Cost of uniforms

[Gillemeow]

Does anyone else's school have a huge amount of expensive branded items? New rules introduced in November 2021 were supposed to stop this but many schools are ignoring to them.

Help to stop expensive school uniforms. Please sign and share my petition.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/641227

Totally agree - signed.

I have signed too. I completely agree, when you can get pretty standard items from lots of retailers (supermarkets, M&S, JL) there is no need for lots of expensive branded items. When my daughter was at infant school (not my first choice of school but didn’t get into local school on distance 🙄 ) the school had striped summer dresses rather than checked/gingham. We could only buy them from one outlet and they were £16 a dress. The minute they were worn at school the kids got black marker pen on them that wouldn’t wash off. So even buying them second hand they looked worn and untidy due to the black marks. I complained the the school and was told they “looked smarter” than the easier and cheaper to purchase gingham dresses - except they didn’t because of the black marks all over them! I didn’t win that argument but she was only there for 3 years. But when it gets to secondary the bill can be much more expensive and it’s not fair to parents. My twins are going to different secondary schools in September and I think I’ve paid half the cost for my son’s uniform compared to his sister’s. Basically because her school has branded skirts, jumpers, sports “skorts” and socks, whereas all those items for my son were able to be bought non-school branded from M&S or supermarkets. It really highlights the unnecessary expense.

I complained about my school to the Department for Education and won.

www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/yorkshire-mum-wins-victory-12-27234718?int_source=amp_continue_reading&int_medium=amp&int_campaign=continue_reading_button#amp-readmore-target

Happy to help you draft a letter about this if you let me know the school.

I'm trying to raise the profile of this issue and will be on BBC breakfast news about it on Tuesday the 15th and BBC 5 Live Radio at 7.25am.

It would be great if we could get a change in the law (all sharing of the petition greatly appreciated) and hopefully promoting the fact the DfE will intervene will make some schools change their policies now.

Signed it I was lucky my youngest sons school scrapped the logo on its uniform so all his come from asda now. But older son is going into year 11 this time they have a new headteacher who's decided to change the logo and different tie. They will get a new tie for free but if they need a replacement it's £9.
I went to the uniform shop last week it cost £98 for 2 pants and 2 jumpers that's when I noticed the different logo on the jumpers. But when all the children go back it will be obvious which have new uniform and the ones what don't.

Sal

Thanks.

What annoys me the most is the branded PE kits. Most kids spend 78 hours PER YEAR doing PE and won't wear a school branded kit outside school but COULD wear plain tracksuit bottoms, leggings, shorts or hoodies in the holidays.

Our all branded PE kit costs up to £93. A huge waste of money for just 78 hours.

School uniform is ridiculously expensive. I bought a school 'branded' blazer, tie, skirt and PE socks. It cost £95. My ExH bought a jumper, sports polo shirt, skort and leggings and it came to £93. I still need to buy shoes, football boots, shin pads and blouses and the little bits they need when they start senior school.

Have to say though that my older kids' uniforms (different school) were similarly pricey but have really lasted. My eldest's school skirt was bought in yr7 for £37 was washed twice a week and was still going strong when she did her GCSE's. It's now going to be worn by my second daughter (the design of the skirt and blazer changed between them joining the school and the middle DD prefers the old design).

Completely agree about PE kit. It feels like a rip off.

whilstt I agree school uniform should be fairly priced. I think people should consider

-how long the uniform lasts. People say it costs x per year like they fork out for whole new uniform each year, whereas many things last more than a year. You always see year 7s with blazers with growing room/too big for them. Of course children will grow and some uniform needs to be replaced.

-buying second hand. Each year I see on fb things being sold. Much better for the environment.

-there is one school nearby where they have to wear logo items but you can buy the logo and add it on yourself.

The point of the petition is to keep school branded items and therefore costs to a minimum. I worked out it would save £128 if my school swapped to unbranded items, except the tie.

When we hear stories of families having to choose between heating and eating I think that's a significant saving. We should be doing everything we can to remove any barriers to kids going to school and reducing the cost is something we can easily do without increasing the burden on taxpayers.

This is particularly relevant to the PE kit, which is worn for very little time in school and if it's branded is extremely unlikely to be worn outside school. Whereas plain tracksuit tops and bottoms and PE shorts would be.

Our school have a £40 blazer & £5 tie. Rest is non logo. PE kit is an optional logo tshirt that most wear and generic shorts etc This is same as my old school was.
I know schools that have compulsory posh PE kits that cost a fortune & are never worn outside of PE lessons. Bonkers

My old comp now has different coloured ties every year, a fancy expensive branded PE kit and branded logo pinafores for the girls - this is a high school. My DD wouldn't be seen dead in one. Who needs school logo on hem of skirt!?!?

Couldn't agree more about pe kit. Ours is expensive shorts/skorts, t shirt and socks. Then supposedly optional long sleeve warmer jumper that is very much essential in winter. It looks smart but even so if your child represents the school for a sport such as netball there is a whole different team kit to buy!! Some parents get initials added which means nobody can nick it but also means it can't be passed on to anyone else.

It's on the radio this morning that research shows that very few changes have been made by schools. Especially PE kit

Our school has leggings for PE with the school intitals the size of a 2p coin at the bottom - £27.

And they come from a different supplier and postage is £4.99.0

And you still need the logo shorts for PW as well.

School uniforms for secondary are a nice earner for those with the contracts to produce and sell them! The basics for our secondary (blazer, PE top, PE shorts and sports socks) total £70. BUT if your child is cold in the winter and needs to wear a jumper, they can only wear the branded one £27 (!). Equally if your child needs tracksuit bottoms and a warm layer for winter PE, they can ONLY wear the branded items at £24 and £22 respectively. And, of course you may need some multiples of these items. It is a rip off, no question.

I don't see what is wrong with polo shirts in secondary as a main top and for PE. And I don't know why they need branded PE gear at all.
Our school uniform has to be bought online, so we can't try anything on or feel the material, so you have to mess about trying to work out which size to get and then probably send stuff back until you get the right fit!
We also have a Bring Your Own Device scheme (BYOD) scheme where children bring a small laptop daily - now that is another massive expense!

Thank goodness some schools are complying with the rules. Would be great if they all would.

It sounds like they don't comply with the rules. Is this a state school? Happy to draft a complaints letter if you send me details of the uniform policy.

Signed. I was in the lucky position of being able to afford expensive uniform but many of ds's friends were from families that were really struggling. His school was pretty sensible about logos etc but other schools in our area caused immense financial pressure for families.

Thank you!!

School branded socks are specifically referred to in the guidance as being unnecessary. It also sounds like they're on the high end of branded items, like my child's school. Happy to draft a complaint letter if that's helpful.

That sounds ridiculous! Have you spoken to the school? The very least they could do is offer to have batches of leggings delivered to school to reduce the costs.

The current fad for girls seems to be fancy expensive bespoke tartan skirts. Madness

I think that's why we need to include compliance checks in Ofsted inspections because they jolly well would comply then!

This is wrong under the guidance (see below) as you need more than 1 skirt. Definitely worth challenging.

"Where a school decides that a branded item is required, they should consider how they can maintain the benefits of a branded item whilst keeping costs low. This may involve using sew or iron on labels or limiting the branded items to longer-lasting items such as ties rather than items that the parent may need to purchase more frequently or in larger quantities such as shirts. Schools should also consider whether changes to the specification of a branded item might reduce costs for parents."

I guess technically skirts are optional as girls could wear trousers instead