school uniform from one shop only, can the school enforce this really?

[mummag]

My Child's school has been having a crackdown on uniform. They've now decided that skirts and trousers can only be bought from one place. The cost will be a lot more than Asda! Just feel its quite wrong actually and wondered if they can really do this. Interested in peoples thoughts.

Thanks for all the replies. My dd currently has a perfectly respectable knee length, non figure hugging 4.00 skirt. Will need to replace this with a skirt that I think is more fitted! For 4 times the money. Its illogical. Noone else seems remotely bothered in real life. Just my little lone voice.

Best practice is that there is a range of suppliers. Schools do NOT make money out of uniform.

Cauliflower schools should not make money out of uniform sales. Bet all the schools with these expensive single supplier deals do, though.

I'm just glad our school is sensible - the compulsory parts of the uniform come to a total of about £40 and it's well made and lasts. The rest can be bought everywhere, subject to restrictions, which are enforced. The system is simple, which means the teachers have time to teach instead of being uniform police.

I'm even more glad that come September DD1 is in 6th form and out of sodding uniform altogether.

Single suppliers can work really well.

My dc are at a private international school. Uniform is: distinctive patterned shirt, navy cotton trousers in a choice of styles (straight or skinny), jumper or hoody with logo. Logoed pe top & shorts.

I kitted 3dc out for less than £200 in September 2015, & it's all still going strong. There's a thriving hand me down scene (although mostly made up of thrifty expat teachers - the locals regard 2nd hand as scruffy....)

The reason it works is that the clothes are good quality & good value, & unobjectionable - nothing really to rebel against.

I occasionally have to have a word with my y11 tutees about wearing trainers & that's it.

The problems friends in the UK seem to have with uniform suppliers are that the clothes are expensive & crap, which are entirely reasonable objections imo.

They can't make money pointy - their accounts are audited like anyone else.

Sure they are. Because we all know that no academies have ever had any financial improprieties revealed about them. I just don't buy it. How can any school justify sole suppliers charging multiples of high street prices for uniform items when they know parents like everyone else are financially squeezed? There is no excuse.

Shoes need to be of a certain type too. Its all too expensive and daft. I will look through the accts after this all comes in to force though that will probably be next year.

According to an assistant in my local uniform shop, schools do make money by using single supplier shops....more than the shop makes apparently!