Cheap School Uniform Discussion

bestpud

I agree you won't need to buy any pencils.

It is worth getting a 'homework' pencil case together for when they have bits to do at home. I find it far easier that way as I know we always have what dd needs to get it done. But they don't tend to allow them in school from the start.

Label everything, including shoes, as said. Fabric pens can be used to mark socks too, if you find she comes home with the wrong ones! When dd was in reception, I drew a little heart on the heel so she could easily spot her socks.

We only bring P.E. kits home at half/end of term. They stay in school the rest of the time, unless they get particularly dirty (DD 'found' a pile of mud when doing PE one day!)

I think you've got it covered tbh - you will relax next year and just buy what you need but every child is different so it's hard to know before they start.

I wouldn't spend any more than you have to on trousers as you will just feel a bit miffed when she comes out with a hole in the knee!

Oh, dd's school provide their water bottles so you may not need one.

Have you got yourself some tissues for the first day? If you're anything like me, you'll need them!

Surfbabe

No need for pencil case - good suggestion to have one at home for special work from school though.

Re labelling - make sure everything is clearly labelled. My children had labels that had intial, surname followed by postcode.

If you check your shcool website hopefully there should be a uniform list.

Good luck!

daveyjp

M&S for us. Anything with school logos on will be purchased when school opens again.
Her teacher is coming to visit us in a few weeks to explain more about starting school which we think is an excellent idea.

Daft question but do you know the day your child is due to start? Our daughter's class has four starting days 1,2,3 and 6 September - she starts on 2 September, but she doesn't go full time until 23 September.

pigpen

I never buy anything with school logos.. it is WAY overpriced and of very poor quality!

Jo_R_2

When I moved DD1 to her current infants, I bought her a school logo cardigan which she weas very keen on, bless her.

Fast forward two months, she'd chewed one of the cuffs to bits (I have no idea why...!) and I refused to replace it with another logo'd one. Thus now she is adorned with more than one Asda cardigan at a fraction of the price and have one to wear and one to wash to get through as she inevitably gets them dirty midweek.

DD1 has enough blouses to get her through the week without having to do a whites wash in a panic, two skirts, a pinafore and two pairs of trousers, two cardigans, umpteen pairs of white ankle socks, three pairs of tights, white PE t-shirt (plain round neck from Asda bought in a two-pack), black shorts, PE plimsolls (velcro fastening, think from Asda again), then also a school book bag and a school PE bag.

DD1's trousers were bought from M&S before she started reception at age 4.5yrs in size 4-5. However it is only now (she is 6.5yrs) that she can actually fit into these trousers without the waist being taken in - and the legs are right harry half masts on her so think she will need some new ones LOL!

I also find quality varies between shops - for example Asda blouses are cheap and stitched fine, but I find they can become very transparent after washing and ironing. M&S in comparison seem a thicker weave of cotton but the sizing does come up small (something I have noticed a lot of people mention, on here and in the customer comments on the website.) I keep an eye out on various sites to see what offers are on if I'm after something in particular.

daveyjp

pigpen wrote: »

I never buy anything with school logos.. it is WAY overpriced and of very poor quality!

That depends on the school attitude and their procurement process.

I don't consider £3 for a polo shirt and £7 for a fleece overpriced. The price is low because the Head took time to find a keen price.

pigpen

daveyjp wrote: »

That depends on the school attitude and their procurement process.

I don't consider £3 for a polo shirt and £7 for a fleece overpriced. The price is low because the Head took time to find a keen price.

£7 for a polo shirt and £12 for a sweatshirt here.. I wouldn't buy a fleece.. they look manky after a few washes.

onlyroz

My son survived with two shirts, two polo shirts, 4 pairs of trousers, two sweatshirts and black shoes. PE kit was green t-shirts and black shorts. I never managed to find the black shorts so I just sent him in with any old colour, and the school never complained. Next year I'll be buying an extra sweatshirt, because I could never find a clean one when I needed one...

nic2075

My DD starts in 2 weeks time eek :eek:. Her uniform is brown and gold so I struggle to get it in Asda and Tesco. Luckily M&S do them and were on 3 for 2 and eventually I found gold polos at a nearby tesco. My Dd is very tall and skinny so I had to go for age 6 in her pinafores. I got her 6 polos, 2 pinafores, 1 pleated skirt and one cardigan. I plan to go into the school shop when it is less busy and get her a sweatshirt. Ive got loads of knee high white socks and ankle socks.
I got iron labels and a pen in Tesco so Ill spend a night soon ironing them all on.

We were told on induction dont even bother with a bag as they get a school book bag and thats all they will need in the first wee while. They also supply pencils and water bottles.

Ill also have the hankies ready as my DS (3) starts the school nursery 5 mornings a week on the same day and my OH who is a primary teacher starts a new teaching job 180 miles away from us on the same day. I have 3 of them to worry about lol. I wont know what to do with myself lol.

delain

Yellow/maroon for infants here and gold/maroon for juniors.

Yellow/gold polo shirts are PITA to find, most of what mine have got were snapped up at the second hand uniform sale as are £7 a polo shirt new. You can only buy the juniors uniform online through get it for school which is even more stupid imo.

At least in the infants you can buy them from the office, and sometimes the receptionist (who is worth her weight in solid gold) will let you buy things from the other cupboard for 50p as it was going to the uniform sale anyway.

Which is a godsend when someone's fallen over on a chilly day on their way to school and put a whacking great hole in their jumper, and all you had on you was bus change!