How 'usual' is this?

[exLtEveDallas]

Local Secondary School has sent parents a letter today informing them that from Sep all school skirts and trousers need to be logo'd and bought from X supplier.

School has the usual Logo ridden jumpers, blazers, ties, sports kit etc but I've never heard of trousers and skirts being obligatory.

Local FB page is full of ranting parents. Trousers are around £15/pair, skirts are £12. Apparently no consultation with parents.

Sounds bonkers to me.

But...I don't really think 12 squid for a pair of trousers is very much! I mean, seriously, people nowadays seem to expect clothes to be so cheap.
If you think that the child is going to be wearing the school clothes the majority of the time, then, say if you had to buy them 4 pairs or school trousers a year, that only £48 for a years worth of trousers.
I know the whole kit when they start high school is a bit outlay, but £12 for a pair of trousers isn't.
In fact, if a pair of trousers cost less than that I would expect them to fall apart. And wonder about how the company that made them could possibly make a profit..
Clothes are much, much cheaper than they used to be. If school uniform cost the equivalent of what it did in, say, the 1950s, we'd be talking hundreds and hundreds.

My DD's skirt is £45.

ifnot it's not just the trousers that the children will need, they'll need the other clothing as well.

Well, yes...Obviously they will need the other clothing as well! I just mean that given the amount of time they spend wearing it, it's not really loads (not that I won't be hurting when it's my turn to shell out for it).
£45 is a lot for a skirt, and I would complain about that. I do think people have got used to clothes being really cheap though.

Dds pants was €40 and skirt was €30, neither had logo or were specific to the school. Can't see why she'd need two jumpers or trousers?

I only do washing at the weekend hopefulclam, so she'll need two of each at least (she currently gets through 5 polos, two cardigans, two trousers and one skirt every week).

The school/HT is still getting roasted here. Parents are seriously annoyed and both the petition and FB are full of "I will NOT be buying these trousers/skirts" "I will NOT wear this inform" "My child will NOT be wearing them - they can't do anything about it" "If they suspend/expel my child I'll take him to court" comments.

Really has grown arms and legs - I don't know what the school will do now. Could they really put so many kids in isolation? But would backing down be seen as a weakness?

It's currently Outstanding and has a waiting list for kids outside the catchment (although we've got another 3 Secondary schools within 5 miles or so, and another 5 in a 10 miles radius). HT is in his first year here though and took over from someone with a great reputation. Not a good start.

Have never heard of that here. (Non-academy, South East)

Trousers / skirts are bought wherever you like. They all look the same, what's the problem with that?

I'd be signing that petition if it was me!

"I don't really think 12 squid for a pair of trousers is very much!"

Maybe it's not to you, but plenty of people are feeling the pinch right now. If you can't imagine that £12 per pair of trousers is hard to find for some families, please just take it from me - it is, especially as we have to buy DS at least two pairs at once when he goes up a size.

The new free school here has very expensive uniform. It's not meant to be a selective school, but this is being used as a cyncial way to ensure poorer families deselect themselves IMO.

to be honest, have you looked at the price of teenage sized trousers and skirts?

ds can wear any plain black trousers. We looked at Asda, M%S, Tesco and BHS, (because he is ridiculously fussy about them being comfortable, while at the same time wearing them too low, so them don't fit)

Anyway, primary aged trousers were cheap, tow pairs for £12, but the teenaged sized weren't. They were pretty much £12 a pair across the board.

Ds uniform is pretty good in terms of cost, (blazer £35) and minimum logo (plain black trousers form anywhere, plain white shirts from anywhere etc) but with tie, pe kit, shoes, trainers, football boots etc etc , starting secondary cost us £200-£300.
dd starts in September, they have specific shirts and specific trousers, so it will be more expensive.

The good thing is he is year 8 and we haven't needed to buy any replacements due to growth.

Don't buy 2 jumpers, ds never wears his, because he has blazer and coat, and so doesn't need it.

I have got dds price list out. £12 a skirt. It's quite cheap really. Costs about the same as her normal jeans that she wears.

Tbh I would prefer that to them being in no uniform because it then becomes 'who is wearing what'.

As op said primary uniforms are really cheap. Ds got 2 pairs of school trousers for £8 in asda. But now dd is getting quite tall, you can't pick up the same sort of bargains as easily.

