School uniform...the expense!

[Heldi]

Well stupid head me...was on automatic pilot and bought my son 3 pairs of grey school trousers last week. Thought "Hurrah!" to myself for being a little bit organised....for once. This morning I picked up his new school's prospectus and it's black pants he needs,not grey like his old school ...aaargh!  Trouble is I ripped off all the labels and binned them all as I can't stand bits and pieces hanging about.  Good job they were under a tenner but it's the faff I can do without.

Looking at the list for his P.E. kit I am sure they are having a larf.

Trainers
White shorts
White vest
Football boots and socks
Football shirt
Black shorts
Tracksuit. (optional)

Blimey..what does he need all that for? He has had football boots in the past. Worn them..oh atleast twice and now they are too small.  He isn't into football. Not a footballing household. I will not be happy buying him some more. But what can I do...if they say he needs them then I guess he needs them?! He'll look silly without them,especially when all his footballing school friends have them? 

He needs new school shoes and new trainers...but he needs new shoes and trainers for civvies too. He is in adult sizes now anorl.  The thought of the expense is frightening. I've got my little girl starting school too.

One teacher was spouting off about the cheap uniform items from supermarkets ...but when you need to buy a few it isn't all that cheap is it?  My son went through loads of trousers both by wearing them out and by growing . I reckon my daughter will come home covered in paint or suchlike everyday (she's good like that!) so I'll need a few bits of clothing for both of them.

I don't remember having all this stuff when I was a kid. School bags,book bags water bottles, gym bags etc lol.

Oh no My son's new school has a tuck shop !

They do look so smart and sweet when they first go back to school though.  Aaaaw !   ;D

[Heldi]

[SnooziSuzi]

I've just had to spend £70 on some items for my son who is only 6, and I'm still not done as this was only for the school logo embroidered tops.  He still needs, as you say, 2 pairs of trainers, 2 pairs of shoes and more trousers.

On top of this my very picky 13yo needs a whole new set of clothes (specially embroidered from one supplier only as well of course) for her uniform, and these are 3 times the price of my sons! 

Aparantly, the government have ruled that you don't HAVE to buy the school embroidered stuff at their vastly inflated prices, but honestly, who's going to send their kids to school looking like poor cousins??

[Deb P]

High school daughter has to have the embroidered sweatshirts AND polo shirts, plain ones 'not allowed', only with the school crest....costs about £90 for a full set of stuff, and now she is starting GCSE she has to have a special PE top with her own number on the back! More expense!

My 10 year old son DESTROYS his clothes, especially trousers.....ripped, glued, you name it...'didn't mean to play football in it mum' ;so I only buy cheap supermarket teflon treated stuff for him, plus he is shooting up so fast it will only fit for a couple of months!  :-\

[Mrs Ava]

Fortunately our school coloured polo shirts are readily available in our George, pack of 2 for about £4 - both boys and girls.  You can get the 'proper' ones from the uniform shop, at £15 a hit, but those that do are in the minority.  I normally buy them one each for school photo day so they have the school logo on their shirts, but that is it.  Cardi's and jumps have to be royal blue and don't have to have the school logo on, but most people do get these, and they are about £24 a time.  Other than that, they are very easy going, grey skirts/trousers/shorts, white/grey/black socks, black shoes, plimsols (£2.50 in my local shoe shop) and you can buy the special book bag and pe bag at a fiver a time, or they can take a bag of their choice.  I hit George for most of their kit as it needs replacing so often that I refuse to spend a fortune on any of it.  But I agree, they look FAB on that first day back in September!

[OliveOil]

It cost me £250 to kit out my son and daughter last year - blazers and specific uniforms grrrrr

[emmy1978]

I know!!! It's a nightmare. When Maya started school I skipped in to the uniform shop, picked up the basics - few shirts, skirts, pe kit, went to pay - £95! Put it all back - went to Asda - too cheap!  ::) You could use the shirt as a window it was so thin. I have found Woolies do good stuff for primary age kids - v reasonable and good quality.
Shoes have got to be Clark's though - they last and last and if they fall to bits before they outgrow them, they replace them. Not that I have ever had to do that. My friend has a boy at secondary school. She buys most of his stuff from Burton as he is nice and tall and the uniform is black.
I think it's pe kit where schools take the mickey. Telling you to buy footie boots is ridiculous. My mum had to have her own hockey and lacrosse stick and tennis racquet.
Oh, I don't want to think about it but I know I should start now!!

