Vent! Flaming School Uniform!

lincroft1710

Moggylover - the point I'm making, which you have reinforced with the £30 blazer (extortionate!, that was 3 weeks salary for me in 1969!) is that it is just as expensive as it was 40/50 years ago.

Sharon87

I'm comparing everyone's stories to my school uniform. I know our jumpers were a little expensive - but they weren't compulsory (well they became compulsory after I left), and then a tie for a couple of quid. Other than that we were allowed to buy the rest from other shops. Uniform consisted of black trousers or skirts, white shirt, school tie (changed the tie for year 10/11), PE uniform was black shorts, white polo shirt, although we could for outdoor sports wear tracksuit bottoms - black, but they were a bit flexible. I wore blue ones.

I believe schools should relax when it comes to uniform, it makes kids not like school if they get told off for not wearing right uniform.

moggylover

Once again, thanks for all the replies, and once again, may I reiterate that I am firmly in favour of a school uniform, but one that is sensible items at sensible prices.

I shall be buying the kit for DS1 as he will be going off with the school teams and will be representing the school off campus, DS2 will only get what he actually needs for lessons until such time (which will probably be never, he isn't the sporty type) as he makes it on to a school team and needs to carry team colours. However, I shall not be buying any of it until their old sports kit needs replacing, and I shall be quite happy to explain to the school why.

I have written to the school, and copied the letter to the LEA, expressing my disgust at the introduction of designer items to the required sports kit, and the need for special logo'd tops for sports lessons within school and have pointed out that this is not going to improve either the childs performance in sports or the lessons themselves.

The idea about freedom of information does sound tempting though:D I'm pretty sure they get something from these deals (and I have no objection to this so long as it is transparent and declared to parents) despite their denials in the past.

moggylover

Sharon87 wrote: »

I'm comparing everyone's stories to my school uniform. I know our jumpers were a little expensive - but they weren't compulsory (well they became compulsory after I left), and then a tie for a couple of quid. Other than that we were allowed to buy the rest from other shops. Uniform consisted of black trousers or skirts, white shirt, school tie (changed the tie for year 10/11), PE uniform was black shorts, white polo shirt, although we could for outdoor sports wear tracksuit bottoms - black, but they were a bit flexible. I wore blue ones.

I believe schools should relax when it comes to uniform, it makes kids not like school if they get told off for not wearing right uniform.

I don't want them to relax about normal school uniform though Sharon, I just want them to ensure that we get sensible items that represent value for money, and we certainly don't get that at the moment:(

DCFC79

When I was at school it wasnt as bad as the OP, the blazer had to be green and bought from a local shop(i think this was because it was the only shop selling green blazers but minus the badge) and they also supplied a badge to sew on as well as the gold banding for sleeves and pocket, the trousers and shoes had to be black, for PE we had to have white shorts(which could be bought from anywhere) a polo shirt had to be a certain colour but again it could be bought from anywhere, the jumper had to be green which i think was from the same shop as the blazer

athensgeorgia

My children are still at primary school and we have a similar problem, logoed uniform is from the school or only one local shop. We are allowed none logo uniform which does make it financially better for us but my peeve about school and uniform is when my children all got brand new trainers and with them being new they all wanted to wear them for school which we allowed. My eldest DD came home slightly upset because her teacher had said trainers weren't proper uniform and not to wear them again. I was fuming I went to see the teacher with my school handbook and pointed out the sentence that said school uniform isn't compulsory (which i thought went for all state primary schools) and explained DD was upset for what she'd said. The teacher apologised to DD though which I thought was surprising and commendable.