free xtra benefits???

moggylover

mitchaa wrote: »

Absoloute ludicrous example of how much a school uniform costs:rolleyes:

I must be seeing things when i shop in tescos and note how cheap a school uniform is. You can certainly dress 2 children to go to school for well under £100.

You will also learn that the children in question are primary school age.

Dont try and kid people as to how much things cost. Your example is absoloute ridiculous. Football and rugby shirts and boots, tracksuits, locker fees, school trips and school funds:rotfl:

Never had any of these as compulsory when i was at school.

Well, I don't know where you went to school - but I am 50 and they had all but the locker fee and school funds when I was there!

My son started senior school 2 years ago - the polo shirts HAVE to have the logo on and they are £13.95 EACH - and they are really rubbish - I have had better from Tescos. All the other things, football and rugby shirts, a separate white polo with logo, trainers, tracksuit, football boots, swimming trunks with logo (£14.00), school sweatshirt with logo and/or school fleece with logo - sweatshirt is £18.00 - fleece is an horrendous £25.00 and is again of very poor quality. Trousers were about the only thing that were not over expensive cos I could still get those in Woolworths! Rugby shirt is £18.00, footie one is £15.00. tracksuit was £40.00! I could have bought an adidas one for that! And since he went up to a size six in shoes that year as well (i.e. mens sizes) trainers, boots and shoes came to nearly £90 alone - and that was in sales as he has to wear leather (smelly feet otherwise:o )

Smaller son still in primary: polos £7.95, Sweatshirt £8.95, Fleece £12.95 and
again a pair of trainers and a pair of school shoes, and black shorts and plain white t-shirts.

One actually ends up better off if the school has opted for a more formal uniform because you can then buy plain white shirts cheaply and only have to fork out for the jumpers - but as far as I can see, most of the schools around here have opted for the "casual" uniform with logos on everything but their knickers - and they cost a fortune for what they are.

As to whether there are any extra benefits for school uniform for those on IS - there are around here - but I believe that it depends on LEA's.

moggylover

Lovaabargain wrote: »

Have to disagree with you on this one as I work in a secondary school kitchen & we provide very nutricious, balanced meals which are enjoyed by both the pupils and many of the teachers!

Have you actually been in to the school at lunchtimes to see what is on offer or are you just going by what other people have said as it would certainly save you quite a lot per week if your children are entitled to have them for free?

I think that does still vary a lot though Lovaabargain, my sons school has really nice meals, and fairly cheap - but two others in this area are considered by the kids and staff alike to serve carp!

moggylover

GlasweJen wrote: »

I work in ASDA and you can pick a full school uniform up for under a tenner (starts at about £5.75 for age 5-6). Polo shirts can be bought in white and various "school colours" in packs of 5 for about £7 (depends on your kids size). There are multipack offers on skirts and trousers, all of them teflon protected. Pinafores cost about £7.50, cardigans in all school colours are available as are school coloured sweatshirts. We also have a range for high school kids that wont break the bank.

But most high schools now have logo requirements - and so apart from the trousers you are stuck with the OTT prices in specialist shops! I reckon the schools must be getting a cut from the suppliers, because I have made a fuss about what poor quality the stuff is for the high prices charged, and I have been ignored. Even though I actually got all the information as to exactly WHAT the wholesale prices of the "bare" item were and gave them to the school headmaster and governors, and took in samples of better quality items that could be bought cheaper from other suppliers (even with the logo)

mspig

The CAB office also has lists of charities that help out different people and they have charities that help out low income families and those on income support, they will also fill the forms out for you as most have to be sent from either the CAB or your health visitor/wealfare officer, so you could try these as extra means.

I know my sister whos a single mother got a grant for some clothes for her kids as well as a holiday from the holiday association to a haven holiday site.

hope this helps.

LadyMorticia

I know this may be a bit of a long shot and might seem insulting and I don't mean it to come across like that, but have you tried Ebay? You'll be amazed at some of the things you can find on there, including school uniforms specific to a certain school.

Just a thought.

mitchaa

moggylover wrote: »

But most high schools now have logo requirements

Sorry but that is absoloute rubbish.

The only thing that determines where a child goes to school is the colour of his/her tie up my neck of the woods.

