The cost of School Uniforms

I completely understand gilly

When my just turned four year old started school 2 years ago, we offered to help with uniform and shoe expenditure.
The school insisted on the embroidered polo, sweatshirts and PE shirts were ordered via the school.
I can't remember the exact amount but we all were a bit .
The following year our grandson had obviously grown and so uniform had to be renewed through school.

This year we have two grandsons starting school this September.
We have given son and DIL who live a distance away money to help with purchase school uniform.
Ironically all grandson's uniform are purple and not available via outlets such as M&S.

Things have changed re my other grandson who will starting at same school as older brother.

The school have now said that parents can purchase school uniform without the embroidered logo.

However the only store selling purple seems to be Asda.

Daughter has several pieces of embroidered uniform that are in good order, so these will be used by her youngest son.

Net result this years spend quite a bit less.
Each boy has one new embroidered sweatshirt and Polo shirt for first day, school photos and trips.

I am sure however that supermarket uniform will not be any where near the quality of the outlet.
But items from shops are much cheaper to replace
In the first year grandson 'lost' two brand new sweatshirts which had to be replaced.
All uniform marked in obvious place and also hidden in sleeve.

Probably best not to mention cost of shoes, trainers and pumps!!!

Erm I wish we could get away with Onesies and Plimsolls Calli but sadly not .

The list of what they need is crazy and now that both girls are at secondary school everything is twice over. The school is very strict on uniform and recent letters say that children will be sent home if they turn up in anything other than what the school dictate .

gillybob I thought that this was going to be one of those threads and was going to suggest sending them in onesies and plimsolls!

I do understand as two of my DGC will be going to senior school and the one here introduced a strict new uniform last year. It's not an academy as there are none here.
I will offer to help out if needs be because I know the cost is very high.
There will be little in the way of secondhand uniform as it was so recently changed.
Then, of course, there will be all the extras - do they have to buy all their own sports equipment, laptops etc?

However, DGD has been very excited to explain to me exactly what the uniform will be. I did wonder how long it will take all the Y7s to get fed up with it.

At least no hats are required as they were when I was at school.

I help with eldest GS school uniform and fortunately in his primary school the cost could be worse. I’m not looking forward to him changing school at the end P7! Some schools really have become OTT about the uniforms. What is the actual point of a different colour top for PE for each year group?

My one set of grand children's school sell off all items in unclaimed lost property and additional items donated by parents at the end of term. They only have logo on cardigans. The other set have to buy from school shop and don't let any of the supermarkets have the logo for embroidering onto shorts/blouses. Different schools different locations , different rules.

The shop had a stand taking orders in the school lobby when I went to attend the 'transition meeting' or whatever it was.

Which was a bit silly, as that was weeks ago, and if I'm spending hundreds on uniform he'll be wearing 5 sizes too big, not stuff that fitted him then.

Actually I take that back Elegran the bit where they told school they would benefit from each sale has disappeared and can only be accessed now via a log in.

I could not believe the cost of school clothes locally- over a tenner for a tie!

The person who was telling me the outrageous cost, not dissimilar to Gillybob's has two boys, one is about to start senior school next month and she cannot even save with sports tops because every year it is a different colour. Also they can only be bought in one shop.

We have the same and the nearest stockist is about 40 miles away so you can add the fuel on, they won’t do it over the internet either you have to go in person
It not always easy to buy second hand stella I have a very tall granddaughter some people may have chubby short or skinny ones that don’t fit in with the rest of the class
I think all logo clothes apart from maybe the Blazer should be outlawed or you could buy the logo badge separately to sew on like brownie badges

I'm not sure where I would start to look Elegran they must make a profit though as the uniform providers website pretty much says so. To be honest I don't even think the school would try to hide the fact that they profited. They are a law unto themselves.

If the school do make a commission on the sale of uniforms, Gillybob, it surely must appear somewhere in their accounts? Are these accounts available to parents/grandparents like yourself?

They damn well ought to be, if they are making a profit on something obligatory like uniform - fair enough if they had a fund-raising arm which was open about its aims and accounts, but not if it is a hidden expense.

I think the school must make a small fortune on the back of this.

Don't the schools sell uniforms second hand ? I buy all the GC uniforms but get them at the school second hand shop which has good donated uniforms at half price or less. The school gets them for free, and so any money they make is a profit.
The only things I buy new are the shoes.

We are trying to source skirts and blouses from elsewhere but I am worried that the school will deliberately not approve them and we will be forced to pay extortionate amounts for these too. Its such a worry.

My children’s school ran a second hand sale - well attended and also a second hand cupboard for during the year. Recycling at its best. No stigma - parents from “all walks of life” attended. Many items were donated by leavers. Extra funds went into the school library and IT department. Why not start this at the June/July sports day or end of year picnic?

My son is a school governor, Gillybob, and I will tell him what you say.

I live and learn.

We dont have that Academy system here in Scotland its either state schools or private schools .

Between my D and myself, there are 6 to kit out and it's an arm and a leg for a pair of decent shoes for starters. No use getting cheap ones, they don't last and are usually uncomfortable so that way it's money down the drain. If I contribute toward the shoes it's something.

D and GD are taking the children for their clothes and shoes in the next couple of weeks. The final bill will be horrendous-----enough for a decent holiday, it's criminal.

Its the same at my 2 DGD's school MissA . Everything has to be embroidered with the school logo (only available from 1 place) .

The PE kit itself is really expensive ! I pity those living on the breadline, who don't have anyone to help out .

This is a much sought after oversubscribed school and basically if you don't like their rules (and boy do they love rules) then you know where the door is . I kid you not.

Some may recall how we tried desperately to get my eldest DGD into this school and only won a place on appeal, so I think we have no choice really.

I just can't understand why the uniforms can't just be Navy or Grey across the board with just the badge being the identifying factor along with the tie.
This is the 1st year in many years that we don't have to help out with uniform for my 2 youngest DGCs as DGS is going into 6th form and as long as he is in smart trousers and jacket there is not a problem.

Gillybob, can you complain to the governors, or to your MP ? Is there a parents' association?

This is so wrong. I can imagine children and parents might go on strike or at least a demonstration about the injustice.

My boy goes into seniors, so I have a list including rugby shirts, football kit, however many pairs of socks, as well as the uniform, blazer and kitchen sink; all with the school logo on.

I resent spending as much as I would on a week away in a caravan on ruddy uniform!

Paddyann perhaps your grandchildren are still at primary school. Many Secondary schools have turned into Academies, so the government can opt out. God help any family that is already having to use a food bank.

I'm facing the same kind of bills, and I think its disgusting.

I'm in favour of uniform, but I can't see why they can't be bought at a supermarket.