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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Would you pay £100+ for a school uniform?

100 replies

BatShite · 26/08/2020 18:57

The question sounds ridiculous, but DSD is apparently meant to buy everything from one very expensive shop. Logos on most, but even stuff like trousers or skirts, the skirt she needs (if wanting a skirt) is 27 quid alone. Even poloshirts have to be from that one shop, and are 13 quid each (same ones you get from tesco for 2 quid by the looks of it too..)This sounds totally insane to me?

In contrast, DD and DS..we got their uniforms yesterday, and its come to round about a fiver per set.

DSD 'normal' uniform is about a hundred, and 'PE uniform' is 50 also, hell they even are trying to say she needs a certain pair of socks for PE?!

Not sure what to do here as this would leave us hugely short. Technically we can 'afford it' but..it would cause issues for a while. School is in an area where a fair few kids from very poor backgrounds live too..so I hate to think what those parents are thinking right now.

I am considering just the logo blazer, the tie from the overpriced shop, then just normal black trousers and stuff. Even doing it that way would be 50 quid, but I can stretch to that. Playing for a PE uniform though...seems ridiculous.

Not sure what my options are so basically just wondering if I am being unreasonable or not tbh. Am I just being stingy?! The gulf between DS/DDs fiver uniform, and 150 quid is just so much..

OP posts:
Cornishmumofone · 26/08/2020 19:02

Is it a state school or an independent school?

Original poster
BatShite · 26/08/2020 19:06

State

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CountFosco · 26/08/2020 19:16

Is she at secondary and the other two at primary? I agree it is insane how much we are expected to spend on special clothes to access education in this country. Although what do you for just £5? Trainers from the supermarket for PE cost more than that.

Read the documentation carefully, we only need to buy the school skirt and the PE kit from the supplier, the tie and badge from the school and everything else can be bought anywhere. But obviously the specialist supplier pushes you to get everything from them. Having said that DD1 did get questioned by a teacher about her M&S school trousers. Your DSD will definitely require her PE kit, otherwise she is likely to not be allowed to do PE. If you can't afford it see if there is a second hand uniform shop at school or ask around to see if you can get hand me down uniform from friends or see if school has a hardship fund.

Decorhate · 26/08/2020 19:17

That’s normal (if not cheap) for a secondary school uniform around here. But if you are lucky and they don’t grow too much the PE kit & blazer should last for a few years. The cheapest blazers here are 40-50 and dd’s was nearer to 100. And that was state school too.

You could see if the school or PTA does a 2nd hand uniform sale?

Whywonttheyletmeusemyusername · 26/08/2020 19:18

My DPs ex has just spent £400 on new uniform and he paid half...£200. For uniform? Fucking ridiculous what it costs

tootiredtothinkofanewname · 26/08/2020 19:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
BatShite · 26/08/2020 19:23

It wouldn't bother me if it would last a few years, but shes just going into year 11. They changed it all a month or so ago. Shes got all the old stuff that we bought a few months back! They even changed the 'style' of tops..so we cannot even use the same blouses.

Yeah shes secondary and they are primary.

OP posts:
nc600 · 26/08/2020 19:23

That's normal. But I mentioned that uniform could be £200 easily on another thread and it was followed with many comments claiming they never gave or would pay that.

Secondary school in an area here that is anything but affluent lists their uniform on their site - before vag, shoes, trainers, coat and stationary the basic uniform is £180

TheFormerPorpentinaScamander · 26/08/2020 19:25

I never understood why parents complained about uniform costs. Then my dc went to secondary.
If I buy everything ds2s school say they need I'm looking at almost £300. And that's before any footwear. Luckily I've realised that the they don't actually get in trouble if they don't have the 'right' trousers. So i can make a small saving there.
DS1s school comes in about £100 cheaper.
Both state secondaries. And ds2s is in a deprived area Hmm

MJMG2015 · 26/08/2020 19:25

Friends year7 uniform just cost him £250 and that's not even all of it & it's just a standard state school uniform.

Independent uniform - you really don't want to know. It's insane.

I don't think state schools should stipulate that it has to be bought from x shop or that it has the logo ( except maybe jumpers, but logo should be able to be sewn on)

Blazers shouldn't be part of a uniform.

The uniform should be able to be bought from budget retailers as well as school uniform shops etc

nc600 · 26/08/2020 19:26

Not sure why you bought her new stuff a few months back though. They've been off for 6 months. Maybe sell some of that on fbook marketplace?

tiredanddangerous · 26/08/2020 19:27

That's cheap for secondary. We spent almost £100 on stuff DD needs for pe, never mind the rest of it!

