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Original poster

How much school uniform?

46 replies

Orangesandlemons24 · 04/08/2023 09:53

DS is starting reception next month and am just buying his uniform. He is my first to go school so could some experienced mums please give me some advice on how much of everything to buy?
Uniform is white polo, jumper with logo, grey trousers or shorts, grey socks and black shoes. Thanks

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Tisfortired · 04/08/2023 09:57

I usually buy 2 packs of 2 polos/shirts, 2 packs of 2 pants so I have 4 of each. His logo school jumper I usually only buy 2 but think I’ll buy 3 this year as I always end up needing to stick them in the wash in the week when they get covered in lunch/glue/pen/mud etc!

I don’t know if it’s just my DS but I usually end up having to buy all new again in spring half term because it’ll be grey/stained and holey! These kids aren’t cheap 🤣

BoohooWoohoo · 04/08/2023 10:03

Polos usually come in packs of 2 or 3 and I'd buy 2 packs
I bought a couple of multipacks of trousers too. It's good to have spares because trousers get stained, wet, muddy etc Shorts are for the summer term so I'd buy at Easter.
Jumpers- I bought at least 2 but 3 is better
Socks - they often come in multiple packs so 2 packs of 3 sort of quantity
Shoes- 1 pair

Original poster

Orangesandlemons24 · 04/08/2023 10:07

Thanks yes I'm thinking more is better as he usually needs a completely new outfit each day at nursery due to food, paint, pen, mud etc and getting it all washed and dried int he winter can take time!

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WeightoftheWorld · 04/08/2023 10:11

So far we've bought one PE kit (they only do PE one day a week) and two logo cardigans. The latter might be wishful thinking, my DD also needs a new outfit each day except for cardies/jumpers, they can often be worn again both nursery days and non-nursery days. So I'm hooooping we can get away with just two but if we start to struggle I guess I will pop out and buy another. I'm planning to buy 4 polo shirts and 4 pairs of trousers and at least 5 pairs of socks tho. And black trainers for shoes so she can wear them on PE day too.

SiouxsieSiouxStiletto · 04/08/2023 10:13

DS always got away with two pairs of trousers and two jumpers but he was a particularly clean child. His BF was rather grubby and his DM ended up having 5 of everything so he had a clean set each day that stayed that way for about 10 minutes

TheIsleOfTheLost · 04/08/2023 10:23

I do not have clean children! I buy 2 x packs of 5 polo shirts, at least 6 pairs of trousers and 5 jumpers. Then I don't need to worry about washing things on half loads constantly to be ready for the next day. It seems a false economy really. The shirts are destroyed quickly when it warms up, with no jumper to protect the. From spilled lunch and yellow sun cream collars. The jumpers I have got as many as possible in the second hand sales - look for the next size up straight away. They have survived fine to be worn by both my kids and handed back to the pta to resell. Trousers I haven't managed to hand down many as the kids are different shapes and heights.

yikesanotherbooboo · 04/08/2023 12:34

One of my DCwas very clean and could easily manage with one pair of shorts, one jumper and 2 shirts to last the week. My other two were messier and had two bottoms ( pinafore or shorts) , 2 jumpers or cardigans and likewise two shirts. I didn't wash midweek but the messy DC ate breakfast and brushed their teeth before putting clothes on and changed after school.

Original poster

Orangesandlemons24 · 04/08/2023 16:59

Thanks all! I've just discovered the PTA sell second hand uniform so popped over this afternoon and picked up some bargains! Everything £1 or £2 and in great condition

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Brendabigbaps · 04/08/2023 17:02

I buy one of everything for each day, my child is adhd and thinks nothing of drawing on shirts and manages to get very grubby. Saves me having to do a mid week wash specifically of uniform which I know lots of parents do!

SpaceJamtart · 04/08/2023 17:34

Sometimes it really depends on what type of child you have. I have twins who've just finished reception and they are so different.
One is a tidy eater and painter and is rarely muddy and could rewear her uniform multiple times . Her sister however goes through an entire new outfit everyday, as she is regularly covered in paint, board pen, lunch, mud, glue, glitter and has also managed to make holes in the knees of several pairs of tights and the elbows of two cardigans.
I would just buy some and be prepared to get more if he is a messy player

golddustwomen · 04/08/2023 17:51

Ds - 5 polos, 2 trousers, 2 shorts and 3 jumpers.
Dd - 5 polos, 2 skirts, 2 dresses and 3 cardigans.

QuinnofHearts · 04/08/2023 18:07

I'm lazy (a full time working mum) and I buy 5 of everything. 5 tops, jumpers, shorts, trousers etc.

