School changing to an Academy - Uniform costs!!

[CardyMow]

My DD's Secondary is changing to an Academy in September. During the consultation process, I asked the HT at the meeting if there were any plans to change the uniform like they did at the other Secondary that has already changed to an Academy, and only gave out one free set.

The HT reassured me, in a public meeting in January (the minutes of which are available) that they would most definately NOT be changing the uniform.

Fast forward to this week - we get sent home a price list complete with pictures of the new uniform, that can ONLY be bought from the school, at eye-watering prices. Only one free set will be given out. And none of the new, school-logo'd PE kit will be given free.

Horiffic white knee length pleated school skirt with black plaid pattern - £25. School trousers with Logo on the waistband (visible when blouse tucked in) - £22 a pair. The school will only give girls a free SKIRT. My DD hasn't worn a skirt since she was approximately 18mo. She wears trousers that cost me £12 for two pairs from Sainsbury's. She gets through a minimum of 3 pairs a week. I don't have a tumble dryer, so everything has to be dried on the airer and can take 2-3 days to dry (crap spin on my washing machine), so overnight washing and drying is not an option. Logo'd embroidered shirts, £17 each. New blazer (though this would be included in the free set, as would the new tie). New PE jumper, new PE trousers with logo, new PE shirt with logo instead of the plain white tesco one she has currently , new PE socks (logo'd, natch). Nothing coming in at less than £9.50 - and that's for the PE socks. OH - Logo'd kit bag too.

I am VERY pissed off annoyed, as 1) DD is already IN adult sized clothes, goes into Y10 in September, and her uniform would have lasted her till she leaves, and 2) I am NOT paying that amount of money for a pair of trousers EVER, and 3) I don't even HAVE that sort of money to pay for uniform, as I am on benefits.

There's no grants for uniform in my LEA, hasn't been for years. There's no Social Fund to get a loan from any more. I can't get a loan from anywhere else - not even Provident or Greensward because my LL (Housing Association) has barred them from conducting business on their properties.

And to make things worse - there is a high chance that as my younger dc's primary school is in the process of conversion, for September, that I may ALSO be facing this issue with those 2 dc, and then be unable to hand down any of the uniform I had saved from DS1 to DS2.

There is not a hope in hell of me affording ONE child's full set of uniform come September at these prices - three will just be impossible.

Are they REALLY allowed to do this? Change the uniform, just giving one free set, and no free PE kit, despite reassuring the parents that the uniform wouldn't change, even for dc in Y10? They will let the current Y10 (next years Y11) wear the 'old' (current) uniform, but not my DD's year and below. IMO, that STINKS.

Do I have any way to challenge this?

Get as many parents as you can to write to the Governors
cc all of the letters to Gove's department
cc all of the letters to the local paper

My DCs school changed NOTHING when they converted. Not even the school name !

When our school went through the process of changing uniform we canvassed parents and students for their view. The Governors also used the logo only on major items, so that trousers or skirts etc could be sourced to fit at normal retail outlets. I would be horrified at such a demanding requirement ( where it wasn't before- obviously independant schools and some Grammars already have this very strict requirement in

My DD's school which is a comp (becoming an academy) already has an arrangement where all the uniform is bespoke from one supplier - it seems quite common around here - and they are changing uniform again in September as well. I think it is ridiculous that if people can't afford it there is no subsidy. Surely this will put people off applying to the school. Perhaps approach the HT direct, say you can't afford it and ask his advice? I am sure they have some sort of subsidy for those in real need at my DD's school but keep it quiet.

"Surely this will put people off applying to the school?"

And ensure admissions are limited to more well-off families? Surely not...

It doesn't sound that expensive for clothes that are worn five days a week for most of the year.

Cheaper than Jack Wills.

If you don't have money for the initial outlay it is an impossible amount...

And dearer Claire than H&M, Matalan or Primark for mufti, or supermarkets for uniform.

I'd be fucked off too, op.

Amongst other things I would be reminding the governors that it is a breach of the Admissions Code to have a uniform so expensive that it puts some people off applying. I would also remind them that having a single supplier is an anti-competitive practise, particularly when the single supplier is the school.

I would also remind them that the guidance to schools from the DfE says that they should ensure that the uniform chosen is widely available from high street shops and that, although it is legitimate for the school to use its purchasing power to reduce costs for parents, they should not be trying to act as sole suppliers in order to raise funds for the school.

It's not a uniform though, when it comes from various supermarkets. They end up look like a rag-tag bunch.

