Schoolwear Association's comments in favour of branded school uniform

[Gillemeow]

Does anyone agree with the comments from the Schoolwear Association in this article?

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2023/aug/19/back-to-school-do-uniforms-really-need-to-cost-a-fortune?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

Making families buy school branded items more than double the cost of more widely available generic items removes their ability to control the cost of the uniforms they buy.

Is the need to stop people buying "Ralph Lauren" school jumpers (who don't even seem to stock traditional school v-necked jumpers on their schoolwear section) a higher priority than allowing families struggling to pay the bills to buy cheaper unbranded jumpers?

It's rubbish, DDs primary school have a brilliant uniform policy. There are some branded items you can buy through the school, really reasonably priced, hoody is £11, cardigan is £8 but they're optional.

The whole policy is:

•	Royal blue sweatshirt / cardigan with or without the school logo
•	White polo shirts, t-shirts, shirts or blouses
•	Grey or black trousers or tracksuit bottoms
•	Other clothes without school logos, patterns or slogans in the school colours – grey, black, white or royal blue
•	Checked “school” summer dresses

Each child needs a PE kit - shorts, T-shirt and plimsolls. The children have swimming lessons in Key Stage 2 and will need a swimming costume and towel. We offer a wide range of sporting activities and the children will need plimsolls or trainers to change into.

Jewellery Items
• Stud earrings can be worn, no hoops or dangle earrings please
• Watches can be worn
• Religious bracelets / necklaces can be worn discretely
Please make sure that your children come to school in appropriate footwear and outdoor wear so that they are able to move safely around school and play out in comfort and warmth.

My DC's school have a fairly reasonable uniform policy too. Everything has to be the right colours but it doesn't have to have the school logo on at all.

The only thing they ask for is that they wear the PE hoodie (with logo) on their PE days. It cost about £23 but it's good quality, comfortable, fairly long lasting. DD likes hers more than a normal jumper or cardigan!

They're also not allowed anything with branding on, including trainers for PE, and that can be a bit of a pain sometimes because more trainers have logos on! But we always manage to find some.

It still cost us over £100 to get everything for two DC for a year (not including shoes or said PE hoodie) and I only went to Asda and Matalan.

It’s a ridiculous statement, they’re clutching at straws as they loose their monopoly.

Children who wish to find differences to comment on will do so based on shoes, bags, phones, what they wear at the weekend etc. Children who are taught / allowed to be unkind will be, children who are taught / encouraged to be kind and empathetic will be.

Cost of uniform should not be a barrier to education, and what is considered ‘affordable’ should not be dictated by the wealthy, or those that profit from sales.

My child's uniform is ridiculous. It is a prep school. We can cover the cost, we budget for it. Prices are going up so quickly though and the fees have gone crazy so it gets trickier. We pay extra into a bursary fund for families to send children who could not otherwise attend. I am very am happy to contribute to that, but am keenly aware that the blazer alone is £100. That is expensive for many of us who can pay the fees, positively prohibitive for the bursary families. There is a really good uniform sale which is helpful, but even PE polo shirts are white and bear the school crest 😔