Would you rent your child's uniform?

[sashh]

My local council has a scheme where you can submit ideas that would help the local community.

I have suggested a uniform rental service for primary children.

My idea is you would get a bundle of clothes which you would pay for (either at the shool or at a central point), if your child outgrows anything then it can be swapped for a bigger size. You could pay the rental in one lump or over the term / year. Uniform that is returned at the end of the year / term would give you part of your rental back.

Is this a good idea or would you not be happy about your child being in second hand uniform?

God no, way too stressful. Uniform thrift shop sure, but renting stuff your DCs are likely to loose, chew, tear and spill paint and food on is just too worrying.

No, can't see how it would work because they would want it back in a condition it would be useable again and that would be impossible for a lot of children.

And what happens when they lose it?

It's not a good idea because it would require a lot of effort to coordinate the scheme - and because kids trash their uniforms. In our old school, we always had a secondhand uniform sale at any school event. Because it was visible, loads of people used to buy stuff. In our new school, you have to ask at the office. They are always busy so this doesn't feel easy - have bought all-new uniforms as a result.

No objection to second hand uniform - dd wears lots of stuff that has been handed down from older/bigger friends. However, I don't think I'd bother renting it - our uniform is really not that expensive to buy new, and you can already pick it up for next to nothing if you buy second hand. Presumably the council would have to charge enough rent to cover the cost of administering the scheme, so it wouldn't actually save people much money?

Nice idea, just not sure how it would work in practice. Sorry!

I have no issues with second hand uniform but I'm not sure rental would work.

Our school has a cheap, readily available uniform and the PTA runs a second hand uniform sale once a term.

Blooming hell, that was a quick response. OK not a good idea then.

Agree with previous - school uniform is basically a "consumable" and for some children it gets destroyed by rough and tumble play - you would have to either have much much higher rental costs for a 7 year old active and sporty child than a ten year old quiet and studious child - which would be a nightmare to calculate and enforce - or you would have to have the parents of quiet and good children who never rip their trousers doing a rugby tackle at breaktime subsidising the uniform costs of those that do!

Much more sensible for schools to have a second-hand-uniform shop so that you can buy good quality second hand to save a bit of money, and can sell on each item depending on whether it survived the rigours of your child.

I'm very happy for DCs to be in second hand.

I wouldn't however be attracted to this, as it doesn't seem to add to the system we have at second hand sales (set price per wearable item, proceeds 50/50 with PTA). I'd find the need to return a bundle just another source of stress in terms of keeping track of stuff - not that much gets lost/trashed, but I bet sod's law would mean it happened just before switchover week.

Also, I'm not sure we have the storage for bundles awaiting issue (let alone volunteers to bundle it up).

My dds badgers club (st johns amb) has a swap shop. You pay £20 to rent first uniform then when they grow out of it you swap it for free..

Better quality than schools though and worn once a week.

sashh, I think rental would be a good idea for blazers, but these are generally only worn at secondary schools. A swapshop would be a better idea I think, which would be similar in practice but takes the onus off keeping someone elses property in good condition. If you can take along any outgrown uniform, rather than just the stuff that came from the rental service originally, there would be more items available.

Having said that, the majority of uniform items are so cheap these days (£2.50 for 2 shirts, £3 for trousers etc) and such a variety of colours that it might be better from a storage point of view to run the service individually at each school.

Our borough has 75 primary schools, it would be a nightmare to co-ordinate. We have several colours, logos mandatory or not.

Also, while we didn't loose or fully damaged items, after 1 year of repeated washing the cardigans can only go to the bin. A bit out of shape, colour faded, and the feel is not really nice anymore. Not really something I would buy or rent for my DD. And I bought M&S, the items from Supermarkets even didn't last a full year.

I would more lobby for a central second-hand location for good quality items. I normally give them to the school for their second -hand rail or to use if a child needs changing.

Sorry I really don't think it is a good idea at all. I have been looking at my dd's clothes from the end of her school year-I don't think their in good enough condition to give to the second hand shop. Her cardigan's have changed colour through repeated washing. Her skirts and polo shirts have marks on that no longer wash out.

What if they lose it? Or in my DS's case, put holes in the knees playing football? And I'm skint, wouldn't want the added worry that I'd have to replace it when I would just repair for my own DC's!

School uniform is very cheap - not worth renting. My kids school have second hand sales wheere uniform is very cheap.

Second hand uniform shops where the schools don't run any themselves would be a good idea. A warehouse opened and run by volunteers during the summer holidays where people could dump their unwanted uniforms and others could buy at a fraction of the new price. Especially secondary where blazers can cost £30 and kilts over £20. At the end of the summer all left over stuff could be sent to a charity that supplies kit to schools in the poor regions of the world.

No issues with second-hand, but renting would be too much of a faff.

I do wish more schools would produce sew-on logos for cardigans, jumpers etc rather than having to buy the whole thing. Then you can just cut them off and reattach to the new ones.

Wouldn't rent, although I've generally bought 2nd hand stuff. Not much stuff lasts well enough to be worth while passing it on (okay to wear, just I think someone paying for would expect better) through more than 2 children though, or maybe my 2nd child is just hard on clothes.

Not a good idea at all sorry op.

OP: I think that a better coordinated charity collection / school uniform exchange would be a good thing. I have 3 lovely pairs of grey trousers and grey shorts, and a navy fur-lined duffle suitable for a reception-aged boy. Our village school is tiny, and the school shop doesn't sell generic items, just the logo'd ones, and the only boy reception starter I know this year has already got his uniform. I'd love to be able to donate the uniform that my kids have grown out of to someone who's struggling to afford it. I guess it'll have to go to a charity shop, but I'd much rather know it'd be going to someone who really needs it.

Quip, is it worth your contacting nursery schools in the catchment area to see if there is someone it could go to for the following year?

DD has to have uniform for nursery and she will only be there for a year as we won't send her for primary. I've already discussed with her current nursery about selling/giving away her uniform next year - she refuses to ever wear cardigans or jumpers even in winter so they will be pretty much brand-new I imagine.