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Original poster

PTA - Leavers' hoodies for Year 6

32 replies

megseleven · 24/04/2015 13:15

I'm on our school's PTA for the first time this year and really like the idea of giving each Year 6 a leavers' hoodie. Has anyone else done this and can actually recommend a company? I mean I can do a google search as well as the next person but if you've done this before and were happy with the product then I'd love to know which company you used. I think £10 a hoodie seems to be a reasonable price. I don't want the hoodie to fall apart after 3 washes but also recognise that you get what you pay for.

I'm thinking along the lines of dark blue for boys and pale blue for girls, with all the names on the back inside a big "2015."

Any suggestions? Thank you xx

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MrsHathaway · 24/04/2015 13:25

Our school has done this in the past and offered all the children a range of colours. Many chose the school colours (blue) but there were bright red and orange and all sorts.

I would certainly not support offering the boys one colour and the girls another.

They were allowed to wear them with their school uniform for the last half term IIRC.

I don't have the file in front of me to see who we used, but it was a small local printing company who did us a deal. The set-up costs are not related to the colours of hoodies - assuming all the printing is the same colour, etc.

AuntieUrsula · 24/04/2015 13:40

Our school does this every year, but have to say the cost per hoody is nearer £20 than £10 - that is for a good-quality one, with embroidered school logo on the front, all the names in a 15 on the back and personalised name underneath. The PTA organises quite a lot of fundraising activity, such as cake sales, to help pay for them. The pricing will vary depending on what personalising you want and how many you order. We use Oak Apple in Dorset, who are very friendly and helpful.

I would also recommend getting the same colour for all this kids though.

Heels99 · 24/04/2015 13:50

Same colour for all or choice of colours do not allocate colour by gender or you will,end up in all manner of issues.
Our school let year six wear them all year so they get their wear out of them. They look good.

PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom · 24/04/2015 14:16

Just be aware that some schools may have safeguarding concerns with putting full names on an item of clothing like that. You might need to check.

TeenAndTween · 24/04/2015 14:25

Is PTA paying or will you be expecting the parents to pay?

FishWithABicycle · 24/04/2015 14:32

Do not segregate boys and girls by dictating style or colour. One design, one colour if printing in advance. Or have an order form with a number of choices and no restrictions if using a print on demand place.

I've seen a lot of these, usually first name only or first name and initial of surname. The ones where the design uses each student's own writing of their name are nicest IMO.

Original poster
megseleven · 24/04/2015 14:53

Teen and Tween it will be the PTA who are paying as it's a leaving gift; to my knowledge no previous PTA at our school has bought a leavers' gift before. I therefore thought the surprise element would be nice (for this year at least) so wasn't going to go into giving a choice of colours or taking orders.

I accept what people are saying about gender stereotyping though so perhaps the same for all would be best.

I will look at Oak Apple, thank you AuntieUrsula. Any other company recommendations would be welcomed.

OP posts:
TeenAndTween · 24/04/2015 14:55

meg How are you going to sort sizing if it's a surprise?

We do leavers T shirts, and always get some samples in for the y6 to try on and select their size. (That way the parents can't complain it's wrong!)

Heels99 · 24/04/2015 14:56

Yes you can't do surprise due to sizing and safeguarding issues

TeenAndTween · 24/04/2015 14:58

Oh, we do full names, no one seems to mind, but the children also check the spelling of their name too (and whether they want shortening e.g. Danny or Daniel) so if there was an issue they could shout.

Iwantacampervan · 24/04/2015 20:36

If you're getting names on then you'll find that 2015 won't fit - our year 6 ones just have names inside the 15 and above printed leavers or class of.

Ours are in the school colour with logo on the front as year 6 wear them as uniform instead of a sweatshirt. Parents buy the hoodies - they are not a gift.
I don't think that you would be able to do them as a complete surprise as you'll not get the sizes correct.

