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 like adjustable waist for when they grow and creases that stay put after washing, reinforced knees are pretty good with a boisterous little man and nice stay white shirts, water resistant is always a bonus....... don't ask for much, do I guys?! haha

I look for durability in clothes and reasonably priced.

I like the uniform but shops need to stock all year round..what i didnt like was buying 3 blazers at £40 each for my older 3 at high school

What i like to see in school uniforms is affordability & hard wearing fabrics that don't shrink after the second time i put them in the dryer. With 4 kids i always look for the best deals & choose items that are going to last reinforced knees on school trousers are great & anti crease so they can go straight on and bypass the iron is a bonus too.
I think that having nice/smart uniforms can give kids an extra confidence boost & i find that there are so many deals around that it's so much easier to afford uniforms each term.
I encourage my kids to go back to school with confience by making sure they are well prepared and kitted out for the year ahead!
I don't really worry about them going back to school when they are in the infants/juniors but i do think once they reach seniors it becomes very important to children exactly what their uniform looks like & the style too.
My children started getting themselves ready for school at different stages, i try to encourage them by getting them to put there own socks on & t-shirts as they need to prepare themselves for p.e times at school & teachers do encourage parents to prepare your kids for this!
For the school run i don't put that much effort in but i would like to think i look o.k

I'd really like for polo shirts to remain soft and no shrink after laundering.😉😉

mine love their school uniforms. they look so smart!

Love matalan school uniform ... good value and great quality! Easy to wash. Easy to iron. Thank you!

I love to get school uniforms from Matalan it doesn't matter about price but the lost lasting I usually buy a couple of pairs just incase and always write names in labels so they don't get muddled up with anyone else's x

I love school uniforms! I think my kids look so utterly adorable in them, possibly a huge fan because I never got to wear one as did my education in the Nordics.

My only qualm is shoes, lasting ones cost an arm and a leg, cheap ones are ruined in days :(

I love school uniforms - its a great leveller, and takes any angst out if deciding what to wear. However I wish retailers would realise that sometimes we need to buy it during the school year not just in august. It's so hard to find stuff in march when your kids gave a growth spurt or wreck their uniform and it needs replacing.

A hoody style seems to be amust for my little man at the moment

I love uniforms, it makes mornings easier and I fell if everyone looks the same there are no arguments who looks better of is dressed better. Its also easy to find them on school trips. I look for uniform with adjustable waists, and do not go into holes easy, my children hate uniform that is too tight.

I don't feel it makes children feel more confident but I feel it helps stop bullying as everyone is wearing the same.

To get the kids ready to o back to school, I let them know when they are due to go back so it isn't such a shock but they look forward to seeing all their friend so it isn't usually a problem.

I support my children so that if they need help with something they know i'm there, I regularly listen to them read and read to them at night also.

I don't work too much about what I am wearing to the school, though I would never wear pyjamas. I make sure my hair is neat and my clothes are presentable.

Love school uniform, no fights on school days deciding what to wear.
Would like to see more skorts my DD loves them and saves extra washing as I don't have to wash cycling shorts too. (She wears these under skirts because in spring Sumner they all do cart wheels and hand stands)
For ds slim/extra slim fitting trousers are a must.

I love school uniform no faffing in the morning over what to wear and it doesn't matter if it gets pen etc on. I just buy really basic value for money school uniform then it can just get chucked if needs be. Having said that I have 3 boys and some actually survives to be passed down. The kids have one sweatshirt each with the school uniform for things like photos and trips though. I also spend a couple of pounds a pair more on the trousers with reinforced knees otherwise my boys would go through a pair every couple of days. I will say about Mataram though the sizes aren't great. There doesn't seem to be as wide a choice as other places. It goes from 5-6 to 7-8 rather than 5-6 6-7 7-8.

Your general thoughts on school uniform items - what do you want to see in a uniform? A certain level of distinctiveness and also a uniform that looks smart. What's important to you when picking school uniform for your children? my DD is very slim so finding one that fits and, if adjustable around the waist, doesn't look lumpy. Moreover, clothes these days are tailored to the chunkier child, so stuff that fits a beanpole well is great. What features do you look for? Comfort and something my DD will like to wear. What styles do your children like/ hate? Slim fitting. She hates bulky stuff or wide clothes.

Do you think a school uniform helps your child feel confident during the school year? Yes, as it limits worrying about how she looks compared to her peers.

How do you encourage your children to go back to school after school holidays with confidence? We talk about what she's looking forward to and the chance to see all her friends again. What concerns do you have - if any - about sending your children to school for the first time/back to school after the holidays? That she'll slightly struggle to adjust to a new teacher.
What tips do you have for helping your child get the most out of school all year round?Let them know that you are there as a sounding block and to also make sure that the things they worry about that seem minor to us are dealt with swiftly.