As long as they are dressed in black/grey trousers, white shirt, school tie and shoes, that is all they need.

Ive never heard the like of needing football and rugby boots, fleeces, tracksuits and god knows what else. Is that a need or an optional, there's a big difference. Not all kids like sport, i highly doubt that girls would need to fork out for football/rugby boots.

PE for us was dress as you please, in football tops, casual t-shirts whatever.

As were all the schools in my area.

Im 25, not 50, i left school 8-9yrs ago and i know the rules where i am have certainly not changed.

So your ''MOST'' schools is a tad misleading;)

Asda yesterday released a whole school uniform for the pricely sum of £4, yes you read it correctly £4.

They do not need to be expensive especially on 4/5/6 yr old primary school children.

LadyMorticia

Mitchaa - I also don't know about most schools but all four of the schools I have been to had to have the school logo on the jumper and some on the PE shirt. I know different schools may be different. I've been to schools in Herts, Beds and Cambs.

Not wanting to get into an argument or anything just stating what my experience is.

xx

Chazpots

My nephew is due to start grammer school in Sept. The amount my sister is having to pay on uniform is shocking (£300+). That includes £60 just for a blazer. There is very little second-hand available (I guess 12 year old boys tend to wear out their unform before they grow out!).

Personally, I guess I'm quite fortunate in that my daughters primary school unform only requires logo jumper and there's plenty second hand..as for the rest...ASDA here I come. Have found this thread quite an interesting read though!

Chaz

Kimitatsu

mitchaa wrote: »

Sorry but that is absoloute rubbish.

The only thing that determines where a child goes to school is the colour of his/her tie up my neck of the woods.

As long as they are dressed in black/grey trousers, white shirt, school tie and shoes, that is all they need.

Ive never heard the like of needing football and rugby boots, fleeces, tracksuits and god knows what else. Is that a need or an optional, there's a big difference. Not all kids like sport, i highly doubt that girls would need to fork out for football/rugby boots.

PE for us was dress as you please, in football tops, casual t-shirts whatever.

As were all the schools in my area.

Im 25, not 50, i left school 8-9yrs ago and i know the rules where i am have certainly not changed.

So your ''MOST'' schools is a tad misleading;)

Asda yesterday released a whole school uniform for the pricely sum of £4, yes you read it correctly £4.

They do not need to be expensive especially on 4/5/6 yr old primary school children.

I think you are being somewhat judgemental based on YOUR experience. As many of us have said, based on our (in some cased VERY recent experiences) these are the rules that schools are now laying down for their uniforms and these are the prices that we are being charged. Oh and as schools now have to be politically correct and non discriminatory, many girls play rugby and football through the winter - as they get to secondary school, they just have female teams. In primary school they are mixed tag rugby and football teams.

Schools now define their uniform, for my 2 children their PE kit for primary school is a logo'd t-shirt, a pair of shorts, pair of tracksuit bottoms, rugby boots, long black socks, non marking trainers, plimsoles. The school provides rugby shirts from the PTA when they play a league game.

Whilst I agree with you that some uniform does not need to be expensive some of it most certainly is. And can I point out when YOUR children go to school, you may well be in the same state as most of us are when looking at the amount it costs - it is not just the uniform but all the other bits and pieces of money that go with it. In primary school, it is money for milk, school trips, the bits of money here and there for sponsered events, the school disco, the school fairs (christmas and summer) the raffles, the prizes for the tombola - the list is endless. And all of that before you even get to the numerous birthday parties that every child seems to be invited to.

I think we are drifiting off the topic a little now, the OP asked if she could get any extra help, and I hope that she is able to get a little help along the way now she knows where to start looking.

myrnahaz

I think the school might be able to help you with information about uniform grants.
My sister (single mum, one child, on income support) was awarded £55 towards the cost of a school uniform. I think the grants are only awarded twice - once when the child goes to secondary school, and once more about 2 years later (that's what sister was entitled to). Neice is 14 and 5'9" so she's not cheap to clothe, but, she decided to move in with her Dad last weekend (long story), so Sister rang the school to ask what she should do as she no longer has single parent status, and they told her to send the cheque back to the school when it arrives. So they must have some input into the grant procedure or they'd have told sister to go elsewhere with her problem.