Reception uniform

[missl1]

My daughter starts reception in September. She'll be five in February. Do I buy age 4-5 years or 5-6 years? In other words, risk being too big in September or a too tight in May? After that will be summer dresses I guess. Am leaning towards the correct fit the majority of the year, but I'm a novice.

Well it depends on the size of your actual child but it's harder for them to go to the toilet if their skirt is too long. You want to make it as easy as you can, especially on PE days.

Pinafores are easier to manage than skirts. A lot of people put their dc in trousers rather than dresses and tights for PE days in particular as it's hard to put back on tights. My dd had these as they can wear black or grey at her school.

Thank you. Know it's a bit of a daft question. She's tall but a bit of a string bean so I think 5-6 could drown her a bit. Never thought about tights on PE day but, yes, she does struggle with getting them on and off. Good tip.

I went to ASDA in August and got what fitted well, at those prices I didn't mind if it only lasted half the year.

The skirts have lasted size-wise but the pinafores only lasted until Easter (which was fine as she started wearing the gingham dresses around that time).

She started off in 4-5 everything (October birthday, 50th centipede height and weight wise) and at the end of the year is still 4-5 in skirts, and 5-6 in everything else.

If your DD is (like mine) the type to ruin clothes then get what fits at the time and reassess as and when.

Centile, not centipede

:-)

I second asda. When it's 4/5 pound a skirt you can getbwhat fits well as opposed tonworrying about how long it lasts. I highly recommend the "flippy" skirt. It washes and dries great with no need for ironing.

Most people go big but no correct answer. My DD never wore a skirt and prefers trousers - which are v common in the winter. I also dont bother with logo uniform - so I dont worry too much if a £2 polo shirt or £4 jumper is grown out of. Skirts last ages. DD wears shorts in summer. Pinafores mean that polo shirts survive much longer

Generally uniform is so cheap that I'd get what fits. You won't need nearly as much normal clothes. Mine is starting at an academy that has a very expensive uniform, (£28 a pinafore) so I've tried to size up where I can but the pinafore I had to buy to fit (2-3 bless her) as it just looked ridiculous otherwise. I'm glad I did after the toilet comment above. Mind you mine is a slow grower, so I know things will last.

It also depends on random factors like whether your child has a growth spurt.
We went to BHS around the time it was closing and got loads of polos and two sizes of trousers. In retrospect, we should have doubled up on the polos (they are all hideous now) and just got one size of trousers (I took them up, am only just letting them down and think they will last all of Y1 too).
We got 3-4 jumpers (he is quite small) and they were ridiculous half way through the year so we got more and because they were new (fluffy sweatshirts) they made his polo look like he had a dreadful disease. So we're getting jumpers with round necks next year.

We bought skirts/pinafores at just below the knee. (6-7s for DD!). Then panicked slightly that she'd look drowned in it. But it was fine actually, just right. Above the knee now, but probably last another winter.

I bought 4/5 for my smallish twins in July assuming they would grow by September. They didn't and come september when everything was out of stock I was frantically trying to find 3/4 uniform as the 4/5 was totally ridiculous - think polos to knees ! They are only just growing out of 3/4 now so don't bank on a growth spurt ( I do however have plenty of uniform for next year in reserve !) I have had to bin lots of polo shirts for irretrievable staining. I found pinafores for my dd more forgiving size wise and if you get the gingham dresses with the tie at the back you can upsize a bit more easily too as you can hoick them in at the waist.

My ds1 is just finishing Year 2 and is still wearing the age 4-5 school shorts I bought for Reception.

I bought 5-6 shorts as I couldn't get 4-5. I predict he'll be wearing them in secondary.