Let's talk School Uniform - Matalan would love to know what you think - £300 to be won NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

Following winning a Mumsnet Rated badge for their range of Teflon coated school uniform, the team at Matalan would love to explore further with Mumsnetters their general views on School Uniform.

Matalan say "we all know uniform can be expensive and time consuming to keep clean/ keep on top of - at Matalan you can kit your kids out for less with our school uniform range, it's packed full of new features and benefits that will mean less ironing and washing for parents - better still, shop the full range online and collect in store for free! We'd love to know your tips and views on uniform in general and how you help your child feel confident at school"

Please share on this thread your views on all or some of the below:

Your general thoughts on school uniform items - what do you want to see in a uniform? What's important to you when picking school uniform for your children? What features do you look for? What styles do your children like/ hate?

Do you think a school uniform helps your child feel confident during the school year? How?

How do you encourage your children to go back to school after school holidays with confidence? What concerns do you have - if any - about sending your children to school for the first time/back to school after the holidays?
What tips do you have for helping your child get the most out of school all year round?

At what age do your children start getting dressed themselves for school: what tips can you share for encouraging this?

And for those who do a school run - how much - if at all, do you care or think about what you wear to drop off or pick up from school?

Add your comments to this thread and you will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will win a £300 voucher to spend in Matalan (a Love2Shop voucher)

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

Standard Insight T and Cs apply

I actually love school uniform as think it looks smart and every child is wearing the same so no competition or bullying on not having the latest trends or brands" When buying uniform I always go for quality that's it durable to wear and tear . In shirts and skirts I always opt for the easy iron.

What do you want to see in a uniform? What's important to you when picking school uniform for your children? What features do you look for? What styles do your children like/ hate?

I want to see good durable fabrics which don't fade after a week. I want it to be comfortable. I need trousers which include buttons in the inside of the waist as my boy is slender. He prefers to wear the official jumper of his preschool - with the logo. Unfortunately they are a lot more expensive, i would like to see the official jumper made more readily available and at a lower cost.

Do you think a school uniform helps your child feel confident during the school year? How?
Yes, to see everyone dressed the same helps children to see they are all equal.

How do you encourage your children to go back to school after school holidays with confidence? What concerns do you have - if any - about sending your children to school for the first time/back to school after the holidays?

I don't need to encourage it, my son misses his friends and his teachers and can't wait to get back!!
I have no concerns at the moment.

What tips do you have for helping your child get the most out of school all year round?

My son is only 4 so we just talk a lot about what they are doing or have done and what they might do next.

At what age do your children start getting dressed themselves for school: what tips can you share for encouraging this?

We started to encourage him to do parts of his own getting ready routine as soon as he started preschool so age 3. He is now 4 and most days dresses himself pretty well...Sometimes there is a garment on back to front or a shoe on the wrong foot still. He likes to race to get ready.
He also loves to dress his baby brother too :)

And for those who do a school run - how much - if at all, do you care or think about what you wear to drop off or pick up from school?
I don't care that much, but i often feel inadequate. Other Mams just seem to have it all together 😂
I am up at 4am most days and still don't have time to get a brush through my hair!

Having said that for the last week i have just thrown leggings and a sports bra and old t-shirt on so I'm ready to work out as soon as i get back!

I have three in uniform. My son is in senior school and blazers and logo'd uniform from there are stupidly expensive.
My twins are at primary school and whilst they still have a logo'd sweatshirt, for the remaining uniform I look for comfort, ease of changing (for pe), how easy it is to wash and dry. Quality and price

School Uniforms should be hard wearing, practical and good looking, as well as easy on my purse, so quite a tall order... thankfully Matalan tick all these school boxes ! - I always take my children with me when buying, then they can make some choices of their own, get involved and try on different styles, this makes them eager to wear the clothes... and go to School !

When I was younger I didn't like to wear uniform. I think it takes the kids individuality away. However, they do look smart and makes it easier in the morning.

Simply a good price that doesn't require ironing!

Getting kids to embrace going back to school after a long break is never easy! When getting them back into the routine of wearing their uniform, I take them shopping with me, we choose a cool, school-bag, new shoes or trainers, and they pick a nice lunch-box. They are always excited to be going back to meet their mates, and this easing-in process never fails with me! :)

I do like school uniforms. It helps to stop school being a fashion parade and single out those who are wealthy/poor.
Just a well fitting, smart looking uniform is good. No bobbly jumpers that go out of shape quickly!

Mine dressed himself from 4 I found preparation is the key to a pleasant morning I lay everything out ready for him the next morning, no TV in the morning it's a distraction and causes tantrums when it's time to get ready. I have a matalan just 15 mins walk down the road so have always got uniforms from there very reasonable price wash great and are very hard wearing which is what you need with little boys who love football ⚽

More plus size uniform please. Yes I know my DS shouldn't be plus size but he is and he has to wear uniform. Next used to be the only place that did it, then M&S but both only online. Trousers and shorts in particular please- just cut a few cm bigger on waist and thighs.

