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?

Particularly when they have stacks of perfectly good cheap uniform sitting at home, all going to have to be put in the bin.

Actually yes, sorry you are all right and I was wqrong! I think it used to be a few years ago that only struggling schools would convert and rebrand, but in recent years academy status seems to have taken on a whole new lease of life. I am talking from my (limited) experience of schools I knew personally in my borough. Rebranding was definitely as way of trying to shed a bad image and start again.

Being good/outstanding and converting is more likely not less as they were the ones given the (new) option!

However, the internal decision wasn't taken on whether a school was good or not, it was taken on the overall business case for doing so. So, some great schools will have converted and some will not have.

I don't think uniform reviews are a bad thing and I do like major items logoed, to give a sense of belonging and also ensure they are smart to try and keep the children from looking like complete scruffs. However, state schools should also have the majority of the wear available cheaply from the High Street because state schools take children from all walks of life and do not have the brief to 'get above their station', that is not their purpose. Some children will be dressed in scruffier clothing and that, in itself, should not be a bar to education. (Indeed, god forbid, that they don't take advantage of the education as one day they will be parents themselves and be expected by the next generation of snobs to have worked as hard and been just as successful as them.)

It's an 'outstanding' converter, no sponsor involved.

DD HAS grown since Y7 - she went through 3 full sets, including blazer in Y7, and she went up into adult sizes in January (AFTER the HT assured me they wouldn't be changing the uniform...). However, adult size 10 uniform, very smart, black trousers, white shirt, black blazer, clarks lace-up school shoes WILL last her until she leaves, barring her putting on two stone!

Why should I be financially penalised by being made to buy new uniform just because some OTHER parents don't dress their dc in appropriate uniform for school? I make sure that DD is wearing smart, tidy, non-revealing uniform. If they have a problem with OTHER girls wearing short skirts that don't meet the uniform code, then why on earth doesn't the HT take it up with THEIR parents, rather than changing the whole uniform for everyone, even those who DID ensure their dc's uniform met the codes? THAT'S what really riles me - the fact that I am going to be out of pocket despite the fact that MY DD doesn't wear short skirts or skirts at all, ever!. That and the fact that the HT assured me they wouldn't be changing the uniform...

(She is almost at the end of Y9, don't know if I have said that, so only just over two years left, so an adult size 10 uniform should last two years.)

The reason for 3 sets? Washing machine has a crap spin, no tumble dryer, they take 2-3 days to dry on the airer, she often falls and/or spills stuff down herself as she has muscle problems, therefore gets dirtier than most 14yo's, I just CAN'T get by on less than 3 sets - she currently has 3, and all are filthy by the end of the week! The set I wash on Monday she wears on Thursday, the set I wash on Tuesday she wears on Friday, she literally needs a clean set every day.

I think you need a tumble dryer and/or a new washing machine. Probably cheaper in the long run. Cheap washing machines with low spin speeds are the ultimate false economy, as are washer-dryers.

I find this bizarre. My son's prep doesn't do logoed (sp?) shirts, socks, trousers etc. (there is a logo on the jumper and pe kit). They also allowed a 2 year change over period when they changed some of the uniform so children could still wear the old style.

Its come to something when a private school is being more reasonable about uniform than a state one

They should allow a reasonable transition time. If your daughter won't wear a skirt because of a disability then I wonder if not providing trousers would be a failure to make a reasonable adjustment?

given that the op is struggling to afford new uniform i wouldnt imagine she could afford a new washing machine and tumble dryer either? she may not even have the space for a tumble dryer!

the fact is the HT said there would be NO new uniform, can you get the minutes of the meeting?!! i would!! although uniform is decided by the governors so he may not have had the authority to state that.

As I understand it when a school converts to an academy the government provides a £60 per pupil grant for new uniforms.

The suppliers bombard the schools with flash brochures showing what their pupils could look like if they switched to their uniform. Inevitably a lot of schools get a rush of blood.

Surprise, surprise the new uniform suggested by the uniform suppliers invariably soaks up almost all of the Government grant. In the first year that's fine, the uniform is free but Heaven help parents in subsequent years when they have to pick up the tab for those logo'd clothes.

Our local Academy is spending £75,000 a year on uniform subsidies. It has a very poor catchment area and many families can't afford the purple jumpers at £20 a pop.

Well she has four children so if this is going to be a recurrent issue every time, presuming her other children will go to the same school with the same expensive unform which they will keep growing out of, I would have thought a tumble dryer was a sensible investment.

I was just making the point that people who buy cheap washing machines to save a hundred quid or whatever, spend that hundred quid probably several times over in other ways - extra water consumption, longer, less efficient programs that use more electricity, crappy spin speeds mean that stuff takes twice as long in the tumble dryer, and if you don't have a tumble dryer then more uniform is needed as it cannot be turned around so quickly, and you may end up have your heating up full blast just to dry stuff all the time.

maybe she doesnt have the space for a tumble dryer, not everyone does! and maybe she cant afford a fancy fabulous washing machine, again not everyone can? its not a case of not buying a fancy washing machine to save the £100 its about not having the extra £100 in the first place to afford the fancy one!

the op also says that part of the reason her dd needs more uniform is because due to some sn she gets them more dirty than the average 14yr old. so it may or may not be an issue for her other children.

the whole issue with the uniform and the problems washing it and drying it just highlights again that those who can afford it the least are penalised yet again through no fault of their own.

Yes, perhaps you are right.

So are they allowing a phasing in of the new uniform then, or not? Do we know?

i dont think they are, that has been mentioned already on the thread, but i havent read back, pretty sure there isnt one. tho again that goes against guidelines!

No space for a tumble dryer. New build social housing only allows a space for a washing machine. No money for a flashy washing machine, I had to buy a second hand one when my last, flashy machine died on me. DD DOES need at least 3 sets of uniform due to her SN. DS1 needs 3 sets as one inevitably ends up at his dads, and DS2 has the same SN as DD that means he is messier than average too. No phased introduction, new uniform is expected to be worn from the second week of September.

Completely agree. If you were at school Claireall, you'd be with the head about now for bullying! Hope your own kids don't adopt such an attitude to single out and mock others.