I've spent £350 on school uniform this year, but £70 was a coat, and £30 were shoes.

redskytwonight · 04/08/2023 18:11

It depends a lot on how much you want to wash, how messy your child is, and how much you can afford. Plus also what the demographic of your school is like. No one at my DC's infants school had more than 2 jumpers, and most only had one (they got sponge cleaned at night) but folks on MN will tell you you need at least 5 complete changes if not 6.

We found 5 polo shirts, 2 pairs of trousers and 2 jumpers to be plenty and only washed at weekends.

modgepodge · 04/08/2023 18:15

At pre school my 3-4 year old had 2 pinafores/summer dresses, 3 polos, 3 jumpers to cover 3 days (day 4 was PE kit and we didn’t do the fifth day). It wasn’t quite enough pinafores/dresses some weeks 😂😂 hoping now she is reception 3 pinafores/dresses, 3 jumpers and 5 polos will cover the 4 days (day 5 PE kit).

for girls I think pinafores are better than skirts/trousers as they cover the polos better even with no jumper on. All 3 polos from last year are still fine, whereas her PE T-shirt is ruined (tomato pasta sauce every week on nursery PE day, I ask you…!)

FatAgainItsLettuceTime · 04/08/2023 18:19

One thing to be aware of if your primary do the same as ours, is that they start learning letter formation on little whiteboards, so they end up with whiteboard marker all over the white T-shirts, and no matter what the pen packaging says it's not washable!

EsmeeMerlin · 04/08/2023 18:26

It completely depends on how often you do washing and if you can get it dry quickly in the winter. We don't have a dryer and both work full time so for our youngest son we have 3 polo shirts, 2 pe shirts and 3 jumpers and a fleece. He has lots of trousers because he wears black jogging bottoms which he wears in and out of school. We never have to worry about washing in the week which is how we like it. With our older son, he has less uniform because he very rarely comes home messy.

PuttingDownRoots · 04/08/2023 18:33

Remember you can buy more if you need it! Even as an experienced school mother, zi got completely caught out the year DD had two PE days plus a Forest school day a wwek, so needing 3 days of PE kit and only 2 of uniform...

AegonT · 05/08/2023 14:57

I got 5 of everything so we could put the food and paint covered items in the wash each day! Jumper and polo are logoed but reasonably priced from school and grey skirts/trousers/shorts were from supermarkets (I really like Sainsburys trousers and shorts).

Anotherdayanotherdollar · 05/08/2023 15:08

I bought 5 of everything when my eldest started. Then I found out that PE kit was to be worn for the whole day twice per week. So 3 of everything was actually plenty.

Muchtoomuchtodo · 05/08/2023 15:10

We always had 5 polos, 2 shorts, 2 trousers and 3 jumpers, 1 PE kit for primary

Cheeseplantt · 05/08/2023 15:11

I always get 5 lots of everything - 5 polo's, 5 jumpers & 5 trousers (shorts for summer).

I can't be doing with washing mid week around a full time job & all 3 of my DC are outside jumping in muddy puddles, painting themselves through their apron, dropping food all over themselves kind of kids!!

Also, get more socks than you think he'll ever wear. You'll be surprised how often they go missing & you'll be pleased you get 20 pairs quite soon.

Good luck, you'll both be fine

DinnaeFashYersel · 05/08/2023 15:13

One child needed 5 of everything - mucky puppy and constantly lost things

The other was fine with 2 of everything

AuntMarch · 05/08/2023 16:07

Mine will wear PE kit once a week - they've kept that in place since covid.

I've bought:

Polo's x 5
PE tshirt x1
(The extra polo will go in spares bag, but it was a 5 pack anyway)

Trousers x 4
Shorts x 2 (he will wear shorts til it snows if he has his way)

Jumpers x 5 (but only 2 new, 3 second hand from PTA)

prescribingmum · 05/08/2023 16:16

Having something clean for each day works pretty well.

Children wear PE uniform twice each week. DC1 is clean so we had 1 PE kit, 2 shirts and 2 cardigans and got by comfortably. DC2 less clean so had an extra PE kit and an extra shirt and jumper (fortunately hand me downs so didn’t need to buy).

Some parents really overbought and had so much unworn uniform at the end of reception, I def wouldn’t get more than one clean outfit for each day. It’s very easy to get more later if you need

TheBestUsernamesAreGone · 05/08/2023 16:45

I've worked in reception for a few years. Some hints if you want:
Please get a size bigger, not just because they grow but also it's much easier for them to take things off if they can get their arms inside. (Changing for PE, taking off jumpers when they're warm etc)

Please encourage them to dress themselves including socks and shoes. They will need to do this at school.

Name everything! Even ballpoint pen on the care label will do. It will eventually wash off and need reapplying but it's better than nothing.

Show them where their name is inside their clothes so they can find their own from a pile of discarded cardigans or jumpers.

Whiteboard pen might come off if you apply straight fairy liquid and scratch it with your fingernails then wash.

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