on it every year (at least, because your son will grow so much between 13 and 17). The system means that you'd need to hang on to uniform for 4 years before an incoming class of Y9s could make use of it. If your children are anything other than 4 school years apart in age, you'll need to do the same for each of them.

Jeez calamitously, that's ridiculous. Is it that a state school?

Calamitously, my Dc have one pair of school shoes and a pair of trainers, same as I did at school. What else do they need? Same with coats, They have one coat which they wear in and out of school.

FWIW, schools aren't allowed to make a profit on uniform. The uniform supplier does, obviously, but there is no benefit to the school in having a expensive uniform other than the beneficial effects some educationalists believe it has on discipline and behaviour and keeping the riff raff- out--

I'd be happy for them to have a single pair of trainers for all occasions. Ds2 only ever had one pair of shoes until he started school and then we had to buy school shoes too (which are always quite ugly and far less durable than any of the non-school shoes he had as a toddler/preschooler).

The schools insist on a special, badged school coat.

Yes, the 4 year cycle nightmare uniform is a for a state comp.

School polo shirts are £10 each (give or take). The sweatshirts are £12-15 each. The PE polo shirt is £10, and you also need a £14 rugby shirt. Coats are £35 (dS2's primary coat is £18 or something). The apron is £6.

It would be much cheaper to just buy some tshirts and jumpers in the supermarket/H&M/primark than to buy school uniform, and they could be worn at other times too.

Wow, that's madness.

I don't mind buying the badged jumpers (primary school) as they're really good quality, but I expect to get 2 years out of it, then pass it down to dc2 and get at least another year after that.

I just bought 5 polo shirts for ds at £12 each, but he had the last lot for nearly 3 years and I swapped them with another mum for 2 summer dresses for dd.

It would gut me to have to buy new stuff when last years still fitted.

I'm always surprised that more state schools don't have 2nd hand uniform shops. Nearly all the private schools seem to and it makes the uniforms so much cheaper.

I've never experienced an item of school clothing that lasted 2 school years. In fact, by this time of year, it's all looking decidedly snug and there is more wrist and ankle on display than there should be.

I agree state schools shouldn't be allowed to
Choose exclusive and expensive uniform. All of the schools around here allow supermarket type uniforms, they sell logo'd sweatshirts/cardigans and pe kits but polo shirts skirts summer dresses as long as school colours are fine they can wear plain shop brought sweatshirts or cardigans as well again as long as in school colours.

The secondary schools are a bit different in that they must wear the logo'd jumpers but you can buy any plain grey/black trousers and white shirts.

If you are choosing a fee paying school then in doing so you are accepting their uniform and costs and have no grounds for complaint.

I was also going to say that imho, when you go private, you buy the whole deal, uniform and 'look' included. You're not in a position to complain.

When it comes to state schools, however, I do think there should be limits imposed and the ability to sew on a badge.

My DSs go to the best academically performing comp in the county. The most expensive items on the uniform list is the badged sweatshirt (£14) and football shirt (£16). Hardly ridiculous.

Beyond the excessive demands of some schools, I must say I look upon my DC's school uniform requirements as just another expense you sign up for when you choose to have DC.

Tanith - a 2 year old state school sweatshirt that cost 14 quid new isn't worth passing on! Whereas a twee little purple, black and white badged school blazer, £95 for a 7 year old- well, that school even has tailors on its books to send said blazers to for repair!

That's why.

I think £16 for a football shirt that they'll only wear for an hour or two a week during term time is excessive and unnecessary.

£100!

DD1's polo which she wears for PE is £9. After almost 2 years it is still immaculate. Not all schools take the piss - DD1's school mandates the school PE shirt, the blazer and the clip-on tie. Total cost for these 3 items is about £45. The rest I can buy anywhere.

DD2's school prefers it if pupils wear the logo'd cardigan or sweatshirt, but any sweater or cardi in royal blue is fine. The school's stuff is reasonably priced and excellent quality, can easily do 2 children and then be passed down.

All of the above goes to show that some schools take the mick and that they need to be stopped from doing it.

See, I don't, calamitous. Admittedly, my DSs had/will have 2 for their entire 5 years, so I passed one down to the other but this is an item you can buy secondhand because they don't wear out. There is as second hand uniform shop at the school but few people use it. I don't think £32 for 5 years wear is really that big a deal in the grand scheme of things, do you?

I do think it is excessive when they can play football equally effectively in a tshirt that they can also wear for something other than PE.

I think we should just all be able To buy generic uniform from super markets and do away with all these expensive blazers and logo'd pe kits and shirts where they are hidden with jumpers anyway.

Certainly no need for these £14 cardigans when you can but a navy blue plain one in asda.

Schools have taken it to far there's no denying that, however it's not the States job to provide that as well.