School uniform - how much of what?

[APieOfButter]

We just got the uniform list, and we have to order by tomorrow. (DD1 was on the waiting list, starts reception in September, state catholic primary. We have a one year old DD2 who who hopefully also be going to the school, and we don't know anyone who has a child already there) We are in North
East England, so not exactly warm.

ARGH! One sweatshirt is £10 - we don't have very much money, and don't want to spend all our savings on uniform if we don't need to spend that much.

OK, so the order form includes a sweatshirt, a "sweatcardigan" (whatever that is), a polo shirt, a fleece, a stormproof coat, t shirt, shorts and bag for PE, book bag, back pack, knitted hat, water bottle. I have seen little girls going in to the school in blue gingham dresses too.

Any ideas?

Dc2 started school last autumn with 3 gingham dresses (one in next size up for emergency, 2 to wear) ,2 sweatshirts, 5 pairs of white socks and black school shoes. The school does sell fleeces, storm coats,pinafores etc but none are compulsory ,it is worth ringing the school office to ask as there's no point in buying stuff like PE bags as it's easier for a dc to have one that is different from others so she can find it easily.

I just rang the school, and it's ok for her to wear the plain stuff in the right colour too. Which is a relief, as DH works at M+S so we can get staff discount on top of the sale, so we'll have a good variety.

Do you think one each of logoed sweatshirt and polo shirt, plus PE kit, will be enough? Will she need the book bag and water bottle?

Then I'll get her about 4 plain polo shirts, a plain sweatshirt, cardigan, gingham dress, pair of trousers and a skirt. Maybe a little grey pinafore? We don't have a dryer, so I suppose in the winter we will have quite a slow turnaround on laundry. Oh, will she need some little white socks? Maybe some thick tights, although they can wait till autumn.

Good god. I have no idea what I'm doing, do I?

Do reception children use rucksacks? She's having school dinners (unless they are hideous) so she doesn't need to take a lunch box.

apart from outdoor clothing and shoes i always worked on 3 of each
1 on, 1 off and 1 in wash

My sister is a teacher (at the other end of the country) and all she can tell me is to make sure it is all labelled properly.

What colour is the uniform? Most supermarkets/ Matalan etc do uniform far cheaper than the school kit which is more expensive as it has the logo embroidered on. Maybe you could mix and match: buy a logo sweatshirt/ cardi and a couple of cheapies and do the same for the t-shirts. Blue gingham dresses can also be found in the supermarkets but it does depend on the blue.

The sweatcardigan is just a cardi made from sweatshirt material. The name is rather off-putting though.

I'd ring the office as most schools offer things like fleeces, coats etc an optional extras rather than necessities. Schools near us are happy for the pupils to wear any old shirt and shorts for PE. I would say that a book bag has been most useful.

Took me so long to type that I missed all those posts!

I work on 3 sweatshirts
5 shirts
3 bottoms

DS is an absolute grub though: nearly everything he wears needs to be washed by the end of the day.

Don't buy too much to start off with. 3 of each tops and bottoms (non logoed fine) plus perhaps two 'warm' tops (sweatshirt or cardi) and PE kit. Then you can always buy fleece, trousers, coat, hat, bags if and when needed. I don't think my boys ever had the 'school' fleece, coat or bags when in the UK and it does make it far easier to identify their stuff if you're allowed to use ones from home.

Also bear in mind the school will probably have a secondhand uniform shop (with proceeds going to the PSA) and the prices for those are far more reasonable. In my experience even the new stuff gets mucky so quickly there's not that much difference after a few days.

:) Thanks. It's a Royal Blue sweatshirt, and a sky blue polo. Then black or grey skirt or trousers. I personally want her to wear trousers, but I suspect she will want to wear a skirt, as she's all about the dressing up at the moment.

If going with skirt/ trousers then the sweatshirt will be fine. If you go for pinafores (which are often easier with little girls) then the sweat cardigan will look nicer. DD also preferred the cardigans with the summer dresses as well.

Unlikely to need rucksack at that age. Bookbags are compulsory at our primary but the PTA do provide the first one free, we only pay for replacements.

I have managed with one logoed sweatshirt and one cardigan. Don't buy Summer dresses until Easter - unlikely to be warm enough in September especially if your dd is doing half days initially.

We've always gone with 3 sets of everything, but have got away with 2 summer dresses/2 cardies as DD isn't messy and the dresses dry in a flash and don't need ironing. DD has also only ever had 1 logo'd cardie, everything else is plain. For both DD and DS for september we've bought 3 sets each again and a fresh dress for DD in case it's nice when we go back. Never bought the school coat as it's easier, as PP mentioned, to identify if they've all got slightly different.

Re book bags vs backpacks - some schools short on hanging space and will ask for book bag, PE bag, lunchbox rather than a backpack so check with school.

Never bought logo'd polos as I personally think they are a waste of money and usually covered under jumper/cardie.

We have 2 summer dresses, 3 plain cardigans, 5 pais white socks, 2 plain white PE t-shirts, 2 prs PE shorts. All items are plain non-logo'd and bought from M&S in sale, Sainsburys TU and Matalan. Matalan cardigans were very good and cheap!

For winter 2 x pinafores, 1 x shirt, 4 plain polos, 5 pairs tights.

I bought most on 3 for 2 or 20% off at Sainsbos.

In future I'll prob only ever 1 or 2 logo's sweatshirts and get everything else from the supermarket to save money.