Dd is really tall for his age, by the time he goes to secondary he could quite easily be in mid teen sizes, which is around the same price as the uniform.

Our school doesn't have logoed trousers but does have an official uniform pair 'available in 30 different length and waist combinations to fit any pupil.'

We tried them. They don't fit DD. Sainsbury's it is then.

Hmm, just for comparison sake I've done a search for box standard black trousers for DD - Asda do them for £5/pair in her size and £7/pair age 15/16. M&S have a deal 2 pairs £15 in her size and £17 age 15/16. Matalan are £5/pair all sizes.

So annoyingly, the petition parents have a point.

Having kids is expensive!

I don't see the issue with this personally. Much better that they're all wearing the same.

I bet all of those parents complaining about £15 a pair of trousers are happily buying branded £££ clothing for their kids. Come on. Priorities!

£15? Seriously. That's a cheap pair of trousers. (and I'm skint)

That's my thinking Star. One of the very vocal twatty parents at school was pontificating about it last week, stood next to her son in his £100 bright orange trainers... Seems she just wants to 'fight the system'

I've just had to buy DD a hoodie and polo shirt for her voluntary sports team matches - £30. She'll only wear them once a week. Kids cost us money whatever we do.

Have to say, I'm loving this comment on the website:
This is against the law and the kind of policy u find in communist China or Russia or Isis....this is deplorable and against our freedom of choice and our rights Mr XXX should reconditioned this with immigrate effect or face legal challange as this is illigal to force us to buy ftom their chosen employer. He should step down immediately!!!!

I'd be wetting myself if I was the HT

£15 is a bargain. DD's current school trousers from the high street were £40ish.

I bet all of those parents complaining about £15 a pair of trousers are happily buying branded £££ clothing for their kids.
I am happy to fork out £££ for clothes branded or otherwise my children want to wear. Clothes that look good on them, wash well and are practical. Their school uniform is none of those things so yes I begrudge every penny I spend on it.

Uniform shop is totally standard here. But it was a breath of fresh air to find out they didn't need a regulation colour of coat; the only stipulation is that it must have a hood.

I am happy to fork out £££ for clothes branded or otherwise my children want to wear. Clothes that look good on them, wash well and are practical. Their school uniform is none of those things so yes I begrudge every penny I spend on it.

Really?? Their education isn't important? And yes, wearing the correct uniform (and the message you send about that to them) is part of their education.

I consider the correct school uniform the same as buying say, the correct outfit for karate/football/gymnastics. It's being part of a team. School uniform is to 'be uniform'. That's the point, surely?

But children don't come in uniform shapes and colours. So frankly, wearing one type of black trousers rather than another is going to make bugger-all difference.

DDs school has compulsory skirt with embroidered logo, must be worn knee length, can only be bought from 2 places and costs £27 a pop. Then blazer, jumper, yellow blouses(!), 60 denier tights, all sorts of things for PE. September was seriously expensive for us!

I think if we do have school uniforms at all, it should be stuff they can move in and feel comfortable, like Brownie uniform. Most countries, with better education systems and outcomes than ours, manage without it.

Sometimes it feels like government education policy here is moving towards a North Korean model. You must not be an individual. You must start formal schooling at 4. You must be tested and scrutinised every five minutes. Teachers must not be allowed any individual professional flair but must simply tick all the boxes.

DD had regulation skirt and trousers. Saves the school complaining about skirts which are too tight, or trousers with skinny fit, etc. Everyone wears the same, there's no fashion show between the kids, just all the same. It was expensive initially, but I only had to buy twice from y7-y11.

Any old grey trousers for boys here, but have to be MID grey, not near black or skinny type. Girls have just changed from a pencil navy skirt (rolled up to form a belt, didn't we all do that??) to a checked, pleated version which is from the school shop I suppose.

After the first year of buying a ££ blazer for DS at the School Shop I found discounters on Ebay, for brand new blazers. Had to sew on the badge which ever way I bought it.

My old school asked parents if they would like a £25 kilt or a £13 logoed skirt last year. Obviously they chose the latter. I don't really understand how a uniform covered in logos can look smart.

In the case of my school it's not really fair that only girls have to have regulation bottom uniform. They said outright the logo is to stop skirt rolling!

My child is still a toddler, but news like this pushes me closer and closer to home education every day...