Starting reception in September - uniform

[applesandpears56]

Have you bought your school uniform yet? I am a bit excited to do it but not sure if it’s waaay too early.

I picked up 4 polo shirts in the supermarket last week as they were on offer.

In fairness I don't need much as my dd attends pre school at the same school and wears the uniform but will need more from September as it'll obviously be full time. I intend on building it up gradually so it's not one expensive lump sum 😁

That’s what I was thinking - spread the cost and buy large so she doesn’t grow out of it!

M and s always do an offer in June

5 years ago, I bought uniform in June/July for DS to start school on the September. I bought large, and still had to exhange for bigger at the end of August!

My second is starting school this year, I've picked up a couple of bits . I remember from when my eldest started the smaller stuff sells out first.

Most stores have sales in June or July and by August you can only get huge or teeny sizes of everything. So yes worth buying early to get the biggest choice.

I’m waiting for Lidl to sell polo shirts again.

It can be quite warm in September still. I'd not bother with much at this stage but would hit the asda site for a couple of summer dresses just in case. They are harder to come by too late in the yr

Definitely better to get them early. Nearer the school starting, less stock of size they have. I learned a hard lesson by leaving it too late.

Does anyone have any suggestions of where is best to buy uniform from?

I've so far bought one summer dress, I'm going to get a few more I think.

I rate the Sainsbury polo shirts. They do nice ones signs little embroidered butterfly on.

Summer dresses go for asda or Tesco they are hardly worn and silly to pay more than a fiver each.

The Sainsbury pinafores are fab. Better than m&s.

And the next shirts are nice.

We normally buy from Tesco, and sometimes from Sainsbury's or Asda. I really don't see the big difference at all, as in quality. Trousers are bit different, since some look too baggy and some fit better.

Mine are already at school but I've bought about 1/2 their uniform for next year already. I like Asda for their stuff - my kids' school has red for a uniform and theirs has held up the best in terms of not turning a grotty faded red over the year to be honest, plus they do some really nice soft jersey fabric pinafores and girls trousers which are a bit easier for my youngest to get on and off (she's dyspraxic) than the more rigid fabric ones and don't require ironing

I always get their 5 packs of coloured polos (we can wear either red or white polos but white is never a good idea with my youngest) which are an online only one that I just put through for click and collect. Think they're about £7.

Our PTA do a second hand uniform stall on new parents meeting evening though which some other ones might do as well if you're after picking stuff up cheaply.

I brought dd’s Entire uniform from John Lewis even though everyone suggested the supermarket uniforms- they washed awful so now dd is head to toe in Sainsbury’s uniform washes really well. Top tip if you want to get long sleeve polo tops for the winter get them now they were sold out everywhere last year!

I highly recommend Asda girls polos and short sleeved shirts - both with rounded collars. They have washed incredibly well, still nice and white, and the "peter pan" style collar doesn't get all ratty on the collar points

Do make sure you know what the rules are going to be - what needs a logo, what colour polos (our school has phased out a colour so you might see older children in it but Reception aren't allowed them), any extras like PE kit or wellies, etc.

Another vote for Sainsbury's: fairly long and slim where Asda is wider in my experience.

And another vote for investigating second hand before you buy new. You may want to put your pfb in all new but if she's the type to wear her yoghurt then you might need five sets and preshrunk will fit better!

I wait for Aldi to have their stock in then buy as much as I can, the quality is far better than Tesco and Asda and as we have to have logo jumpers I make savings where I can on the generic stuff.

My girls are in Reception and Y2 now, but yes I'd be buying already.

I like to keep a good stock of uniform.

Asda are my favourite for polos, really nice quality and soft inside, and you can get lovely long sleeve and 3/4 sleeved polos for cooler weather.

I tend to stick with M&S for pinafores though as they're the only ones I've found that truly are non-iron and the pleats stay.

Shoes leave until the end of August or if (like at our school) September if they're starting later.

We buy all ours from Sainsbury's except for polo shirts which we get from Aldi (£1.25 for a pack of 2). They get trashed so quickly by paint and pen stains that it doesn't matter they shrink a bit in the wash. I bin them and bring out news ones every term.

Oh, I forgot.

Buy a million pairs of socks / tights. You still won't have enough ...

I didn't like Aldi polos when we had them - just didn't seem to keep their shape at all well on the collars - but that might have been just me.

Sainsburys have a 25% off TU clothing 22nd 28th May according to my HUKD messages - don't know if uniform's included (I don't tend to go to Sainsburys much just because of where we are relative to the stores) - but if it is it's worth a thought.

Thank you so much everyone. Yes her school is really clear on its website what rules are and what she needs so I’ll get to it in the next few weeks looking out for the sales! Hadn’t thought about stuff being out of stock in certain sizes nearer their start date! Can’t wait to dress her up in it and have my proud mummy moment

Do buy tights now as the small sizes sell out really fast and suddenly you have a cold morning and only socks around.

Also, check PE list. Our school does outdoor PE all year weather permitting (meaning not pouring down) so it was really difficult to get hoody and tracksuit bottoms with no brand logo in October.

Yep I'd get at least things like logoed cardigans now... our local sole supplier of the local academised primary ran out of size 3/4 4/5 ones by about June last year and didn't get them in till mid-September! Hell on ensued on social media locally!

Our school is one that just specifies colours for items of clothing and leaves us to get on with it and don't be daft with it please!

Tights - we had some lovely cable effect ones from Sainsburys last year that I've never found anywhere else that actually remained elastic throughout the term and didn't involve the eldest at least (my youngest's a bit of a lost cause in this department) coming out of school at the end of the day with the crotch down round her kneecaps as they actually stayed up! Not found similar anywhere else but will be looking for those again for my eldest at least.