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Original poster

really dim question...how much school uniform does reception child need?

28 replies

mazzystartled · 07/05/2009 11:59

ie how many tops/trousers etc?
ds is v scruffy and is a dirt magnet
also how pristine does uniform need to appear?

OP posts:
MillyR · 07/05/2009 12:02

I have five of everything. They don't get changed after school and they put a fresh set of uniform on each day.

PinkBubblesGoApe · 07/05/2009 12:08

I have 5 of everything except jumpers - those get worn 2 or 3 times depending on weather/days activities (i.e. level of dirt )

ICANDOTHAT · 07/05/2009 12:08

3 trousers or shorts, 5 polo shirts, 2 sweat shirts, 2 jumpers.

gegs73 · 07/05/2009 12:09

DS1 has 3 pairs of trouser, 3 school jumpers and 6 polo shirts (2 packs from M&S).

He has clean trousers and jumpers on most days though the polo shirts are generally 2/3 days if he has not taken his jumper off.

I do one uniform wash mid week which seems to work out fine.

Snorbs · 07/05/2009 12:11

I generally aim to keep three of everything, and do a weekend and mid-week wash. Trousers and polo shirts are clean on every day, jumpers usually last two days.

ProfYaffle · 07/05/2009 12:15

I have 5 (well 6, they came in packs of 3) polo shirts, 3 skirts or trousers, 2 jumpers. Clean top every day, bottom half lasts 2 days, jumpers 2 or 3. I check the skirts/trousers/jumpers in the evening and sponge small marks off.

sinpan · 07/05/2009 12:18

I think this is a very sensible question - i wish I'd asked someone when my children started school

Depends on 2 things

1 how dirty does your child get
2 how many times a week do you want to be washing uniform?

I only wash on weekends. My DSs had to have one clean shirt for every day as the collars got filthy, but seemed to manage to keep trousers and jumpers going for a couple of days. Not guaranteed though so I made sure to have at least 5 of everything.

School trousers (and gymslips i think?) are 'teflon-coated' so you can sponge off the off stain very easily.

How pristine is up to you - there's a lot of variation in uniform standard at my DC's school.

Original poster
mazzystartled · 07/05/2009 12:19

thanks all

ds looks like pigpen from the peanuts cartoons after about 5 minutes of being awake, so i am dreading trying to get him to school looking presentable

OP posts:
Snorbs · 07/05/2009 12:23

The other factor to consider is if some of it needs to have the school logo on. Our school insists on the jumper and polo shirts having the school badge which makes the shirts three times more expensive than M&S as you can only get them from one shop

ThePellyandMe · 07/05/2009 12:50

We have 5 sweaters, 5 pairs trousers and about 12 polo's for each child (Reception and Y)

They are boys, they are both filthy and have to have clean stuff everyday. They also have pale blue sweaters which was a stupid idea and are never ever clean.

The optimum number of sweaters seems to be 6 for me. This means I can iron at the beginning of the week then not bother when I'm working later in the week and I still have an extra one for the following Monday IYSWIM.

ThePellyandMe · 07/05/2009 12:51

Ooops. Y1, not Y.

Yurtgirl · 07/05/2009 12:57

Wow Thepellyandme - 5/6 sweaters and 12 poloshirts

I normally find that 3-5 polo shirts is enough depending on time of year
4 pairs trousers
2 sweatshirts (£11 each!)

stealthsquiggle · 07/05/2009 13:04

It depends on the uniform, and on how much washing/drying you are prepared to do.

DS's uniform comes almost all through the school and is expensive (independent school) so he has (largely secondhand) 3 pairs of shorts / 3 polo shirts (summer)/ 3 cotton polo necks (winter) - those he keeps on when he gets home and changes every day. In place of sweatshirts (which seem to get grubby very quickly) they have really nice jumpers, which appear relatively grub-resistant, and DS doesn't wear his much anyway, so we get away with one of those and one scruffy spare for emergencies.

As for how pristine - like you have tried is the main thing, IMHO (so old, mended, and possibly stained OK as long as it looks like it has been washed/ironed).

Original poster
mazzystartled · 07/05/2009 13:05

also ds loves wearing shorts, and would wear them even in the snow if we let him, should i sent him in shorts on day one or will it set him up as an object of ridicule from the outset?

OP posts:
FabulousBakerGirl · 07/05/2009 13:08

Mine started off with at least 5 of everything. They have a clean uniform every day but don't necessarily have 5 jumpers anymore (expensive and hard to get)

Last year it cost me about £200 for uniform and footwear for 2 and this year I have three to kit out.

FabulousBakerGirl · 07/05/2009 13:09

I sent mine in shorts once I saw that other children wore them but only in year R I think. I don't remember him wearing them in year one.

Snorbs · 07/05/2009 13:17

ThePellyAndMe, you iron the sweaters? Crikey...

Takver · 07/05/2009 13:26

DD only has one logo-ed school jumper (which I make sure is clean for school concerts, outings and the like), apart from that she just has plain sweatshirts in the school colour.

I think thats pretty standard for our school. Its not strict about uniform at all though and in Reception a lot of the children don't wear it at all or only bits of it (like a red jumper) IYSWIM. So your son wouldn't look at all out of place in shorts.

The only thing that we were ever told was not to send girls in tights on gym days - & at least you don't have to worry about that one!

ProfYaffle · 07/05/2009 13:26

Actually, I should have said 2 cardigans, not 2 jumpers, that makes a difference. dd1 takes her cardi off a lot of the time, takes it off for messy activities so her polo tops bear the brunt of the mess. Jumpers would get messier.

Takver · 07/05/2009 13:35

Also, we have the option of red or white polo shirts - I hadn't sussed this to start with and got white ones.

Now we have red ones and dd looks much cleaner for more of the time!

gegs73 · 07/05/2009 13:45

Quite alot of boys wear shorts at DS1s school through choice not sure about whether they are year 6 but they are definately much older than reception! Shorts with the pockets on the side seem to be the favourites at our school.

HappyMummyOfOne · 07/05/2009 20:19

We have 6 jumpers and trousers and about 10 polos so enough for clean every day if needed and a spare set. Bought extra polos as they dont stay lovely and white for the whole year

ProfYaffle · 07/05/2009 20:22

HappyMummy, dd1 insists on growing on a regular basis (damit!) we've had to buy new polo shirts every term so far so ours are snowy white!

ChippyMinton · 07/05/2009 22:35

each DC has
2 trousers/skirt
5 shirts
1 jumper
1 tie

plus i have a spare jumper and tie between 3 DC 'just in case'

Usually wash jumpers and trousers midweek & weekend, and a big white wash at the end of the week for the shirts.

PS If you have a tumble dryer, buy the non-iron uniform (M&S is my preference).

MollieO · 08/05/2009 14:38

Ds in reception has:

3 x sweatshirts
3 x winter shirts
3 x polo shirts (summer term)
3 x shorts
5 x socks (pack of 5 although think we are now down to 3 pairs despite socks being labelled)
2 x PE tops
2 x PE shorts
2 x PE socks
1 x school tracksuit

Ds has clean uniform every day but only need to do one wash during the week.

We bought mostly Trutex stuff and I've not been impressed on how the winter shirts have worn. They will fit ds next year but are so shabby that they have been binned and I'll be buying new for September which is annoying.