School uniform.. ouch!

[emyandpotato]

That is ridiculous! It just alienates anyone who is struggling financially. What about those who need free school dinners? How can they afford £400 a year per child? It really upsets me that this happens at high schools let alone at primary. Is it even legal for primary schools to enforce a uniform?

One of the arguments for having uniform is to help make children equal, so they all have to wear the same and it doesn't become a thing of whose wearing what, whose got the nicest clothes etc etc. I agree with this as I think poorer children would be alienated more at least by secondary school anyway. But I agree with you with these kinds of costs it's probably not achieving this, I remember my PE kit being one of the most expensive parts of the uniform.

Oh absolutely and I think for that reason it's essential, and it makes life easier to have a uniform. What I think is insane, however, is making it anything other than a plain coloured sweatshirt, trousers and a polo, because then people begin to struggle.

 

[Tasha]

One of the arguments for having uniform is to help make children equal, so they all have to wear the same and it doesn't become a thing of whose wearing what, whose got the nicest clothes etc etc. I agree with this as I think poorer children would be alienated more at least by secondary school anyway. But I agree with you with these kinds of costs it's probably not achieving this, I remember my PE kit being one of the most expensive parts of the uniform.

Problem with that is that the shoes, trainers, coat, bags etc are the items that are still a choice and are the ones that will make them stand out if not branded

We are lucky with the children's primary school, they expect a school jumper and a book bag with logo, both relatively cheap. White polo shirts, black or grey bottoms (they dont even mind tracksuit or leggings as long as they are plain) and plain black shoes but they actively encourage them to be trainers as they say more practical at primary school age. Sky donated the pe bags and in them were things like stationary (we live near Sky head office) Water bottles are paid for by the friends of the school.

The secondary school I want M to go to though has compulsory blazers, sweatshirts, shirts, ties etc. It is around £45 for a blazer so even with a grant you wont get much.

 

[Pearls18]

That is ridiculous! It just alienates anyone who is struggling financially. What about those who need free school dinners? How can they afford £400 a year per child? It really upsets me that this happens at high schools let alone at primary. Is it even legal for primary schools to enforce a uniform?

One of the arguments for having uniform is to help make children equal, so they all have to wear the same and it doesn't become a thing of whose wearing what, whose got the nicest clothes etc etc. I agree with this as I think poorer children would be alienated more at least by secondary school anyway. But I agree with you with these kinds of costs it's probably not achieving this, I remember my PE kit being one of the most expensive parts of the uniform.

Oh absolutely and I think for that reason it's essential, and it makes life easier to have a uniform. What I think is insane, however, is making it anything other than a plain coloured sweatshirt, trousers and a polo, because then people begin to struggle.

My old secondary school has just changed it's uniform from sweatshirts to blazers and the whole shabang as a "rebranding" thing, apparently it's gone down very well (I would have loved a blazer ) but I can't imagine how much more expensive it must be now??

 

[Pink1981]

Tesco have an embroidery shoo that covers a lot of schools, the school gets some of the profit ? Might be worth looking at

Also some schools have second hand clothing you can buy at summer fetes and this that are much cheaper but still the right uniform

 

[Tasha]

My old secondary school has just changed it's uniform from sweatshirts to blazers and the whole shabang as a "rebranding" thing, apparently it's gone down very well (I would have loved a blazer ) but I can't imagine how much more expensive it must be now??

My old school just did the same, it was meant to be coming in as a gradual process but the head said as it was so effective that it is now compulsory from after the recent easter holidays. I would be absolutely fuming if I bought a complete uniform for my year eight child a year ago (year sevens already have the new uniform) and was told nope it's all changed now and here buy a £45 blazer

 

[emyandpotato]

That is ridiculous! It just alienates anyone who is struggling financially. What about those who need free school dinners? How can they afford £400 a year per child? It really upsets me that this happens at high schools let alone at primary. Is it even legal for primary schools to enforce a uniform?

One of the arguments for having uniform is to help make children equal, so they all have to wear the same and it doesn't become a thing of whose wearing what, whose got the nicest clothes etc etc. I agree with this as I think poorer children would be alienated more at least by secondary school anyway. But I agree with you with these kinds of costs it's probably not achieving this, I remember my PE kit being one of the most expensive parts of the uniform.

Oh absolutely and I think for that reason it's essential, and it makes life easier to have a uniform. What I think is insane, however, is making it anything other than a plain coloured sweatshirt, trousers and a polo, because then people begin to struggle.

My old secondary school has just changed it's uniform from sweatshirts to blazers and the whole shabang as a "rebranding" thing, apparently it's gone down very well (I would have loved a blazer ) but I can't imagine how much more expensive it must be now??

It seems to be really popular with parents to have a shirt and tie and blazer, but I don't get it as a parent and certainly didn't as a pupil. We had the whole lot and it was ridiculously expensive, and we had to have a huge PE kit too. The irony is that I've done work experience in high schools where the uniform was just a polo and sweatshirt in the school colours and the behaviour was much better, partly because ten minutes out of every lesson wasn't spent chastising kids for not having their shirts tucked in/ties done up etc., and the kids all looked smarter because they couldn't do those things which are inevitable with a smarter uniform. It's kind of an accepted evil for secondary schools, but for primary I think it's crazy, and like in OPs case I just think it's sad that uniform for a four year old is so expensive.

