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!

My three DCs two DDs 1 DS Uniform costs are the same about £220 each for all three . This includes everything 'shoes' and PE kit.

DD 1 is year 13 but still wears the School Blazer skirt and tie.

2 State Grammars FSM rate girls 2.7% boys 1.3% !

I think that means the uniform costs of £220 are not prohibitive for the parents of pupils !

I can imagine £220 would be a massive 'stretch' for the majority of parents at Bertrand's sons school.

We live in a deprived area and our state school uniform is twice the price of yours which btw I think is entirely reasonable. I did huff a bit when I had to fork out £15 for a tie!

I saw dispatches c4 academies and linked trustees being linked to uniform providers all seems but corrupt.

What I would love to see is a it all published

So school
Postcode
%fsm
and total cost of uniform as it's not transparent to parents when choosing a school what the costs are.

The prospectus and the website lists the uniform list no prices.
Sometimes doesn't even link the provider I suppose that's stuff they think they do when place offered

I guess they broadly same but woukd live at open days it had clear list / prices and compare to other schools.

Think would name and shame the academies who gone ott

I watched documentary within last year about child poverty

The mum was a single mum
She worked
Her eldest was starting usual bog standard nearby academy and how much the uniform cost was stressing her.
In the end her boyfriend helped out.
Despite working when her boiler was broke she had go round her mum's boyfriend to use his shower or have a bath.
It's the families with such low income and total uniform cost is maybe 2 weeks worth of income that would stress the most.

I did Google and found providers for a few of my senior preferences as someone said was crazy £500 it's not that bad closer to £250-300 which seems a lot compared to primary but they are top state schools ex independents.

Then spoke to local parent attending local comprehensive and even theirs is over £200.

Makes me glad prinary so cheap although with primary when you have more than 1 child seems like huge cost even if much is handed down.

If you only have 1 child must see like fairly infrequent cost.

Our state comp introduced a new logo skirt for Y10 & Y11 with only a couple of weeks notice before the end of term. Start of new term and most of DDs class haven't either bought the new skirt, or had the old one embroidered. School are beginning to rumble about it, but at £5 just to get the embroidery on to an old skirt never mind £32 for a whole new one, many families are just saying no. It will be interesting to see how it pans out, because I really don't think they can impose detentions or whatever on something outside the girls control.

sandy
2 State Grammars FSM rate girls 2.7% boys 1.3% !
I think that means the uniform costs of £220 are not prohibitive for the parents of pupils !

Isn't that exactly the point? The parents who qualify for FSM may not even consider applying for the grammar due to the cost of the uniform...

We spent over 200 in the uniform shop. A friend with a son at a South London borough private school spent 400 in the same shop. Doesn't include stuff that can be bought elsewhere like trainers, shoes, coat, bag, socks etc.

That is so cheap. I expect to pay £400+ for a complete new uniform.

Nothing like a £15 tie to keep the riff raff out..........

Bertrand I agree that the costs of some school uniforms are far to high and that the costs should reflect the economic circumstances of the location.

However, you conspiracy theories that( Expensive uniform is an 'inside' job used for 'economic' cleansing ) should be up there with the 911 Truther's !

Your conspiracy theories....

Happy to say that I am by no means alone in this conspiracy theory.

And I am sure that the posters concerned will forgive me, but I have little sympathy to spare for private school parents and their need to purchase cricket caps............

I agree with you OP, it seems to be part of the 'quick look busy' mentality that goes with new heads in cackademised schools (schools on the skids being academised).

The further my DCs' school has disappeared down the pan the more changes have been introduced to the uniform. The latest being tartan skirts and house ties as a 'Notice to Improve' letter from DofE is shoved into the Head's hand.

There is no real evidence that the uniform will improve educational outcomes for students.

I'm in my 40s and a friend's mother passed the 11+ but wasn't allowed to go because of the cost of the uniform. That had changed when I went to grammar in the 80s. Any navy skirt, any navy jumper. No blazer or tie. No longer in the area, but my old school now has an expensive kilt and blazer and regulation jumper. Seems to go in cycles!

None of the state schools in Europe and whole America needs uniform, why British schools are so particular about it?? It is so expensive that it increases financial burden to most parents like us.