School Uniform Supply Monopolies

mumto2loves

TechnoBadger wrote: »

Having spoken to the OFT recently I don't believe that there's any particular law that says a school cannot choose just one supplier. There may be 'rules' from individual local authorities - which one is yours please?

:o test valley???
( i live near southampton)

moomoomama27

I feel quite lucky compared to some of you! My DD is starting a new school and the cost of her uniform 2x sets, plus PE kit and rugby shirt, shoes, trainers and stationary totalled £200. I breathed a massive sigh of relief, I was expecting double that!

My 2 youngest don't have to have logo'd stuff, but I do buy the sweatshirts £9 each, and PE tshirts £5 each logo'd as they are good quality, everything else is from the high street, which I make the most of while I can!

pigpen

Deleted_User wrote: »

Pigpen i meant "compulsory" in quotes in the loosest sense, in as much as they know they can't demand those jumpers but 99.9% of the kids wear them and they like the kids to look the same.

I like to know my child from across the playground.. a school should be about enhancing their individuality not trying to make them all robots acting in unison... can you imagine what I was like on the governing body lol...

They can feel part of the whole without feeling swallowed by it and therefore insignificant... that is very bad for the self confidence which in turn has an effect on their learning

blue_haddock

I was talking to my girlfriend last night about her kid that is going up to secondary this year. They also have an extensive list of what they have to wear and as already discussed its all only available from one supplier.

If it was my own child i would definately be having words with the head teacher or the governers as i do not see how it will make any difference to the child education if the trousers they are wearing has the school logo on them, what is wrong with a decent pair of black trousers for half the price and twice the quality from m&s or even tesco?

Mrs_Ryan

I remember when I started secondary school and the year I started the school decided that year they would introduce logo'd jumpers which were compulsory and could only be bought from John Lewis at a cost of £45. :eek: Anyone not wearing this jumper would be kept in detention every night until the correct jumper was purchased.
Unfortunately my school was a state school that thought it was a private school but it drew from a large area of the city that was extremely deprived. This policy lasted four weeks. There was such a large outcry that they had to back down and sell badges at £2.50 each that could be ironed onto any grey v-neck jumper. My Mum bought me one of these jumpers, I was unfortunately 5'4 tall at 11 years of age and the length obviously didnt take this into account, it was pulled out of shape in about 6 weeks. The next term she bought me a plain grey one from somewhere else and it lasted ages!
I think schools think all parents have an endless supply of money...

ashaput

I think it is time for school to change their rules. Getting back to school doesn't mean to always buy a uniform from them. I think they should be thinking about the quality of education they are going to give to the students. Parents will appreciate this more.

TechnoBadger

mumto2loves wrote: »

...the head teacher definately said something along the lines of because of the new rules about uniform monopoly they now have to have 3 different outlets for their branded uniforms.
they have always used john lewis (at least the last 5 years since my daughter started there) but now they have 2 local shops selling it as well. - incidently they all charge the same price.

So this isn't really competition, is it? Whilst it may not be an illegal cartel I wonder if there's a bit of a cosy relationship between the new suppliers - they each just match the original John Lewis price? Did the cost of the school's uniform come down once the new suppliers were introduced?

Evansangel

Surely they cant force a child into detention every night?
I would come into the school and take them home at the end of each day.

Detention is meant to be a punishment for bad behaviour and not having the exact uniform isn't exactly bad behaviour

jackieglasgow

I am reading this with my mouth open. My boys' primary had logo stuff which was available from the school supplier, but the prices were imo reasonable, I always bought for at least two years' growth, and they weren't complusory. The high School my DS1 is moving onto has a strict uniform policy of...black trousers or skirts, no shorts or leggings, black v neck jumper or cardi, whites shirt and school tie. Which they give to the children as a welcome gift. The children all look very smart and uniform, and there is no need for anyone to feel under pressure to have the right thing. I am sure we have discussed this on here fairly recently.

Mupette

Thank god DS has just finished his final exams for year 11.

He returns to school in September for year 12 & 13 but no uniform.

The money spent on his uniform was £ hundreds, yet only one company we could use who we bought through John Lewis's, it was poor quality and no matter how careful you were it the white polo shirts always went grey, any type of whitener you used bleached the logo too, the logo's were crooked and badly done.

I do think uniforms are good so no one has any better than the other, but.... also glad that side of school is well and truly over considering the costs and quality