School Uniform !

Carmen_Queasy

When I was at school (a long time ago lol) one of the rules we had was that girls werent allowed to wear trousers unless for religious reasons which was completely sexist! It also cost parents of girls more money as tights ladder and have to be replaced all the time so trousers are cheaper and more practical. A lot of parents including mine got together and complained about this and the rule did eventually change. Like someone else said, go to the papers as it is unfair and the school won't want bad publicity.

mumps

Carmen_Queasy wrote: »

When I was at school (a long time ago lol) one of the rules we had was that girls werent allowed to wear trousers unless for religious reasons which was completely sexist! It also cost parents of girls more money as tights ladder and have to be replaced all the time so trousers are cheaper and more practical. A lot of parents including mine got together and complained about this and the rule did eventually change. Like someone else said, go to the papers as it is unfair and the school won't want bad publicity.

At my school (a very long time ago) we used to moan like mad about our tights being ruined on rough chairs. Tights were really expensive then (in the 60s when minis were popular and sheer tights were a new invention) I remember paying ten bob a pair for tights and I earned 15 bob as a Saturday girl at M & S. If you laddered your new tights on a Monday morning that it was it for the week. Happy days.

dieselhead

Add my two penneth which is that the kids have to wear something, if there wasn't a school uniform then they would still need clothes, I con't help thinking that especially for teenagers the cost would be comparable. When I was at school I would wear the same skirt and jumper everyday for a week with just a fresh shirt each day, where as I suspect that a teen would want a complete new outfit at least every couple of days, and probably a larger selection of clothes to choose from. So my opinion is that the school uniform does represent a big outlay at the beginning of the year but is potentially cheaper and easier in the long run than a child who doesn't wear uniform who wants a selection of clothing to wear for school.

mumps

dieselhead wrote: »

Add my two penneth which is that the kids have to wear something, if there wasn't a school uniform then they would still need clothes, I con't help thinking that especially for teenagers the cost would be comparable. When I was at school I would wear the same skirt and jumper everyday for a week with just a fresh shirt each day, where as I suspect that a teen would want a complete new outfit at least every couple of days, and probably a larger selection of clothes to choose from. So my opinion is that the school uniform does represent a big outlay at the beginning of the year but is potentially cheaper and easier in the long run than a child who doesn't wear uniform who wants a selection of clothing to wear for school.

It can, for my two older ones it was great but the school younger two went to it definitely worked out more. In sixth form they don't wear uniform and cost me less. Depends on the uniform and supplier school chooses.

Oldernotwiser

mumps wrote: »

At my school (a very long time ago) we used to moan like mad about our tights being ruined on rough chairs. Tights were really expensive then (in the 60s when minis were popular and sheer tights were a new invention) I remember paying ten bob a pair for tights and I earned 15 bob as a Saturday girl at M & S. If you laddered your new tights on a Monday morning that it was it for the week. Happy days.

Seeing we're all getting into the nostalgia act:

At my school we weren't allowed to wear "nylons" until the fifth form (or tights when they came in). You had to wear long socks!

Oldernotwiser

mumps wrote: »

It can, for my two older ones it was great but the school younger two went to it definitely worked out more. In sixth form they don't wear uniform and cost me less. Depends on the uniform and supplier school chooses.

But everyone on here talks about buying cheap shirts/skirts from Asda and Woolworths when it comes to school uniform. No teenager I know would be prepared to be seen dead in this sort of thing out of school so I can't see how it can be cheaper not to wear it.

I think many of the people who complain about uniform spend far more on clothes for out of school and therefore begrudge the uniform prices. Perhaps if they got their priorities right and spent more money on uniform (which their children wear most of the week) and bought the cheap stuff for weekends then they'd find they could manage better.

bubblegumcola

In the good old days at my primary school you wore a cardigan edged with the school colours and a shirt with the school tie, so you had the tie all the way up the school, it was just a case of a new cardi and shirts every year or so. My mum used to get some sort of clothing grant for me, she never moaned about how much she got for me and made the most of it. I know school uniform was far more expensive back then. She also shopped in charity shops to get extra skirts and I used to get hand-me down shirts from my older brother, I didn't know any different and was happy with what I had. At secondary school they had a nearly new sale in the summer before the new term started so you could pick up a blazer, etc cheaper. I wasn't bothered wearing second hand gear, the main thing was I was wearing the uniform like the school specified.

School uniform is a lot, lot, lot cheaper than it used to be 20/30 years ago for a normal school, prices for independent schools uniform are always abit pricier but as I said before many state and independant schools are organised enough to have nearly new sales. If your school doesn't do this type of sale why not suggest it or help run it, there are lots of people out there who would appreciate it.

Second hand is the cool thing to wear now...they call it vintage!!

Lovaabargain

OP, at my son's secondary school they don't have a second hand sale however there is always a lot of "lost property" at the end of every term which is laid out on tables in the hall for the pupils to come & reclaim their belongings, anything that is left is then sent to the local charity shop. Perhaps you could check with the school to see if they do anything similar?

Good luck!

Minxy_Bella

mumps wrote: »

Actually there were grants for school uniform 30 years ago, I know that for a fact in my home city but can't swear for every education authority. I think we will have to agree to disagree as I do not believe schools should be able to exploit their position in the market place to overcharge parents, as usual it is the most vulnerable who will suffer.

This is true - after my A levels, I got a job in our Civic Centre, processing the free school uniform vouchers. 1983, it must have been.

Oh and I've never worked in a school that profited from the sale of uniform!

poet123

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

But everyone on here talks about buying cheap shirts/skirts from Asda and Woolworths when it comes to school uniform. No teenager I know would be prepared to be seen dead in this sort of thing out of school so I can't see how it can be cheaper not to wear it.

I think many of the people who complain about uniform spend far more on clothes for out of school and therefore begrudge the uniform prices. Perhaps if they got their priorities right and spent more money on uniform (which their children wear most of the week) and bought the cheap stuff for weekends then they'd find they could manage better.

:T exactly. it is a question of which is more important, a cohesive school identity and the grades that go along with that ethos, or buying the latest tat in Topshop, or high end, labelled designer wear (often worn by those who seem least able to afford it) which is out of fashion after a season.

Consider though that uniform is worm 5 days a week, through dark winter nights, when many kids are at extra curriculur activities straight from school then go home, and the night is over. So no need for additional clothing. As against ordinary clothes worn for playing in at weekends.....where should the sensible parent be investing the most outlay? Obviously when they get to 15/16 things change, but up until then if you buy designer gear for your kids you are making a rod for your own back imo.

You pay your money and take your choice.