Expensive School Uniform

[Verbena37]

I know uniform threads have been done but I've just ordered DS new yr 7 uniform and dd another skirt in a bigger size.

I'm shocked as to why we need to buy so many logo items!
Last year, the school became an academy and decided that it would replace its manky looking uniform. It did look manky.

However, rather than replace with simple to wear, smart but cheap to purchase stuff, they've opted to make it really expensive. We can afford it but for families on low incomes, buying uniform (especially with more than one child there) it must be a nightmare.

So without the skort, the price for DS alone, not including trousers and shirts, which I will buy separately from Next, it costs:

Blazer- £24.99
PE Mesh Tshirt- £10.75
PE rugby top- £17.74
Sport Shorts- £9.25
PE socks- £4.00

So that's £66.73 plus £3.95 pp.

The sizing is also rubbish so it means I have to buy a blazer that fits him now rather than a size bigger and will have to buy another one in probably about six months. The bigger size looks ridiculous and drowned him.

I really like kids to wear a smart uniform but logo everything is getting stupid!

Which borough is no uniform?

Apple everything on my list was obligatory.

DD state comp 2009
Blazer 92.50

I seem to remember the bill for the complete kit out in Yr 7 was £134, including track suit, PE stuff, the jumpers at this state comp are logo-d cotton.

It didn't all have to be replaced every year. I am
Not a fan of uniforms but if you were kitting them out for all day every day wear for 9 months it would cost more, wouldn't it?

Am I imagining it or do parents on low incomes / FSM get uniform vouchers?

Our local food bank distributes second hand uniform.

Academy in a quite deprived area. I've just bought DD a blazer,
2 jumpers, one skirt, one tie and a sports polo: £92.00

I still have to get (unbranded) trousers, 2nd skirt, shirts, shoes, PE skort, tracksuit, trainers, Astro trainers and plain rucksack.

Bloody kid is costing me a fortune.

I never understand the horror about school uniform and its cost. It's an expense easily budgeted for and key items last a very long time. DD changed schools after Y8 and we had to do it all again.

They have to have clothes anyway and I'm pretty sure 6th form in mufti costs more. In fact it does cost more I've one through it and one doing it.

Agreed re sixth form. DDs has a "smart office attire policy" which is going to cost far more than her school uniform as I am not likely to be able to persuade her to wear the same outfit every day. I would much prefer the uniform for another two years.

Its always been the way though hasn't it? I was at senior school (state comprehensive) in the 80s and we had to wear school uniform.

I agree though, yours is very cheap. Mine are at an independent and need:

rugby shirt x 2 different styles
rugby shorts
rugby socks
rugby skins (top and bottom)
opro mouthguard (compulsory brand)
rugby boots
tracksuit bottoms
hoodie
hockey shorts
hockey socks
cricket trousers
cricket top
cricket jumper
cricket cap
cricket pads
cricket gloves
pe/athletics top
pe/athletic shorts
pe/athletics socks
swimming trunks
swimming towel
swimming top
swimming cap
sports bag
p/e bag
swimming bag

and that is just the sports stuff - only available through the school and all branded. It averages about 25/30 per item. Then you need black trainers and white trainers (although these aren't branded). That's before you've even started on the non sports stuff....

Mine are always wearing uniform that is either too big or a bit too small since I make them keep it for as long as possible. I might have to stop feeding DS2 since the plan had been that he would wear DS1's cast offs but they're almost the same height now.

Redhat we got a lot of the pe stuff in the second hand sales to begin with. Fortunately ds's school was quite relaxed and we got our moneys worth because he was in the main teams. Wait till he needs a cricket bat!!!! I put DH in charge of that

Which borough is no uniform?

I think fork is in the same area as me. Though it's only three out of a total of 10 secondaries that are still no-uniform - the rest have all succumbed to drinking the uniform kool-aid at some point in the past 10-15 years.

I would say it's definitely easier and probably cheaper to not have a uniform, as they just wear random jeans, tops and hoodies every day. My oldest two were in uniform schools, the first one a state VA school with really expensive uniform (£400+ if you bought everything new), the second at a state VA school with mainly generic items apart from a few bits of sports kit. Youngest dc's school just has a PE T-shirt as the sole required item.

No second hand sales oh . Parents have raised it few times but that would of course divert money from the school shop and so school won't run one...

I have no shame and so I have approached some parents directly when I know they might have stuff they don't need anymore and might want to sell second hand. DS2 though is still wearing his year 2 rugby kit even though he's going into Year 5 in September . Fortunately he is by no means the only boy on the pitch in decidedly skimpy shorts!

My sister has just had to do it for her daughter. The cost is ridiculous.
Was nowhere this expensive when I was at school (I even asked my Mum!!)

Yes 404 that borough..I had thought it was more than 3 but I guess you are right. They are succumbing. Let's hope AB, PHS and CSG never!

15 years ago almost all the non-church schools in north London were uniform-free : haverstock, Hampstead, APS, highgate wood, islington green. But they've all succumbed, one by one. I think it's only the three you mention plus fortismere that are still holding out.

redhat

at school not facilitating 2nd hand sales, DC's Private School do, it is promoted in the newsletter and run from school by parent volunteers every Thursday morning. Parents either get a cut of final sale price with the rest going to the PTA or can elect for PTA to get the whole amount.

Why not set up a Parents Facebook Group for Uniform sales?

Cheap! Ds2's state secondary was over two hundred quid - (& that was without white shirts/grey trousers/fussy as anything shoes.

Ds3 is going to a different school. The logo'd stuff is coming in at about £40 & they're not fussy about the other items. Breath of fresh air.

I think it sounds expensive. We have logo-ed polo shirts, jumpers and pe shirts, but that's all that's compulsory. And to be honest, they aren't that much more expensive than a reasonable quality supermarket equivalent, maybe a £1 or so more.

The only expensive thing is a heavy weight logoed hoodie which is £32, but is optional and a lot of the dc don't have. (They're as thick and warm as a winter coat, so DD does have one despite the cost because she will actually wear it!)

Your uniform is really cheap op, my dc school you need full cricket whites on top of the usual.

The head wanted them to look more like the local private school because the old uniform was dingy with a nasty grey beige polo shirt.
I just think it's a lot of money when parents have no choice.

The DofE state that at schools obligatory items, such as stationary cannot be charged for by the school so I'm wondering whether it says about not charging for uniforms as well.

For those saying our's is really cheap, that kind of wasn't my point. It was the fact that no UK school should have a logo uniform system that involves more than a logo blazer for example.

Unless they're on a cricket team, I don't think they should need (doing state school PE) a cricket kit either.

Verbena I agree with you. The school my DDs attend have a policy where the only logo items are the blazer and the PE shirt. They have to have a clip-on tie but that is £4.00. The PE shirt and socks cost the same as they would on the high street. Blazer is between £28 and £40 depending on size, the PE shirt between £8 and £12.

The rest can be bought anywhere on the high street as long as it meets regulations - they're pretty sensible. We are a very mixed catchment, with some areas of real deprivation. The school have definitely taken this on board.

It's academies, isn't it? Even my kids' v normal primary has gone a bit funny about uniform now it's an academy.

Our borough is full of sodding Harris Academies with their faux-Hogwarts style blazers complete with coloured trim.

That sounds pretty average our badged stuff is
Blazer-£35
Short sleeved shirts-£22 for pack of 2(don't do badged long sleeve)
Rugby top-£25
Polo shirt-£17
Tie-£5