[Mrs Ava]

Oh yes emmy, I forgot that.  When I was at school we had to have tennis rackets and hockey sticks.  Fortunately I was never a proud girl so had my aunts hand-me-downs.  I don't mind Asda's cheap uni's, but then they don't wear shirts, they were polo shirts and the quality is better than the uniform shops!  Don't know about shoes.  My sister pays about £50 per term to kit her boys out in shoes because they scuff them up and grow out of them.  I buy mine either in the little local shoe shop, or again, in Asda's George and it costs me about £20 per term to do mine. 

Then of course you have the school clubs, or clubs around the school.  We currently have Karate which has cost me in the region of £150 to kit them both out with uniforms, weapons and insurance, then piano costs me £100 per term for them.  She does brownies, which is cheap by comparison, but still cost me about £50 to kit her out.  Glad to say number one son isn't terribly sporty at the moment so football hasn't been considered.  This could all change in September.

[lorna]

I can't remember how much it was but I know I nearly had a fit when Lorna told me how much Joshua's latest shirt cost for Scouts.

[SnooziSuzi]

I can't remember how much it was but I know I nearly had a fit when Lorna told me how much Joshua's latest shirt cost for Scouts.

I dread to think of how much I've paid out over the years for brownie uniforms / karate pyjamas and other things and it seems that as soon as I've remortgaged the house to pay for the uniforms and subs she goes off the idea!! >:(

At least number one son hasn't discovered these things yet so it gives me a chance to do some saving!

[kt.]

For my 4 yr old and 6 yr old it is costing over £100. The school jumpers/sweaters and embroided badging can only be purchased through the school! No where else. What a @*%+# con. )

[Heldi]

Yes I have wondered why you can't get the embroidered school logo tops from else where. Both my son's school and my daughter's school insist on them. Have already forked out for them and have tried to forget the pain!


Bought some school bits on the internet today.  £70   Kerrrrching !

[OliveOil]

I think if you approach the school governors you will find guidelines that expressly say that uniforms should be availalbe from more than one source! I am a clerk and got the paperwork a few weeks ago. With more suppliers available, prices are more competitive!

[Doris_Pinks]

Daughter came home yesterday and announced they are changing the school uniform.....so much for me buying her oversized sweatshirts last year so they would last her!! :o :o
Oh and we too can only purchase them from one shop! >:(

[emmy1978]

Yep, Olive is right. Your uniforms have to be available from more than one place. I think it is an equal opportunities thing. Not all parents can afford uniform shop prices so the school needs to sort that out. Our school the embroidered uniform is optional.
EJ - I wish my girls would hurry up and even their feet out.  ;D Neither can find an Asda size that fits properly. So irritating!! Still, when I'm smart I make the Clark's sale so not too bad!
Bit of a diversion but my daughters have been on the waiting list for Rainbows and Brownies for a YEAR!!! I think I should have been saving up for the uniform.  ::)

[Mrs Ava]

You can get Brownies stuff quite reasonably from ebay, but check the girl guiding website because some of the items are cheaper buying directly from them than getting them in dribs and drabs elsewhere.  Also, some groups do have second hand gear which is nice and cheap.

For the first couple of years, the children had clarks shoes, when their feet were teeny and they were just starting out in the big wide world, but honestly, number one son completely knackers shoes in a matter of weeks playing footie, climbing trees, running though puddles.  Thank goodness for Asda!

Someone should market iron on, or self sew on school logo badges, like the badges you get at Brownies etc.  Then you could buy a standard navy sweatshirt (for example) and sew your relevant school logo on it.

[Deb P]

Now there's an idea...nothing to stop me cutting out the logo from an old shirt and sewing it on a new blank one......

[SnooziSuzi]

Someone should market iron on, or self sew on school logo badges, like the badges you get at Brownies etc.  Then you could buy a standard navy sweatshirt (for example) and sew your relevant school logo on it.

That's how it used to be, but that meant that schools didn't get a kick back from the clothing suppliers as parents could shop around >:(

We have an embroiderers near to us, it would be good if the school would release a template that you could take to any embroiderers and have them 'brand' the items you have bought from ASDA etc.  The uniforms may not exactly match, but then you don't get uniform sized kids, so they all look like a rabble anyway!  :D

[kt.]

Daughter came home yesterday and announced they are changing the school uniform.....so much for me buying her oversized sweatshirts last year so they would last her!! :o :o
Oh and we too can only purchase them from one shop! >:(

My daughters uniform changed from green & white to red & white last year so I know how you feel.

[saddad]

I'm nearly out of the woods... Eldest has U6 to go and youngest is going into year ten...
I remember being on clothing grants... like free school meals but poorer as a kid they get everything on the list but I'll be glad when it's over...
:-\

[robkb]

This all sounds horribly familiar! Eldest daughter is just about to start secondary school and the full uniform including sports gear all has to be branded with the school logo and is costing over £200 :o :o !!!

Cheers,
Rob ;)