School Uniform costs

[jackie j]

I am sure this has been disscussed before somewhere, I had a shock yesterday listening in on a conversation at the dentist. The recepionist was talking about her daughters school just across the road from me, The school in their wisdom decided to change the name of the school and therefore the uniform, Black trousers, white shirts, tie, jumpers and blazers, her daughter turned up in a pair of black trousers that were not bought from the school and got told off and may be sent home to change, they are not allowed to take their blazers off at all even if its hot. I think if they have a jumper they have to wear that under the blazer not instead of. And its not a private school.
Trousers £10 plus
Jumpers £15 plus
Blazers £30 plus
plus all the other costs.

I am sooooooo glad my daughter doesnt go to that school.

[Incy]

My son's school has a strict uniform although they have relaed it slightly this year.
Now they are allowed any black school trousers and any white school shirts rather than having to get them from the specified supplier however items specific to the school include:
Blazer £50
Tie around £7
PE shorts £4
PE shirt £6
jumper around £12
games shorts, shirt and socks (can't remember the price)
When we kitted our son out last year it was around £150 plus football boots, trainers and school shoes.
Thankfully this year he hasn't grown too much so we only had to do the PE kit (he lost the last 2 sets) and the shoes.

[janeyo]

None of out local schools wear blazers any more, it's all sweathirts and poloshirts. Cheaper but not half so smart looking.

[Capsid]

Don't you find that no matter how smart they go out the door, they always find a way to look scruffy when they come home.

Our school now sell clip on ties which the kids hate because they can't personalise it anymore, but it does look smarter.

[phil the shed]

My son's school has a strict uniform although they have relaed it slightly this year.
Now they are allowed any black school trousers and any white school shirts rather than having to get them from the specified supplier however items specific to the school include:
Blazer £50
Tie around £7
PE shorts £4
PE shirt £6
jumper around £12
games shorts, shirt and socks (can't remember the price)
When we kitted our son out last year it was around £150 plus football boots, trainers and school shoes.
Thankfully this year he hasn't grown too much so we only had to do the PE kit (he lost the last 2 sets) and the shoes.

spot on for mine too.
the policy is good as there are no have and have not barriers.
yes a little expensive but thats why i have three jobs
1 for the bills
2 for school stuff and trips etc.
3 for my spending on lottie etc (smallest job least hours)
i think it helps to intergrate all children the shirts are non branded but the sports kit is marked for when they take part in inter school sport etc.
they all went back by tuesday and the head and his team welcomed everybody into school (1300 pupils) and gave out only 17 uniform reminders
mainly for additional attire or poor condition
just gives you a good impression of the school and pupils

[di]

Don't you find that no matter how smart they go out the door, they always find a way to look scruffy when they come home.

Our school now sell clip on ties which the kids hate because they can't personalise it anymore, but it does look smarter.

I love it when they've had PE...Ash will often come home with shirt inside out & back to front,trousers backwards & often shoes on the wrong feet!
Of the two he's definately the scruffiest,thankfully he can wear red polo shirts as well as white...having had to throw out all his white ones,he now only wears red.
Daisy just started a new school & I haven't been brave enough to calculate the exact cost but I'd say I've easily spent over a hundred pounds.Infants can wear any red sweatshirt/cardi,but Juniors have to wear the shirt with the school logo...no cheapy Asda bargains.(sadly the quality doesn't seem any better than the cheap Supermarket ones!)

[TPeers]

Only £150 - not bad!

Hazel's uniform, blue shirt, plad skirt, blazer, uniform jumper, three different pe kits, rugby boots, trainers and school shoes came to around £300 and no this is not a private school!

[Hans Mum]

i know £150 is a lot of money but my DD has just gone back into 6th Form and no uniform!!! its cost me at least that already and I know that it wont be the last time she moans about having nothing to wear either for going out (cause she's worn it to school) or vice versa.....so it's bound to cost me more over the school year

[sunflower96]

Don't you find that no matter how smart they go out the door, they always find a way to look scruffy when they come home.

Our school now sell clip on ties which the kids hate because they can't personalise it anymore, but it does look smarter.

my sons school has just introduced the clip on ties and he it he says all the other kids have untided them to make them normal

[Capsid]

my sons school has just introduced the clip on ties and he it he says all the other kids have untided them to make them normal

How do you untie them?

[Maximillian]

Hmmm. My sons uniform;
trousers and shirts bought from bhs and m&s so not too bad
school jumper x 2 £72
school blazer £100! yes I bought it big! I have to say though it looks incredibly smart.
All games kit is from the school shop including a SEVENTY QUID TRACKSUIT which is NOT optional!

I've asked my boy not to grow any more ;-)

[PaulG]

The school our youngest goes to has made a deal with a local shop and expect all uniform items to be purchased only at that shop, said shop is not in our city but a nearby one.

We were told that should our son wear clothes not bought from this shop our son will be sent home until he has the correct uniform. I told them that if they refused my son access for wearing the same style and colour trousers etc bought locally for a lot less then they should explain to the LEA why they are denying him an education by profiteering on uniform supplies, they very quickly relented. I am not 100% sure by I believe it is illegal for a school to force you into buying overpriced goods from just one location just so they can make a profit, will try and look into it.

[Littlemouse]

I cannot see why if there has to be a logo it cannot be an embroidered one which can be sewn on or applied to appropriately coloured or styled item.

In our coffee area at work the other day we were discussing this issue and one mother said that parents who said they would not be buying the regulation stuff were 'advised' they ought perhaps to look for another school for their child!

[PaulG]

Did a check again and for any school who insist on a sole supplier the following may apply;

Schools or retailers that have exclusive contracts with suppliers may in principle be subject to enforcement action under Chapter I of the Competition Act 1998, on the grounds that these exclusive agreements may restrict competition between retailers to supply uniform.

Also for anybody being told that they should look elsewhere for schooling because uniform costs are deemed too high the following could apply;

School uniform and other items that must be purchased in accordance with school rules can be expensive, particularly for low income and large families. In deciding the design of its school uniform, DCSF expects the school governing body to give high priority to cost considerations. No school uniform should be so expensive as to leave pupils or their families feeling unable to apply to, or attend a school of their choice, due to the cost of the uniform.


This information was taken from This Website which also has other information which may be of interest.

[Capsid]

Well fortunately although there is only one supplier for the uniform at our kids school, you can just buy the school badge and sew it on to a black jacket/blazer.