Reception starters - buying uniform

[FannyWincham]

So I got this hopelessly wrong when buying DD's nursery uniform, which was only a polo and a jumper (too many jumpers, not enough polos).

Could some experienced MNers please advise how many of each of these uniform items you would buy? I am happy to do washes in the week but would prefer to minimise midweek ironing:

Pinafore (3?)
White shirt (5?)
Tie (on elastic - 2?)
Cardigan (regulation - £20!! - 2? 3?)

Thank you!

It depends on how mucky they are. Pinafores are also good for protecting shirts a bit more.

Get 6 shirts. Keep 1 as a good one (for photograph day, special assemblies) and the other 5 can be used daily.

1 tie would do, usually you can buy more throughout the year.

Classrooms are normally very hot. I would begrudge spending £20 on one though. Can she not wear a plain one?

Label EVERYTHING (I like the sticker types, no need to sew) and show your DD where the label is.

Cardigan - does the PTA do second hand uniform? Ours only charged £1 for school logo items and some were as good as new (especially age 5 & 6 as Reception parents over buy).

My DD had 2 pinafores and 1 skirt. 5 shirts and 3 cardigans.

Our cardigans were only £12 though. I could have got away with two.

My DD has 2 pinafores, onrbsummer dress, one skirt, 5 polos abs 3 cardigans

I try to have a clean one each day Fridays Forrest school so just leggings and school cardigan

I think your numbers are spot on. I got 3 jumpers - doing a dark wash on Tuesday night made it work.
Beware though, my DS started reception in 5-6 clothing, he is finishing in 8-9! 4 freaking sets. In fairness he should have gone straight in at 6-7 but I bought in June. He is also a head taller than his peers (bar one girl) so maybe don't pay me too much attention!

Get items that you can hang inside or tumble - ironing school uniform is not necessary.

I buy 5 of everything. Polo, jumper, trousers. New and clean uniform every day. Wash at weekends only.

But at £20 a pop I wouldn't be buying 5! How ridiculous! I buy plain jumpers at sainsbos and get them in the 25% off events. They cost pennies that way.

And I buy one set of official logo'd ones for school trips.

Posted too soo! Do you HAVE to buy 'regulation' stuff?

This is so helpful - thank you.

It is a lovely uniform and the children look really smart but it is very traditional. Although it is a state school the uniform is quite prep-like - infants boys are in short trousers and regulation knee-socks year-round, optional cap for boys and boater for girls, etc.

The regulation cardigan can't really be replicated; it is a knit cardigan with very distinctive bands of the school colours at the hems. I think I will get two new and maybe pick up another at a nearly-new sale.

The irony is that a friend who is sending her DS to the very naice Dulwich Prep showed me his uniform and it's only a jumper, t shirt and shorts for reception.

Meanwhile DD's school kindly offers the option of a blazer from reception upwards, which is actual madness imho. We will not partake of this particular option.

A state school still has caps!!? How do poorer families afford all of this? £20 a cardi is quite expensive. More prep school price. I think the prep school has got the right idea regarding uniform. I think it is your school that's the upmarket one!

The caps are optional, as is much of the uniform list, and the only regulation items are the cardigan for girls and the jumper and socks for boys. Everything else could come from Primark if you so wished.

Perhaps it is just my area but I have had a quick look at the uniform lists for the other local state schools and they all specify a regulation jumper or cardigan for £15-20.

I suggest:

Pinafore (3)
White shirt (5 - start with 3 in rotation then you can bring the other ones in when the current ones are too stained)
Tie (get 2 - then when one gets lost, you won't panic)
Cardigan (2 - so you can wash one midweek)

What about summer dresses? I think that if those get worn in the Autumn term, it is worth buying them now (as they're already selling out in some places).

Have you thought about how you are going to label all this stuff?

Cru good point about summer dresses. They can wear them until October half term so I am going to get two. They wear yellow check which seems to be rarely available in stores - everything is red or blue!

I have woven labels already (I am a loser who really enjoys sewing) and I've ordered a name stamp via school too.

Yes - everywhere makes them but pretty much everywhere around here you have to order in as they only keep red and blue in store. I hear that the Sainsbury's two packs are good.

Here's one. I order stuff from
John Lewis to be delivered to my nearest Waitrose (I am too mean to pay the full delivery charge).