School uniform and benefits

kingfisherblue

LunaLady wrote: »

I have to agree that the quality of uniforms nowadays are terrible.

The material on my sons shirts seems so thin, where ever I buy them from. In fact my eldest son has a birth mark on his back and in most of the shirts you can see it through the material.

LunaLady, I don't know if this is any help to you, but I buy my son's shirts from Matalan. He is very tall and a larger build, so I just buy the shirts from the men's range. Matalan have some short sleeved shirts that are thick cotton, about £8 each. Inside the collar is a blue strip. If your son is self conscious about his birth mark, these shirts, although more expensive, may be suitable for him due to the thicker fabric.

My son does have other shirts, but he prefers his Matalan ones. He claims they are more comfortable. They're a horror to iron though!

Poppy9

Dunroamin wrote: »

I'm puzzled when people talk about having to buy a new blazer every year as mine was bought too large for the first year and lasted me up to the fifth form (just about). Even those who had a late growth spurt never bought more than two.

I am the youngest of four and I had the original blazer bought for my eldest sister so was 11 years old when I had it. It was immaculate despite being worn by one of my sisters and my brother. They were no longer compulsory when my other sister went so she never wore it but was "trendy" when I was about 13. It was lovely and warm as it was wool.

Agree good quality uniform can last at secondary level. DD original school trousers still fitted at waist/hips in Y11 but the hem needed letting down and they were fine as spares. She generally had 1 or 2 new pairs of trousers each year depending on how worn the others were - they liked to wearing them dragging on the floor and some pairs would bobble!

Blouses came from Asda and M&S. Trendy M&S ones worn on PE day or when they would be seen as they were the fitted type and at £16 each the price of two packs from Asda!

Sweatshirts did need replacing yearly as they faded.

Polo shirts only worn summer time so they lasted from Y7-11 and now passed onto a friend as I bought the good quality ones which were a couple of pound more but took more washing.

When DD was in primary I did find that paying more for m & s skirts/trousers meant you only need to buy once a year. The supermarket skirts and trousers lacked body and looked shabby after a few washes but they were cheap. Couldn't say if M&S is still good quality though as DD 18 now!

princessdon

LunaLady wrote: »

Most of these are for secondary schools - if I were you I would start saving now

Our blazers are great quality - £28 each - or badge at £5

Pe kit equal to marksies if honest, very reasonable £6 polo or £18 full tracks, shorts and socks anywhere if colour.

Any blouse, trousers, skirts, jumpers etc.

Why can't all schools be the same?

Poppy9

I found school shoes the biggest expense but luckily in primary DD could wear boots to school in the winter and sandals in the summer so I didn't have to buy shoes for school and out of school. As she had very narrow feet could only buy Startrite or Clarks and her feet were constantly growing. With narrow feet it was easier to get growing room in sandals and lace up boots as buckle shoes were grown out of very quickly as the fit needed to be better when purchased.

Dunroamin

mumps wrote: »

I think two things have changed, mothers seem to buy uniforms that fit so they are grown out of quickly and the quality is not as good.

Make that three things - many children (not all) don't look after their school clothes and treat them as easily replaceable.

wayne0

Dunroamin wrote: »

What would they do PE in if they didn't have kit?

As I said earlier, people on low incomes receive quite a decent amount of CB/CTC to provide for the child, including buying its clothing.

hmmm, plain shorts and tshirt?

what do you pop to the gym in? do you have a gyms private uniform?

I agree that school uniforms are rediculous. my daughter just started preschool... their uniform is a dark blue jumper with the badge/logo embroidered. it costs £20... she goes 5 mornings a week.

that means she will need 2/3 jumpers = 60 quid (a three year old gets dirty fast)

i notice that only 1 or two of the 20 kids actually have the jumper... I cannot afford to buy the jumper. I would rather buy her clothing that she can wear at any point of the week.

you can get a "basic" uniform from asda etc for next to nothing... (trousers/shirt/plain (select colour) tie.) whats wrong with all councils taking this aproach? "to all schools... a uniform must be smart, clean, and well presented... this is the only requirement... as in any formal workplace"

i dont see why we cant take the american etc approach... send your kids to school.. just make sure they are clean and well presented.

notanewuser

wayne0 wrote: »

hmmm, plain shorts and tshirt?

what do you pop to the gym in? do you have a gyms private uniform?

I agree that school uniforms are rediculous. my daughter just started preschool... their uniform is a dark blue jumper with the badge/logo embroidered. it costs £20... she goes 5 mornings a week.

that means she will need 2/3 jumpers = 60 quid (a three year old gets dirty fast)

i notice that only 1 or two of the 20 kids actually have the jumper... I cannot afford to buy the jumper. I would rather buy her clothing that she can wear at any point of the week.

you can get a "basic" uniform from asda etc for next to nothing... (trousers/shirt/plain (select colour) tie.) whats wrong with all councils taking this aproach? "to all schools... a uniform must be smart, clean, and well presented... this is the only requirement... as in any formal workplace"

i dont see why we cant take the american etc approach... send your kids to school.. just make sure they are clean and well presented.

Uniform
Isn't compulsory for primary school children anyway.

debrag

Thankfully no uniform for junior school. For secondary only needed a jumper with logo on, boys needed blaze and tie. Not compulsory for girl till my last year so didn't need them.

debrag

notanewuser wrote: »

Uniform
Isn't compulsory for primary school children anyway.

Is it not? My school 1990s for the only local not to have one. Now all my sisters kids have them. Near me I only see them in uniform.

bestpud

Dunroamin wrote: »

Make that three things - many children (not all) don't look after their school clothes and treat them as easily replaceable.

That is true to a point.

However, the quality of average state school uniform is definitely not what it used to be!

I've often thought those who have to buy specialist uniforms (grammars or independents mostly) and pay a lot for it are probably getting far better value for money these days. Maybe they always have.

My impression is they are better made and from better quality materials.

The bog standard uniforms are very poor quality but not cheap and therefore proportionally more expensive in my opinion.

That said, I think of the cost spread over the year and something that just needs to be bought so have never had a problem with it. I would refuse to pay the price for that quality of out of school wear though.