If you want to start your own business and get really filthy rich...

[frogs]

...all you need to do is set up as one of those school uniform specialist shops that has exclusive rights to supply uniforms to schools with schmancy uniforms.

You choose a really rent-cheap location in the arse-end of nowhere, a good hour's tube journey from central London. You don't need to spend money on fancy store-fronts or shop-fittings, just have the stuff stacked to the ceiling in cheap racks and rails. And you can charge what the hell you like, as the poor sap parents have no choice but to get the stuff from you. And judging by the state of the second-hand stuff I was rootling through at dd2's new secondary school, the clothes don't even wear well. I felt like one of those little old ladies who go round the market at closing time loading up their trollies with squishy tomatoes off the ground.

Okay, I know it's been done recently, and I know it's been in the news, but it makes me so angry. In principle of course we can afford it, but it seems like such a poor use of £500. And what about those who really can't squeeze the extra cash out of their budget? Grrrrr.

complain to the school

I am with you on this one frogs. So annoyed at being forced into buying school logoed stuff exclusively via the school. It is not a private school yet there is a total monopoly going on. They don?t even get stock in, just do a twice a year order with the manufacturere here so if your child has a growth spurt or loses several jumpers you are really struggling.
If I did it, I would pick a colour (red, blue, green, yellow) and leave it up to the parents to choose where to buy their uniform and give the parents and children a bit of freedom in design and price range.

OMG....£500
I moan when i have to pay more than a tenner fo rthe school sweatshirts.

£500...no way!!!

£500

Holy hell.

Well, I haven't spent £500, I've spent about half that, namely: 1 skirt, 1 shirt, one jumper, a blazer, a purse belt, a track suit (top and bottoms), a PE skirt, a polo shirt and a pair of cycling shorts for PE. But clearly she will need another couple of shirts, a spare skirt and an extra jumper, and the regulation winter coat, which is the best part of £100 on its own, and it's hideous, ie. no good for wear outside school. Luckily I did manage to get some reasonable shirts, a skirt and a jumper from my 2nd hand shopping trip today, but yes, if you bought the whole kit new you wouldn't see any change from £500.

I was idly wondering whether we could get away with a non-regulation coat, since presumably they only wear it to and from school, ie. not constantly under the teacher's nose. So if anyone has a spare knee-length or below black wool winter coat with unfashionably large lapels in an adult size 8 or thereabouts, do let me know...