Two Questions About School Uniform.

[happymummy12345]

Sorry if this isn't the best time to ask this question. But my husband and I intend to make a list of what we need to buy and roughly how much it will cost now, so we can be putting money away (things were tight before and even tighter now, so want to start now so we will have the money ready when the time comes).
We have the uniform list from when we went to the open day, so know exactly what we need, and will allow for anything extra we find out about later.
Two questions: 1 my son will have to wear proper shirts (polo shirts are not allowed at all). I've seen ones that have Velcro strips and mock buttons. Would these be better to start with? We will be encouraging him to learn to do buttons, and will see how he is doing nearer the time, but realise he may struggle at first (he has some delays with development as well). Or have people found children tend to pick up doing buttons pretty quick, especially when they actually start?
2: the question Im hoping you can help with more. PE footwear. Uniform policy says trainers or plimsolls for outdoor PE. (Indoor is barefoot). What do you recommend/ this is best, trainers (non lace up obviously) or plimsolls? I'm leaning more towards trainers as I feel they offer more support, but have no idea which is best or preferred.
We will ask the school when we can and see if they have any preference with regards pe footwear and the shirts. But keen to know other people's opinions and experiences, as we want to be as organised as possible and know what we will be getting.
Thank you.

Calm down OP!

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This thread is SOOOOO PFB!

And sooooo non-covid. I absolutely love it.

OP, unless your child's school is some fee-paying snob monstrosity, please don't phone the school to discuss the perfectly clear communication they've sent you.
Save that for the important stuff. And phoning them to discuss something every other parent manages to just do, makes you "that" parent. Don't be that parent before your child has even started!

Conform to everything they tell you is essential... colour, style, logo, quantity.
Do what works for your child in every other respect. Velcro, buttons - it's all fine.
Expect everything to be lost with 2 days in any case. Label it all to within an inch of your life.

Buy pilmsols because they're cheaper/will get lost/out grown/are easier to manage. PML at needing "support" in reception.
Get 2 pairs of wellies - one for home, the other for school.

Save this thread until your child is in yr 4, and laugh yourself silly over your worries.

and bless you! Your child will be fine with you as parent!

MovingBriskyOn

Totally agree

Please don’t bother the school with this, but him what he needs, you’ll find the teachers don’t acutely care beyond clean.

Plimsolls definitely.

I'm sorry you thought my post was rude (and I did respond to your question as well). I did say that a lot of Reception children will struggles with buttons and patterns; I wasn't casting aspersions on your son's abilities. And pretty much all school trousers at this age have elasticated waists- some just have buttons as well.

I just found it very odd that you said that you really liked the school uniform, and then your post is literally about not wanting to buy the school uniform items if you can get away with alternatives.

I usually just send the most knackered pair of trainers in the shoe pile in for PE trainers to be honest - they lose them so bloody often in school that I tend to have to replace them so I view the PE bag as the last step towards shoe heaven.

Shirts are the source of my nightmare at the moment - we don't have to have proper shirts and ties until the juniors and DD2 has dyspraxia - very poor coordination, poor hand strength and muscle tone. I already buy the cardigans with the larger buttons to make it a bit easier on her but she still struggles even with polo shirt buttons and I don't think she's going to manage proper shirt and tie type ones - I need to discuss it with the school SENCO really to see how we approach that particular can of worms (we still hide nametapes in her school uniform so she can get clothing on the right way around after PE). Even polo shirts I end up sitting in front of the telly through August doing and undoing to loosen them up a bit so she can manage it!

Use cheap plimsoles. £3 a pair. Might well get lost. Are left in school and worn max an hour a week

I never understand shirts for KS1. Luckily our school is polo all the way!

Ties for reception kids seems nuts!

Thanks again for the helpful replies. But again I wasn't asking for opinions on the actual uniform.

At our infants most start with plimsolls and move on to trainers sometime between Y3 and Y6. They will do so much of their running around on the school run, breaks, during their normal school day, and indoor PE in bare feet. Outdoor PE lessons are more or less a drop in the ocean. Spend your money on good, rugged school shoes with rubber "bumpers" for every day use.

OP you can't police people's responses this officiously . There is no MN rule that says responders may only say what the OP wants to hear.

Shirt: buy short sleeve, some Velcro and some buttoned, see how you get on. Use Velcro ones for PE day.

PE - for primary school, start with plimsolls. If they get muddy outdoors then get some cheap Velcro trainers.

However do get decent name labels for everything. The teachers will like you for that.

Shirts - no one care If they are Velcro fastening if they look like buttons. Don’t think about this any further. Don’t speak to the school. Just get what works for your son,

Trainers/Plimsolls - in Reception my dc wore their plimsolls to walk to the hall, where they took them off and did PE in their bare feet.