When are you buying new school uniform for September ?

[caringdad66]

My DS starts secondary school this September.
I am getting different advice from relatives and friends ,regarding when to go out and buy his new uniform.
Some say leave it as late as possible (ie last week in August),because obviously hes permanently growing,whilst others say go in late June to beat the rush and ensure stockists have a good selection and plenty of sizes to choose from.
I can see the benefit of both and would welcome your advice and thoughts.
PS DS is growing an average of 4mm per month ( 2 inches in past 12 months )

Assuming its the standard secondary school everything has to have a particular logo/be a particular style uniform then as early as possible.

We bought dds uniform on induction day last June. We tried to swop a couple of items for bigger sizes (skirt/track suit bottoms) in August & wernt able to get them until middle ofvSrptember.

A skirt we ordered in January a few days befire she went back she lost one) came in stock in her size during the Easter holidays.

Dd staring new school in September - we're getting her uniform next weekend - secondhand sale on sat and fitting session at uniform suppliers on Sunday

I really wouldn't leave it until August - there'll be nothing left in your ds' size ... Also don't buy it too big - I never grew into the blazer my mum bought me (and I'm 5'7" so it's not like I never grew )

IMO It sort of depends on how specialist the uniform actually is!

So white shirts/grey trousers can pretty much be found everywhere into August but, for example, green jumpers might be more difficult to get later on.

At my DCs school, they gave out discount vouchers for local stockists at the new parents evening in July, so might be worth checking for that.

Sort of trickled items in... anything with logos I ordered in early-mid July. Others when it was convenient. For full secondary school there's a lot to get & I wouldn't want to try to get it all at once. There maybe 2nd hand sales at the school, sellers will make selves known induction evening if not before, so I would wait until then if at all possible.

DS entering KS4 needed new blazer + jumpers for tomorrow; we've only got blazers & will wait until October for the jumpers.

I bought DS's KS3 blazer too big which he rather resents me for.

john Lewis and m&s, sainsburys or tesco for polo shirts.

trying to leave it as late as possible as my 2 seem to always have a growth spurt in the summer holidays. (annoying!)

If you have to go to a uniform shop don't leave it until a weekend in August. It will be hell on earth and there will be nothing left.

DS is starting Reception in September and I have an appointment at the uniform shop tomorrow. I will just err on the side of caution with sizes.

IME, school uniform shops in the last weeks of the Summer Holidays are hell on earth - I REALLY would not go near them then. Plus, if there's anything you can't get, you've got no time to source from elsewhere.

When all of my dcs have started their secondary schools, they've had a Parents Meeting on the evening of the day when all pupils go up for a 'taster day', and, at that meeting, the school uniform suppliers bring their stock in to the hall from where you can get everything you need.

Beware of bundles which seem like a bargain - you'll end up with stuff you don't need or can source cheaper from Asda/Tesco / M&S or elsewhere.

You buy all Yr7 uniform with lots of growing room anyway it's the law so you don't need to worry about them outgrowing it aim for them to outgrow it in Yr9, it's OK for Yr7s to look swamped by their uniform, so there's no reason why not to buy it in June/July. M&S do tend to do some quite good deals on school uniform trousers etc in June/July - keep a lookout.

In answer to the title ...when I know which school he is going to (on second appeal).

Logo stuff from school at the parents / induction day.
Generic stuff when M&S run their 3-4-2 promotion, usually in June. Stuff can be returned or exchanged in August if they grow.

My children tend to have two growth spurts each year: one in mid-September and the other at the beginning of July. I think they do it just to annoy me.

I also need to wait until the appeal is over so I know which school ds is going to ( quite possibly back to the drawing board )
Won't be getting shoes until the last minute regardless as ds(age 11) has now crept up to a man's size 10:)

Its absolutely bloody stupid. We should all be able to buy school uniform mid August onwards. That would be the most sensible time really because shock horror .......kids grow!

Sadly our consumerist society means that you have to guess whether your child will grow or not about 3months before that because they need to get the Halloween shite on the shelves at the end of August along with the Xmas puds.