Thisismytimetoshine · 26/08/2020 19:27

Ours is £500+

TheFormerPorpentinaScamander · 26/08/2020 19:29

@nc600

Not sure why you bought her new stuff a few months back though. They've been off for 6 months. Maybe sell some of that on fbook marketplace?
Maybe she grew Hmm I bought ds2 new school shoes in Feb. They are now hardly worn and too small.
Original poster
BatShite · 26/08/2020 19:30

Wow time has gone quickly..we got her a bunch of new stuff in January (so not a few months back, lockdown has me totally off schoolwise). School announced after this they were rebranding..new name, new everything. They are not even letting them wear the black stuff she had before, now it HAS to be grey. Changing styles of tops too. It kind of feels like its been done on purpose..I wnder if the school gets a percetage of profits from the one shop we are meant to get everything from..

Anyway, thanks, seems though its bloody annoying, its normal. Last uniform cost for her was about 70. Its all much more, and his is the first time they have added in PE kit too (advice was just black shorts/top before)

OP posts:
CrazyDuchess · 26/08/2020 19:30

Easily about £300 for full set of school uniform here (not including shoes/trainers/football boots/shin guards )

100 is very cheap for secondary here

Roswellconspiracy · 26/08/2020 19:32

Logo crap should be banned tbh it triples the price you need to spend.

10 in asda for a plain black blazer. 30-50 pounds for a logo one. What super powers does the logo have Hmm

New uniform should be phased in too. So year sevens now buy the new one and subsequent years replace with new as they grow out of the old stuff

Its a con. with girls are always hit worse as school trousers often do not fit girls properly so they are forced into expensive skirts somd by uniform shops when surely a tesco back skirt is perfectly smart..

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 26/08/2020 19:33

YANBU to think logoed skirts etc are ridiculous.
But £5 for a Primary child? I've just looked at my Asda receipt... £60 for 3 children, covering polos, socks, tights, crop tops, pe kit, hair bands, plus skirts for the eldest. Bought cardigans back in Feb, so didn't need those. Can pass down skirts between them. One needs new shoes, so another £40.

lifesalongsong · 26/08/2020 19:34

I wnder if the school gets a percetage of profits from the one shop we are meant to get everything from

I think I've seen on here before that state schools aren't allowed to make a profit on uniform, I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will confirm, I don't think that's likely to be happening

Decorhate · 26/08/2020 19:34

I’d say it’s unreasonable to make parents buy new items just because the school has changed the uniform. Here, they allow the old style to still be worn for a certain length of time if there is a change, especially the PE kit.

And will they even be doing much PE with the COVID restrictions?

starlet14 · 26/08/2020 19:36

It's madness. Mine aren't old enough for that yet but I have friends and family who have to spend hundreds. It is totally wrong. You can buy uniform so reasonable for primary age! I'm dreading it.

notenoughgintonight · 26/08/2020 19:40

DS 2 is going to high school this year. It's cost me £250... £100 would've been amazing!

Namechangr9000 · 26/08/2020 19:40

All the state secondary schools in our town have the same expensive uniform supplier. DDs school skirts are £25 each but one of the other schools has skirts for about £35. We can buy shirts and tights from M and S etc but blazer, skirt and pe kit including socks has to come from the supplier.
It really annoys me because I think you could get a similar skirt elsewhere, for people on a budget but its compulsory. One of the schools has special tartan which of course won't be available anywhere else.

Original poster
BatShite · 26/08/2020 19:42

Primary just had to be black/grey and normal white polos, and a red jumper. No specific PE stuff, though that would make it a little more but they already have sports type stuff so didn't have to get any of that.

6.25 per primary it was not a fiver. Got 2x red jumpers for 4 quid. 2x polos for 2.50. 3 for trousers. 2.50 skirt.

Maybe I should be thinking I seem to have saved a bunch of usual primary prices, so such it up for secondary. Wouldnt bother me quite as much if I didn't have almost new stuff already that still fits her. My sister says to just send in in the old black, and old style tops and only replace the blazer and tie..she reckons a few will do that but I don't want her to end up the only one..which was why I was considering blazer and tie, but finding similar looking stuff for the rest. Might just pay it though. Annoys me more to that its only realistically going to be under a year given shes in her last year

No idea how they are planning on doing PE actually..didn't think of that at all.

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Original poster
BatShite · 26/08/2020 19:43

Mind it seems its actually cheap for secondary too compared to many on here.. Will stop moaning now I think. Cheers.

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