For me it's about decent wearability and it being reasonably priced. I don't want things that fade, bobble or have loose threads after only a few wears.

Dd is at preschool at the moment and I send her in uniform as I know what she's wearing everyday. The best thing I've found is buying enough of everything so she has a fresh uniform each day, no mad panic washing then.
Adjustable waists are a must so they stay up at the moment.

i think school uniforms are fab the only thing i hate is when the school insists on logo jumpers pe kit etc last year my son needed a full new uniform, Blazer £60 Jumper with logo on £20 PE T-shirt £15 Shorts £10 Rugby top £24 then Aprons for catering, science and Design all can only be brought from mail order and have the logo on i think it would be more realistic for them to be allowed to wear just jumpers t shirts etc in the same colour but without the logo then more families could afford them

Definitely prefer to have school uniforms. Good value from the likes of Matalan but it is when you have to pay to have the school emblem and name put on the sportswear - that really makes it expensive!

I like the idea of uniforms as saves decidering what to wear in the morning and means no competition at school of what everyone is wearing. But uniform should be comfortable and practical so that pupils can get on with studying and not pulling at their shirt or tie.

I home-school my four kids now, but when they were at school, their uniforms were changing from jumpers to Blazers, and my kids weren't looking forward to it. Nor was I, not because it didn't look smart, but because I had only six months previously bought them new jumpers, and it costs a FORTUNE to buy everything from the one dedicated school supplier, which is what we are told to do. You can't just get them a cheap fruit of the Loom tee from ebay for P.E., you had to buy them proper rugby shirts with their names stitched on (to prevent others stealing...it didn't!) we had to buy mouthguards, trainers had to be black and white, not black, not white, black AND white, and it roughly cost us around £120 per child to clothe them.
Two of my children are super skinny, which made clothes buying hard, and two of mine are really tall, which also made buying hard.

No, my kids didn't feel more confident in their clothes, my kids are definitely of the ilk that 'Clothes does not maketh the man!' they hate anything posh, designer, fancy lol, my kids like to be dressed in comfortable jeans and a tee, usually baggy, which now they are educated at home, they can do!

My two boys started to dress themselves from age about 4 1/2 - 5, my girls even earlier, even if everything was done up wrong lol, they're all stubborn! ;-)

Getting my kids back to school is not a problem as you can gather! My lot like a lie in, and while they are kids, I'm glad I can give it to them! We do plenty of learning, but theres no need to get up early to do it! :-) We do a few hours each day, as they have one to one with me, they get a lot more time to spend playing, which is all I ever wanted for them.

I do care about what I wear when I take my kids to their activities, my daughters do ballet and I try to look smart as I weigh about ten times the amount of the other skinnier mums there! I try to take much more care with my clothes, I don't exactly dress up, but I take my time, making sure I don't look like a dogs dinner! :-) x

I would love to see more plus sized uniform. DS9 is rugby-esque" & dyspraxic and finding bits of uniform that fit him comfortably have been a nightmare. M&S has an ok plus range but they're often sold out for any sizes beyond Age 3-4 and while their polo and school shirts were of decent size the trousers still had too narrow a waist. BHS had a brilliant range of plus size. I see Matalan offers plus size trousers, but no shorts or dress shirts.

i hate uniforms from the school shop so expensive not fair on families that cant afford those prices

I couldn't stand school uniform and neither can my daughter. However, now I am an adult I genuinely believe that it serves a real purpose. School is not just about formal education but also an education about life. In life you have to follow rules and I think that ensuring that students stick to uniform rules is a real lesson. My daughter has had a couple of behaviour points for not wearing her tie properly. However, while I privately don't think ties have a place anymore, publicly I stand up for the school because it's a rule.

From primary one. I encourage this by them doing one item then I help with the rest after a while two items etc until they fully dress themselves,

I love the matalan uniform range, there's lots of styles to choose from and the trousers are really sturdy, great value and well worth the money

If there were TWO outlets for the uniform then prices would be more competitive. At the moment where we live a 'franchise' in effect has a licence to print money as they are the only outlet that sells the blazer with the school badge. You can prick up the regular grey/black/brown/green trousers, skirts on the high street which is fine by me.

Having a uniform at least removes the 'I haven't anything to wear' argument but, of course, that just leaves more space for a different type of argument in the morning.

I think uniforms are great as there is no arguing over what is acceptable to wear, everyday clothes don't get ruined whilst playing, painting etc... my only gripe would be the cost when schools demand specific items which could be found elsewhere for less without logos for example.

I like school uniforms as it stops competition as to if the kids have designer clothes on etc. School uniforms are quite expensive though, so to have some that are cheap, but well made, are an absolute must!

I love my kids having a uniform - stops any squabbles about what to wear and it gives them a sense of belonging. It made them feel grown up and that they were entering a new chapter in their life when we shopped for it and they have always been very keen to dress themselves in it.
My main look for is material - I want something that wears and washes well!

I'd like be to see everything non-iron (I hate ironing) and as cheap as possible without scrimping too much do the materials are hard wearing x