Early rather than late for things with a logo - if I told you how long the queue for the local uniform shop gets you wouldn't believe me. I don't believe it and I've seen it myself. I'll review the shirt/trouser situation after they've gone back in September, the shops will be quieter then and there's less guesswork in the leg length.

I have a DS (12) starting High School in September, I will get him all kitted out in July from Next and the uniform shop. I will assume that his growth spurt will be the same as DS1's and start at 14.

Buy early and buy big! All the year 7s will be swamped by uniform. That is normal. Agree with 2yrs growing room, though for relatively taller girls you might find that size fits for ever! I don't think Dd2 grew much at all from year 7 (and DD1s PE kit did her 5yrs and will do her sister 5yr too! Even DS only had 2 sets of rugby kit from year 7-11!)
Don't leave it to the holidays, even the start of the holidays, the queues in the shop, and the long order times.... ugh!

My kids are younger than your DS but I buy early when the shop I go to has offers on.

Navy v-neck jumpers are like gold dust and are impossible to get in August around here! I usually get something they can grow into without it being ridiculously huge and hope for the best.

I'e already ordered the PE kit - larger sizes for DD1 and a new set for DD2 who starts secondary in September. Am about to order the blazers, again larger for DD1 and new for DD2 who is still too small for DD1's current blazer (but may not be come August).

Trousers, shirts etc will come when M&S do their annual schoolwear thing, though DD1 doesn't need shirts - DD2's old ones fit her and have only been worn a couple of terms due to her growing. DD2 needs slim fit school trousers, only Next will fit, DD1 is OK - she's in 15-16 school trousers because she needs the length (she's 13 and 5'8'') but will need a new batch of long sleeved shirts for autumn/winter.

Oh, and school shoes for both.

Sooner rather than later I say. Last July my uniform shop had queues out the door. They had to close the doors in the end and send people away. I will be getting mine in the next few weeks.

Am I alone is buying stuff that almost fits? I can't bear to see my DC swamped by their clothing, especially Yr7s - why make them look ridiculous and feel uncomfortable on top of everything else they have to deal with?

Disclaimer: they seem to grow gradually rather than in spurts. If that weren't the case I might be buying bigger.

I started getting things in around mid June, good job as well. My daughter's blazer had to be ordered in as they'd sold out of her size (smallest size). Told me it would take a month to come, ended up being two months. After phoning a couple of times to chase, it came in but I was starting to panic in case it didn't turn up!

She's now in Year 8 and we tend to go in immediately after school. There's normally a bit of a queue around 4pm but nothing horrendous. My friend reckons if you're outside before opening on a Saturday you'll be the only one, so if you want to avoid waiting ..!

ChippyMinton - I think the reason for buying bigger is that many children grow quite quickly around Year 7/8, so many want to buy something that will last the year. My daughter for one used to grow approx. 5cm a year but in Years 7 and 8 it's been 8cm each year.

First: They grow over summer. Second: try on the uniforms - the sizing is generally enormous! Third: Only get the bare essentials ahead of September - and wait for your school's second hand sale which is generally at the beginning of term (ask the school secretary if and when they hold a sale) - you save so much money! And buy plenty of gear then - we went through six lost sweatshirts in the first term!

Oh and don't buy too big! Secondary kids are so concious of their looks, they are becoming teenagers and it's cruel to send them in ill fitting clothes. That's why I get 2nd hand that fits well and there's no turning up of waistbands and it doesn't cost a fortune to replace. Plus, you are recycling and doing the environment a favour. And your purse.

I think in Yr 7 and 8 it isn't a great sin to buy a blazer which is big enough to last them a while - few of us are made of money, and DD1's school only went to blazers 2 years ago so there is not a lot of second hand stock. She's worn hers for 2 years, it is now just about OK until the end of term and then she will have a bigger one.

DD2 will also have a new one, she is smaller and slimmer than DD1 at the same age, but will use DD1's old one as an in between. I'm hoping DD1's blazer will last her through GCSEs after which she can go to 6th form and get out of blasted uniform at bloody last.