Single Source of supply for School Uniforms?

[Steveellis]

My daughter's school is tinkering around with the school uniform (again!) and insisting that they wear a plain navy knee length box pleat skirt for year 11. I've got no problems with this at all.

However the school insist, in a letter, that the uniform MUST be purchased from the school's preferred outfitters. I know that I can buy the same type of skirt from other retailers cheaper.

Can the school insist on this?

The only guidance that I can find is Section 1.90 of the School Admissions Code which states:

"governing bodies should help limit the expense of uniforms so that parents on low incomes do not feel that the prospective cost of the uniform means that they cannot apply for their preferred school. Governing bodies should ensure that the uniform chosen is widely available in high street shops and other retail outlets, and internet suppliers rather than from an expensive sole supplier"

Has anyone else had similar issues, good or ill?

Hmm I will be watching this with interest as DD starts secondary school in Sep and most of her uniform can only be bought from one supplier, including the school shirts which have to have school logo on them at £12.50 each!

Hmm I will be watching this with interest as DD starts secondary school in Sep and most of her uniform can only be bought from one supplier, including the school shirts which have to have school logo on them at £12.50 each!

My son had to by a uniform through college for his course. It came from one supplier. Only they couldn't supply (not just for his course) and lied about people having had uniforms. We only got ours as they are based in Bradford which we're just upside of,so actually went down three times! Bad idea if you ask me, especially if it turns out to be a lying incompetent disreputable supplier like this.

Buy not by.

The uniform officially changes when my daughter goes back to school in September, though they are running a 'transitional' period now where both old and new uniforms are acceptable.

I don't want to put my daughter in a difficult position, yet I think there's a point of principle here to be argued. I might well write to the school pointing out the responsibilities of the governors to ensure that the school practices a policy of inclusion so far as uniforms are concerned. A shot across their bows might be the best way to tackle this.

Thanks for the replies so far, keep em coming!

Steve

If it's a "plain, navy, box-pleat skirt" that you can "get the same one much cheaper" then how would they know ? They aren't going to go around checking everyone's labels, so if they are the same, then who would know ?
speaks as someone who would be following you to the supermarket rather than paying ridiculous prices at the uniform supplier.

Right, that's a plain navy box pleat skirt and a couple of white revere collar t shirts bought from John Lewis. Saving a tenner off the price if I'd have bought from the schools preferred outfitter! Into battle next week!

Don't bank on being able to get the skirt from anywhere, agree they are supposed to have more than one supplier BUT we too have shirts with school logo on lapel , so clearly marked as "from our supplier" and other local schools have the school name embroidered on trouser/skirt waistbands and this is checked.

Same with our secondary school - same overpriced supplier for years. Have written to the Head of Education for the area, MP, councillors and Office of Fair Trading. Hopefully one of them will be get a resolution. I suggest you do the same, as technically, it is illegal for schools to do this.

There is guidance from the Office of Fair Trading which says that schools must not create monopolies for the supply of school uniform - it's easy to find via Google.

As far as I am aware it NOT law for schools to wear school uniform, although I am in favour of uniform providing it does not discriminate against those parents who cannot afford expensive uniform from one source point. And I agree monopolies should not be created by schools for uniform. I bet if you threatened to go to court over this you would win - good luck with the rest of it and buy your shirts and skirts from where ever you can get them cheapest - if they match close enough then fine!!

www.oft.gov.uk/OFTwork/markets-work/othermarketswork/school-uniformsOffice Fair trading guidance

Oooh very interesting, particularly the bit about"Action following Market study"
Looks like they can't...............

Schools can choose whether or not to adopt a uniform policy (and are encouraged to do so by the DfE). When schools do adopt a uniform, they can take steps to enforce that policy, although those steps have to be proportionate and reasonable. There's lots about this on the DfE website - summarised on the DirectGov website - as well as the OFT guidance I mentioned earlier and to which orangesandlemons just linked.