At what age do your children start getting dressed themselves for school: what tips can you share for encouraging this? Aged 5 (an older 5). clothes without fiddly bits to do up or undo. I hate front zipped dresses but DD likes them as they are easier to wear, especially for PE days.

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 wear my work uniform so I'm not bothered.

Your general thoughts on school uniform items - what do you want to see in a uniform?
easy care, simple, no school branded stuff, so it's easy to buy and replace wherever I am, the ideal would be trousers for girls and boys and don't get me started on school shoes.. should be the same for girls and boys

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?

did always like a pinafore. As iron-friendly as poss. HAte stripes as they give me headaches to iron, hate pleats as they take time.

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

no hassle deciding what to wear, everyone in the same boat but still tiny opportunities to individualise

How do you encourage your children to go back to school after school holidays with confidence?

Prep all homework as needed, always remind them they can talk to me about anything, get everything organised, let them choose new stationery and lunch boxes, let them decide what packed lunches they want

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

am nervy about September as oldest dd will be going to secondary, and youngest ds will be starting nursery. Sad and happy times.
What tips do you have for helping your child get the most out of school all year round?
be organised, forgetting stuff like homework kits leave your child on the back foot. try your best to be on time every day so they aren't rushing in and mixing themselves up

At what age do your children start getting dressed themselves for school: what tips can you share for encouraging this?
all kids different, do it bit by bit. ds couldn't tie his own tie til age 7, nor his shoelaces. lots encouragement and praise.

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?
winter is easy as all covered up with coat and hood :-) but summer needs a bit more thought. Often I'm very scruffy as running around after the toddler... don't really care, just wear a smile and say hi to people is more important - show your kids to be polite to others.

Generally I'm all in favour of school uniform. The children don't have to worry about not having the most up to the minute fashions and uniforms are pretty durable. My one bug bear right now is my daughter's high school allow only one type of skirt - a pleated kilt that requires ironing after every wash ffs. I diligently do this however I can see from older girls their parents have given up and the kilts are out of shape and minus their pleats. I'm sure by the time my dd is in yr8 y11 hers will look the same!

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?
Adjustable waists in skirts and trousers are a must. My children prefer short sleeved shirts all year round, if they're cold they'll put on their jumper. Velcro instead of top button is great on shirts. I avoid anything with pleats, a nightmare to iron. In fact I tend to go for things that need little to no ironing at all. Well sewn on buttons! I hate sewing on buttons.

Do you think a school uniform helps your child feel confident during the school year? How?
I think it helps them differentiate between home/leisure time and school and means they're not worrying so much that they don't have the 'right' clothes.

At what age do your children start getting dressed themselves for school: what tips can you share for encouraging this?
I encouraged mine to dress independently from word go, by the time they were 5 they could dress themselves.

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 just wear what I've been wearing all day, don't really think about it.

I'm dreading school uniforms. DD will happily dress herself in clashing psychedelic patterns or anything with cats, dogs or Peppa pig on. But try to get her into something plain and there are sobs and tears as you gently manoeuvre her stubborn limbs into the correct part of the garment. I'm hoping to find a school with a big animal logo on the school uniform. It's my only hope...

General thoughts: would like to see more cotton polo shirts/ shirts as my kids have sensitive skin. And I tolerate ironing, for the lack of hard chemical coatings.
Soft fabrics without hard seams work for us. Matalan cardigans are the best so far.
School shoes for girls which are practical and hardwearing... Don't leak and have decent grips and are suitable to be walked in for at least a mile a day for one and a half terms.

Sizes which go all the way through the teens.... School carries on til 18, so should uniform.

Confidence: they do feel dressed the part when they first start school with uniform.
I think a bit more flexibility would be good for children's self esteem though. If your figure doesn't suit a straight skirt, why not allow an a line too? In fact any sensible skirt of the approximate colour. Things to do to help them feel good about starting back.... Not a new pair of shoes, but polish the old ones, iron all the shirts and get child to put in wardrobe ranked in order of preference ( usually first hand down to 4 th hand...)

Independence. Dunno, I didn't achieve anything noteworthy in this dept. I suggest patience... They will get there eventually.

own dress for school run...
Usually wish I had brushed my hair once we are halfway there....

Since about Year 3 my daughter really preferred culottes or shorts to a school skirt because it meant she could do climbing and handstands without flashing her underwear.

Thanks for all the comments - am pleased to say thismeansnothing wins the £300 voucher.