 

[emyandpotato]

Sorry I didn't mean to debate, I sound like a right argumentative willy!

 

[Dragonfly]

Too much to quote, yes the polos in my sons school need a logo. I got him some back up ones from tesco and on non PE day I use them so they dont see the logo but on PE day he ends up wearing his logo one as they did say something to him. Uniform grants are from the school board here, same place free dinners come from. Schools run a bit different here. On primary school not pre school uniforms. I get hand me downs too from friends. Sure why not.

 

[Pearls18]

Sorry I didn't mean to debate, I sound like a right argumentative willy!

Lol no of course not I don't think you sound argumentative. I have to say this thread has shown this is one of the few times I am financially pleased DS is a September baby!

 

[rosie272]

Wow, it's an expensive time! I'm going to be £115+ for Charlie come August and that doesn't include shoes, shirts, shorts or trousers! His school is really, really strict about uniform and shoes which I think is a good thing, it's better all of the kids look the same imo. Charlie's school charge £65 for the wool blazer so I'm going for the polyester one which is £40. He's to have gym kit, jogging suit for outdoor learning, logo jumper, tie and blazer. I'm also buying him the winter jacket with inside fleece (£35) the jumpers and tank tops are good quality so I'm hoping they'll last and I'm buying most things a size bigger. It is possible to apply for a clothing grant as well.

 

[Vicyi]

That is ridiculous! It just alienates anyone who is struggling financially. What about those who need free school dinners? How can they afford £400 a year per child? It really upsets me that this happens at high schools let alone at primary. Is it even legal for primary schools to enforce a uniform?

One of the arguments for having uniform is to help make children equal, so they all have to wear the same and it doesn't become a thing of whose wearing what, whose got the nicest clothes etc etc. I agree with this as I think poorer children would be alienated more at least by secondary school anyway. But I agree with you with these kinds of costs it's probably not achieving this, I remember my PE kit being one of the most expensive parts of the uniform.

Oh absolutely and I think for that reason it's essential, and it makes life easier to have a uniform. What I think is insane, however, is making it anything other than a plain coloured sweatshirt, trousers and a polo, because then people begin to struggle.

My old secondary school has just changed it's uniform from sweatshirts to blazers and the whole shabang as a "rebranding" thing, apparently it's gone down very well (I would have loved a blazer ) but I can't imagine how much more expensive it must be now??

My high school went from navy blazers to black ones when i was in year 8, then when i was in year 11 the school changed its name (it changed to a CofE school) and it all went back to navy again! My Mum was not best pleased to say the least. How she afforded to do that with 4 children (3 in school at any one time) i dont know!

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I feel really lucky now!

 

[dgirllamius]

Wow, that is mighty expensive.

I can remember we used to wear a blazer at school with this hideous looking tie. They also did it so you could either buy one with the badge already on or just buying the badge and putting it on yourself. I don't think my mum paid crazy amounts for uniform.

I'm so glad I don't have to worry about this when the time comes.

 

[Abigailly]

That's insane. We go away next week for almost 3 weeks, which is only a matter of days before the end of term so I had to buy all her unifor (from the school) last week.

It's a Catholic school and some of the collections from Mass go towards school uniform so you can 'opt out ' to buying what you want or pay what you can currently afford. I payed full price for them though and I only paid £10 per hoody, £7 per polo and shirt and £9 per jumper. All with logos. Ours is the small school in the village and my neighbour told me that at the big school it's £18 per jumper, and £45 per blazer!!

 

[lau86]

One of the local primaries round here (thankfully not the one my son will go to) has started doing blazers and hats for 4 year olds! Just a regular state primary. Why is that necessary??
My sons uniform is purple!!! And the girls need purple summer dresses, I've never seen them in the shops

 

[alicecooper]

Don't they do grants for lower income families to help them buy it?

Leeds does, where I used to live, but Barnsley where I live now, there are no grants here. Really annoying.

My kids get the free dinners though.

My mam got the uniform grant and free dinners for me when I was a kid.

 

[QueenMummyToBe]

That is crazy!

Dd started school in December but her uniform cost us less than £100.. We bought skirt, 3 dresses and trousers from as asda, 3 packs of white polos, but then we had to buy school branded cardigans (3) pe kit, book bag and pe bag. We bought a pair of Clarkson shoes (lasted September until April) and now have a pair of asda (really good quality)

ds is starting nursery at the same school this Sept and it is going to be a nightmare finding uniform to fit him (he still wears 12-18m clothes and even they are too big)

xx

 

[AP]

MIL just offered to pay for Alexs uniform

i think shes underestimated oh well!

 

[Tasha]

Awww, well that is lovely of her.

 

[Tanikins]

We have 2 acadamy primarys and then 1 other. Oh kids go to the other its brown and yellow and uber had to source elsewhere, its £9 for a polo £15 for a jumper so expensive

The acadamy is white and purple so eaiser to source, same sorta price but each year you get 1 free polo and jumper