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Secondary education

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Is it legal for schools to insist you buy uniform from them only?

11 replies

DisasterEggs · 21/04/2009 19:41

I was under the impression they were not allowed to say this.

Any pointers to the right bits of government stuff appreciated.
I'm feeling militant and feel a letter to the governors coming on.

Also. apologies. am posting this in multiple topics to get as many responses as posible.

I Am Not Happy.

OP posts:
TheCrackFox · 21/04/2009 19:43

I thought it was illegal too but don't have any evidence for you. Someone will be along in a minute who actually knows what they are talking about [time waster emoticon]

littlerach · 21/04/2009 19:45

No it isn't legal.

They should be able to point you to cheaper supplier too.

Presuming it is secondary and state, not private?

Look at their uniform policy, it should say in htis.

DisasterEggs · 21/04/2009 19:52

secondary state. new uniform next term. told to bring in new pupils for uniform fitting. Blaizers £32-£7. Jumpers £12 - £18. Tie £5. School badge £2.

need ammunition to quote at governors.

OP posts:
Peachy · 21/04/2009 19:54

They definitely cannot though can make you feel bad (ours words it uniform is from.... bah blah.... although I am obliged to tell you that you may buy from other suppliers in school colurs'

littlerach · 21/04/2009 19:54

this may help.

And this

islandofsodor · 21/04/2009 19:56

Replied on other post. Compulsory tie and badge is not unreasonable. I would buy the blazers elsewhere if yo can get it cheaper, though I have to say that isn't a bad price if it decent quality. Dd's blazers are £75 new.

't last 5 minutes and I usually love Asda clothes so that can be false economy as you just end up replacing more often.

littlelamb · 21/04/2009 19:57

Not legal, though I'm not sure how recently that has come into force. I went to a private school and had to buy my uniform from them. I don't know if that's changed now, or if private schools are exempt iyswim

DisasterEggs · 21/04/2009 20:01

Have checked Uniform policy.

'Jacket with school name (available through school only)'

Navy blue V neck sweater (optional) (available through school only)'
Optional sweater? won't they be a bit cold in winter?

OP posts:
frogs · 21/04/2009 20:14

Depending on how large the school is and how distinctive the uniform is, it may not be commercially viable for mainstream suppliers to produce/sell it.

Dd1's state secondary has a v. distinctive uniform in a colour that is not readily available in other shops. You have to buy it from one specified uniform shop somewhere in the arse end of nowhere, and of course they can charge the earth cos there's no competition. Blazer is £80 or so, kilt, shirt, jumper, compulsory winter coat £90+, school logoed PE kit, separate summer uniform, yadda yadda. If you bought the whole lot new you wouldn't see any change from £400.

BUT I know the school have tried to interest other uniform suppliers (John Lewis etc) and been told that it's not economically viable for them to take on because the items are distinctive to that particular school, which has an intake of only 90 kids a year, ie they couldn't make a reliable profit on it. A different nearby school with a similar fancy uniform (kilts, blazers, fancy PE kit) but in a more mainstream colour and with an intake of 180 girls a year is significantly cheaper in terms of uniform, even from similar shops.

So unless the school radically changed their uniform to something much more mainstream (which would be very unlikely) there's v. little parents can do about it (apart from buy second-hand - lots of parents do that, which presumably squeezes the potential profit margins still further).

Tbh, I think the prices you've been quoted are not unreasonable. Once you've had a look at the items you can work out for yourself which things are indistinguishable from the M&S version, but I doubt it would be much cheaper in any case.

DisasterEggs · 21/04/2009 20:16

o.k so not £400 but it is the principle that narks me.

OP posts:
roisin · 21/04/2009 20:32

Governing Bodies have been advised by DCSF that they should reconsider uniform, and wherever possible should not have sole suppliers. (See the links given earlier by littlerach.)

Schools are being encouraged not to have logos on all items, and have more 'standard' items that can be bought from Tescos etc.

Also if there are logos then independent business who will 'embroider' the logos on clothes, should be given the relevant permissions/data from schools in order to compete with uniform shops.

For September I bought all of ds1's uniform from the uniform shop and it cost a fortune. I resent paying so much for items which are not of a higher quality.

I bought 3 shirts - far more expensive than M&S or Debenhams. All have had to be repaired as the stitching was giving way in places, and one has already gone in the bin as it had ripped around a button, and my attempted repair was not holding.

I have now bought 2 further s/s shirts, but in summer I will investigate getting the school logo embroidered onto some 'regular' white shirts from a decent supplier.

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