School uniform for reception

[tiger66]

My ds is starting school in sept. How much uniform do you suggest that I buy? I am happy to wash in the week as necessary but don't want to run short.

Advice would be much appreciated.
Thanks

I have a DD who will start reception at the same time as your DS and have gone for five polo shirts, three pinafores and three cardigans. I figure that will give me enough to not be panicking if something is in the wash and needs to dry.

depends on the child, i could have done with more cardigans especially during the winter. I've been working on her using a tissue to wipe her nose instead!
However 3 blouses would have been ok as these didn't get as messy.
I found the cardigans and pinafores often needed changing everyday but I have got a mucky pup.

My Ds started last year and he had 3 shirts, 2 jumpers and 3 pairs of trousers, I washed in the week occasionally but usually didn't need to.

Thanks for the advice, very helpful.

When my dc were in reception, I always worked on the principle of a full set of clean clothes each day (pants outwards!). I wash a lot so don't need many changes. Going forward, you might get away with changing some items less often, but not necessarily - school dinners, playground, getting home etc all take their toll!

I've bought DD 2 summer dresses, one pinafore (might get another as she loves the butterfly on the zipper) 2 skirts, 4 blouses and 3 cargidans (they were on special offer in M & S so bought 2 in current size and next size up)

DD starts in September - at school nursery she wore uniform top half only (T-shirt and Sweatshirt) and we got away with 2 of each... just!

For new school i've bought 1x summer dress (as I am expecting the Indian Summer!), 2 pinafores (yes, seduced too by the cute zippers mumofsussex!), 2-pack of skirts and bargain 2-pack of stretchy bootleg trousers from Sainsburys (for those snowy mornings!) - plus packs of 3 long-sleeve and 3 short-sleeve blouses.

The rest needs to be school logo'd and i'm still trying to decide if I get 1 cardigan and 2 sweatshirts or vice versa ....

Problem is she's been growing constantly the last few weeks so I might just buy one of each until I get a feel of which she prefers to wear with what!

Whatever you decide to buy, please practise taking it on and off independently! Pinafores and summer dresses in particular are tricky if they are narrow yet have to be pulled over the head. Shirt buttons are quite resistant to 4 year old fingers too.

minimum of everything is 3 (one to wear, one dirty, one in the wash) however, another consideration is how often you are prepared to put on a wash load.

I have more than this minimum just to know that, if I don't get a load on at the right time, its not the end of the world

The summer dress and pinafores I bought for DD have zips which she is fine with - but she is only just starting to 'get' buttons - but bigger ones than are on the blouses - but we don't have the option of polo shirts unfortunately (other than for PE) so I'm hoping that having bought slightly over-size for her to grow into, she'll be able to pull them over her head buttoned up and be able to do buttons by the time they fit :-))

that's the plan anyway ....

Lordy. Depends on the cost. DD's school skirt is £50, so she has one. Cardis £30, so one of those too. Shirts, fortunately, are from M&S, so she can have five of those. In an ideal world, and if we could get uniform from somewhere other than the school shop, I'd have five shirts, five cardis and two or three skirts.

For DS who starts reception this time we've got;

4 pairs trousers (came in packs of 2 and 2 not enough)
4 polos (")
5 vests
5 pairs socks
3 jumpers (1 logo'd, other 2 m&s plain)
May get shorts in summer, prob 2/3 pairs

For DD going into Y3 this time and not very messy;

6 polos (not sure how we ended up with so many, 3 will do)
3 skirts
3 cardies (1 logo'd, other 2 m&s plain)
5 vests
5 pairs socks
3 summer dresses (normally manage with 2 though)

at Ophi, its a good job that our uniform is as cheap as chips

DD2 started reception last year and I had to buy at least four of everthing. She came home filthy every day.

She is naturally a mucky child, but I'm sure she just tipped her lunch down her jumper every day rather than go to the bother of eating it.

DD1 however, could make her uniform last all week.

I'd start with three of everything and see how you get on. It can be mild up to Oct 1/2 term so sweatshirts/cardis may not get a great deal of wear.
If you can send him in shorts you might save some torn trouser knees as well! It's easy enough to get more stuff if you need it. Most school uniform dries pretty quickly so if you're doing a wash or two in the week then you should be able to turn it around overnight, especially if you are home at school pick up and can chuck a load in after school.

As others have said, you need to see how mucky he gets!

Just make sure it's all labelled! Oh and it's not a crime to send them in uniform with a wee bit of food on it....is it?!

For reception I would suggest lots and lots of cardies as they lose at least one a day. At first you will probably need clean everything everyday but towards the end of the year you will get away with skirts/trousers on for a couple of days.

Some advice: PLEASE LABEL/NAME clearly. I work in school and the lost property tub has approximately 37 identical unlabelled/named girls cardigans in it daily with on average 4 mums/dads/carers fighting over them the next morning

Not a crime to send them in with food on at all, did it many a time with DD2. And I also got very good at wiping things off and making it do another day!

Obviously now she is going into year one she will come out each afternoon as clean as she went in.

my DD was queen of the yoghurt trail down her front for quite a while

Just me mindful of yoghurt explosions if your child is going to be packed lunch (even school dinners offer them!). I know of some children in my classes, past and present, who had about 2 or 3 every week and parents (although I am sure you wouldn't) sent them to school the next day in their yoghurt stained clothes! Sometimes for the entire week!

If you run out of uniforms and need a day to wash them, for whatever reason, it's common courtesy to let the school know and send child in normal clothes (although we say try your best to match school colours so child doesn't stand out). But always know school uniform is NOT compulsory!

ew!! cheesy yoggy stains..that's grim!

my dd is starting reception in september and I have been told i have gone over the top on uniform!

we have
3 sweatshirts - 2 logoed and 1 plain
2 cardigans
2 skirts
2 pinafores
4 summer dresses
1 pair of trousers
6 polo shirts
ten pairs of socks with red trim
3 pairs of tights
1 pair school shoes

she is very messy indeed in terms of eating and painting and i know we will get through one set a day!

dd has 6 of everything (dress, cardigan, blouse). I only have to do one school wash a week and because the stuff isn't getting washed all the time it lasts longer.(I also have a spare set in case of stuff going missing) I am lucky that Dd's school doesn't demand anything expensive, i think i got the lot for about £50

I think as long as you've got enough for one uniform on and one in the wash that's all that matters really.