Claireall
Sorry?
DCs school has
set blazer
set tie
set PE shirts
BUT trousers, skirts, shirts, jumpers etc are allowed from anywhere
and they DO NOT look like arag tag bunch at all
else they'd not still have the Royal Crest on their blazers

Tell your local paper, good story.

So, ClaireAll, children from families that can only afford supermarket purchases for the majority of the uniform (with some logo'd main items like jumper/blazer) shouldn't receive an education?

Because that is what you are saying: that uniforms should only be sourced from strict suppliers which the law of supply and demand dicates will be more costly.

/shrug

They could stipulate that the Tesco tart skirt is the only acceptable uniform if they like. Somehow they don't.

We had a similar issue in our town recently and the local paper went nuts about it and it did improve things, the school agreed that the old uniform could still be worn until parents naturally replaced it. So try that and the other suggestions on here.

YANBU, btw, schools charge extortionate prices for uniforms and expecting parents to cough up that much is ridiculous.

I don't know what you can do about the rest of it, but only offering girls a free skirt should be something you can deal with.

I agree with ClaireAll in that in order to have a uniform the items should all match. In secondary school, which this is. And by matching, I mean from one supplier. This doesnt have to be a bespoke tailor, but could be from a set store.

What I would have thought, however, is that they should assign the new uniform to every due to start next year, give two free sets to all students currently in y7,8 and 9 and let year 10s and 11s stay in the old uniform as it is very unlikely that these items would need updated or be outgrown before ht student leaves.

Why should taxpayers have to pay for two sets of clothing?

At my ver posh junior school (threads on here talk about putting DDs name down at date of conception) there was a new summer dress design (Peter Jones / Harrods suppliers) every couple of years, but the old ones stayed valid. And the kudos was to wear as OLD a design as you could to prove that you were not nouveau

NB : NO STATE SCHOOL could ever specify a supermarket supplier for trousers / skirts / shirts : imagine the ruckus from the others in the Daily Fail.

Hmmm...I suppose I didnt see it from that point of view....just that the money the schoo would save not kitting out the y10s and y11s could be spent further kitting out the younger students who the uniform will last longer for.

White skirts? Seriously? Oh my god, am thinking back to the early days of my first periods and the mess I could make of my old, dark grey skirts. White? White!

*Amongst other things I would be reminding the governors that it is a breach of the Admissions Code to have a uniform so expensive that it puts some people off applying. I would also remind them that having a single supplier is an anti-competitive practise, particularly when the single supplier is the school.

I would also remind them that the guidance to schools from the DfE says that they should ensure that the uniform chosen is widely available from high street shops and that, although it is legitimate for the school to use its purchasing power to reduce costs for parents, they should not be trying to act as sole suppliers in order to raise funds for the school.*

exactly this, what they are doing is NOT ok, logo socks at almost £10 a pair! they are having a laugh.

my ds1s high school has a logo t-shirt, jumper, fleece, also rugby shirt and pe t-shirt but trousers can be bought anywhere as long as they match the regulation colour etc, so i go to m&s

and they should either provide the girls with trousers and a skirt OR give them the option of whichever they would like, that is fair.

its against the department of trade or something to insist that uniform is bought from one supplier, the government guildlines on school uniform recomdend against it and its to do with trading laws/fair price and markets etc

god missed that the skirt is WHITE!! how totally impractical is that, it will get filthy! and may well stain easily meaning expensive replacements!! riddiculous!

What 5madthings said.

Basically what parents in this position normally do is explain the situation to the school and they should be supplied with their minimum requirements either free or at reduced cost. In your case, as you have already invested heavily in uniform, it would be reasonable for the school to replace what you have already bought, I think, and they would be expected to do so under various pieces of inclusion and equality legislation.

Schools are no longer able to insist girls wear skirts and this has been the case for years.

I think referring to children's school uniform as a 'tart skirt' is pretty disgusting, clairall. As is the snobby insistence that it can't be uniform if it's from tesco, really.

OP - can you petition for children who choose to, to continue to wear the old uniform and have a period when both can be bought? I've seen this done and though it looks messy (if you are incredibly anal), it's a good solution as you insist all new purchases must be the new uniform, but children who've already been kitted out don't need to buy more.

Doesn't solve the problem of the cost of the new uniform, I know.

I beg to differ, 5madthings and Boffin.

My school was one of the first academies and still currently insists that items are bought from the school approved supplier and that girls wear a skirt. There are no negotiations. Thems the rules.