Parents complaining about school unform costs

dizziblonde

Spendless wrote: »

One of the best tips I ever read on this site for my DD's school uniform when she was due to start Reception was to buy pinafores. You don't always need them to wear a cardi/jumper when doing this as they already have the double layer of polo shirt & pinafore, which makes the jumpers/cardis last longer! When they spill stuff down them it goes on the darker stronger material pinafore rather than the light coloured harder to get out polo shirts. Buying long in Reception year means we have only just grown out of them. As she's now yr 2 and changes to Junior school in September and a different uniform she can spend the last term in summer dresses I delibrately bought long last year.

I don't remember who the person was who said this but thanks you saved me a fortune.:A

Just need someone to similarly enlighten me for the Junior and Secondary school years.:rotfl:

Just one thing on the pinafores (I've posted it before) - but there's one brand of supermarket pinafore (I think it's Asda) that's really quite tightly cut and very very hard for kids to get over their heads independently when getting ready for PE because it lacks wiggle room I guess. I've never minded helping kids get the tricky bits on and off - but I've seen a couple of little girls get quite worried thinking they were stuck in their clothes with that particular style of pinny in the past so figured I'd pop it in as a heads-up for people if you've got a little worrier on your hands (they go on and off fine with an adult to help the over your head thing - just very hard for them to get sorted independently).

Other really good tip, picked up from a very very wise mum of a kid I taught (again apologies for repeating myself but it's worth having for people thinking about uniform for those going into reception)... on the inside soles of plimsolls/daps/sandshoes depending on which part of the UK you come from (why do these things have so many different names anyway) - draw an arrow on each foot so that the arrows point toward each other --> <--... that way during getting dressed for PE time your child can just put their shoes on the floor with the arrows pointing toward each other and they're guaranteed to be on the right feet. Was so simple when I first saw a child come in using it that it was almost a slap your head with why did I think of that itis!

Spendless

dizziblonde wrote: »

Just one thing on the pinafores (I've posted it before) - but there's one brand of supermarket pinafore (I think it's Asda) that's really quite tightly cut and very very hard for kids to get over their heads independently when getting ready for PE because it lacks wiggle room I guess. I've never minded helping kids get the tricky bits on and off - but I've seen a couple of little girls get quite worried thinking they were stuck in their clothes with that particular style of pinny in the past so figured I'd pop it in as a heads-up for people if you've got a little worrier on your hands (they go on and off fine with an adult to help the over your head thing - just very hard for them to get sorted independently).

Other really good tip, picked up from a very very wise mum of a kid I taught (again apologies for repeating myself but it's worth having for people thinking about uniform for those going into reception)... on the inside soles of plimsolls/daps/sandshoes depending on which part of the UK you come from (why do these things have so many different names anyway) - draw an arrow on each foot so that the arrows point toward each other --> <--... that way during getting dressed for PE time your child can just put their shoes on the floor with the arrows pointing toward each other and they're guaranteed to be on the right feet. Was so simple when I first saw a child come in using it that it was almost a slap your head with why did I think of that itis!

The pinafores I use have a zip at the front that comes part way down the bodice so not come across the problems you describe. Pulling down a zip on a dress where they can see it is not as difficult as pulling up a zip on trousers or skirts where it's more difficult to see what you're doing. Having a zip means you can step in and out of the pinafore dress rather than pull over your head to dress/undress. If it's too difficult to zipper up when getting back dressed it can be left undone too if need be you would just see more of the polo shirt than normal.

Janepig

I've gone down the pinafore route with DD, and that way I can get away with non-badged polo shirts (although I have plenty with the logo on as well. I also find that as long as you have the school sweatshirt then a plain polo-shirt in the correct colour underneath is also fine. Although I need the badged polo shirts for summer when they go without the sweatshirts.

I suppose we're lucky - DD/DS's school has gone a uniform, which is available from several suppliers and not terribly expensive, a choice of white, yellow or pale blue polo shirts and black trousers/skirt/pinafore (or grey also for the boys) and blue gingham dress for the girls for summer, with a white cardi over. Other than the badged stuff, you can get the rest as cheaply as you like, and the school always has a stall full of second hand badged stuff whenever there's a school fete.

Top fashion item at the moment is the school hoodie, which many (mine included) have their name (or nickname) printed on the back (and yes, I know some people have issues with names visible on clothes and I wouldn't do it if they walked home alone). In fact, most of the teachers are wearing them now, and the headmistress of one of the other welsh schools in town takes her DD swimming same time as my DD and even she wears one!! Can't quite imagine DD/DS's headmaster wearing the school hoodie somehow!

Jxx

penelopedee_2

Oh I can't believe it, DS has just decided to inform me his school shoes don't fit any more. He goes back to school next week and I've just offered to work all this week (DH is home) so it means teenager sensible shoe shopping at the weekend :eek: That will be another £40 gone then.

Abbafan1972

My girls have been wearing pinafore dresses as well, ones from Asda. They are great, as it's an extra layer for the winter and also I don't have to worry about buying skirts where the waist is too big! :j

slummymummyof3

I do think it is ridiculous that as parents' we are held to ransom over school uniforms. DS recently lost his school rugby shirt (despite the fact that it was labelled in 4 different places - no-one has been forthcoming in returning it) it was £25.99 to replace it (reversible 2 colour thingy) or I could buy the outer colour (non-reversible one) as a special for £3.00 - school said no when DS wore it as it was not reversible and they reverse them for when they are playing on different teams. I told the school 'tough, DS will have to play on the navy team'