Ihatecobwebs · 24/04/2015 23:37

For those of you who do this with PTA funds, how do you get this through your Constitution? Just looking at ours, and I can't see how this would get approved? Or perhaps we just have a "tighter" Constitution than some?

Just a point of interest really, as we've already allocated our available funds this year, and are having to tell the school that they can only add something to the list, if they take something else off it.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 24/04/2015 23:51

Ours are paid for by parents (£20)and they got them just before Easter, local company, choice of colours and sizes, they love them.

Our PTA pays for leaving books, which are photobooks compiled by the staff of all the special photos and memories going back to year R, it's a school wishlist item every year. Our list is flexible, we discuss it at every PTA meeting and things come on and off the list all the time, depending on funds available, consultation with school council, money becoming available from school budget etc.

SavoyCabbage · 25/04/2015 00:34

Our school does them every year in the secondary colour of our school uniform. The school year is in huge white font across the back and all the children's names are written within the numbers.

The girl/boy idea is the worst idea ever.

Heifer · 25/04/2015 12:28

I have been tasked to looking into this for our Yr 6 leavers. Someone recommended this website www.schoolleavers.org.uk. Just wondered if anyone had used them before? lots of colour options (children can all have different colours) and seem cheap at £11.90 (deal on).
Any other recommendations if not used this one?

Heifer · 25/04/2015 12:30

I would think all schools would want you to get signed permission from the parents before you print the childrens name on it..

Heifer · 25/04/2015 12:33

Our PA has donated £100 to the leaving do, as they do every year. I didn't realise this would be a problem in some schools - isn't it up to the PA how they use the money they raised? at our school the teachers come to the PA with a wish list and the PA agree/disagree.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 25/04/2015 12:36

Yes, we did have to give written permission for DCs names to go in the small print.

notinminutenow · 25/04/2015 12:37

DS's had all first names (children's handwriting) in the last two digits of the year.
All were the same size - quite large. Doesn't matter though as, aside from a Leavers' assembly, no one wears them.

unlucky83 · 25/04/2015 12:51

We did a t shirt with a class photo on the front ...organised by the parents not the PTA (although a couple of us were both)
We used a local guy who did it for cost - he was a start up so we advertised the fact he had done them for us. We supplied the t shirts. Worked out at about £5 a t shirt and we took the class list and guessed for sizes....we asked the parents for minimum £10 for a party (which inc the surprise t shirts) and a few put more in the pot so we could afford more things.
Only slightly negative thing was we got the class teacher to take the photo. The school always give the leavers a present (paid for from the school fund) cos they took a few good photos they used another one to go on a mug as the leavers present...it was a bit samey.
The mug is still in use 3 yrs later - the T shirt is in a vac bag with the last days signed school shirt...

Heels99 · 25/04/2015 13:17

That's why I think it's a good idea to give the hoodie at the start of year 6, ours wear them all year to school. Let's face it once they leave kids are too cool to wear their primary school top!

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 25/04/2015 13:24

Yes, ours were given out at the end of last term, the process of getting them organised, ordered and delivered took a good month, but they still have enough time to wear them, the start of the school year or before Christmas might have been better as you don't need them so much in the summer.

hugoagogo · 25/04/2015 13:32

I can't imagine my dc wanting to wear these at secondary; so a bit of a waste of cash.

ClashCityRocker · 25/04/2015 14:51

I think it's a bit late now - they won't be wearing jumpers for much longer and I can't imagine they'd want to wear them in secondary.

Having said that, my dn (class of 2010) still wears her secondary leavers jumper so I might be wrong.

petalunicorn · 25/04/2015 17:03

Our PTA wouldn't do this. Some people have raised similar ideas and the headteacher has vetoed on the grounds of:

  • Items are a waste as so many would just be put in storage for evermore.
  • Too much money that could be used on other things.
  • Benefits a particular group when all parents/kids have contributed to fundraising.
(although I think she might support a volunteer coordinating and parents paying).

I run one particular activity once a term and a gift like this would use all the money I raised over a year. I wouldn't be happy with that, to the extent I would stop helping.