School uniform rules

embob74

DD is starting high school in September. We have just received the uniform policy and it requires a blazer, tie, school jumper.
And trousers which can only be purchased from an approved supplier (there's 2).

I thought this was being disallowed? That schools could force you to pay more for school clothing by creating monopolies.

I was looking for the costs but haven't been able to get any yet as the school had a big rebuild and they changed the uniform.
I'm just a bit annoyed that not only do we have to pay out for a blazer, jumper and tie which can only be a specific one but they expect us to forgo buying cheaper trousers elsewhere as they are not from the recommended supplier.

Did all the government talk of stopping this extortionate practice come to nothing ? :mad:

ladybez

Are the trousers badged in any way? or a very particular colour? When mine started ad high school last year, the uniform list did say the trousers should be bought from the school outfitters. I and many other mums, bought them in Tesco, nothing has been said!

onlyroz

If the're standard black/grey/navy trousers then I don't see how they could tell what shop they were bought from.

WestonDave

If you match the colours precisely to the ones required its very unlikely any member of staff is going to start asking kids to pull their trousers down so they can check the label inside is correct! What they are trying to get away from is having a uniform with charcoal grey trousers and half the school wandering around in pale grey ones because "its grey innit". Stick with acheiving their aim of a "uniform" appearance and its unlikely they will cause a problem - stray into random stuff that breaks up the "uniform" appearance and you'll get clobbered. Worst case scenario if they get caught and you have to then buy the official stuff you've probably saved some wear on it.

(We tend to have one set of the real official stuff for school visits, photos etc, and use cheap supermarket stuff for every day)

Shushannah

This policy is generally to stop parents buying what the school regard as inappropriate trousers.
At my school girls have come in with very low waisted trousers and the current fad is for cheap thin leggings that you can see their knickers through. Insisting on a brand stops this.
However normally if you buy "proper" school trousers I'm sure no one will notice or complain.

balletshoes

embob74 wrote: »

DD is starting high school in September. We have just received the uniform policy and it requires a blazer, tie, school jumper.
And trousers which can only be purchased from an approved supplier (there's 2).

I thought this was being disallowed? That schools could force you to pay more for school clothing by creating monopolies.

I was looking for the costs but haven't been able to get any yet as the school had a big rebuild and they changed the uniform.
I'm just a bit annoyed that not only do we have to pay out for a blazer, jumper and tie which can only be a specific one but they expect us to forgo buying cheaper trousers elsewhere as they are not from the recommended supplier.

Did all the government talk of stopping this extortionate practice come to nothing ? :mad:

I suspect because there are 2 suppliers (ie more than one) that the school can argue there isn't a monopoly on the uniform.

Our secondary school isn't so strict with shirts, skirts and trousers (as in you can buy them where you like as long they are the right colour and the right length), but the PE kit, blazer and tie are specific, logo'd, are compulsory, and can only be bought at 2 school clothing stores.

maman

There is guidance but I think it's only that not statutory.

http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/schoolethos/b0014144/schooluniform/cost-of-school-uniform

There seems to be a lot of 'rebranding' of schools going on at the moment, especially when they become academy. Obviously, wearing a blazer will greatly enhance learning. Soon all pupils will be dressed like this;):

http://www.tombrowntailors.co.uk/college.cfm

Savvy_Sue

They may not advertise it, but if a badge is needed for the blazer you may be able to get it separately and sew it on the blazer of your choice.

Worth asking parents of children further up the school, the badge wasn't on 'the list' for my boys, but if you asked at the office they had some.

Frith

My bigger son's school tried the same thing....

They have an account with M and S and everything has to be ordered from them, via the school's website. That includes trousers, shirts - everything.

I got son's blazer and tie (with school badges integral) 2nd hand. I didn't order any of the M and S stuff. In the summer holidays I got a phone call from school asking me why not and reminding me to do it!!!

I told them it was too expensive and unethical and I would be getting trousers and shirts from Sainsburys. There was a bit of a silence on the phone but they then said as long as they matched the M and S styles, that would be fine.

The PE kit also has the annoying sewn in logo so he started with non logo jogging bottoms and the logo shirt - the only thing I bought from school at £12. :-( Since then I have bought the logo shorts (never worn) and no one has mentioned the fact he has not yet got the £18 rugby shirt.

Sensemaya

I had to buy the compulsory plain white PE poloshirt with the school badge embroidered on it as plain white is not allowed, the shorts and the special socks. I bought big and hopefully these will last till he leaves school. Utter rip off. The rugby shirt is now third hand after a friend gave it to me years ago. Got my eldest though and now it fits my youngest.

The blazers are extortionate. A friend gave me a blazer so I cut the badge off bought 2 Trutex blazers off ebay ( £3.99 each compared to £40 with the embroidered badge naturally) and sewn it on. First blazer has lasted 2 years but I doubt whether the second blazer will last 3 years.But the badge will be resewn on to it.

Best one of all is they needed a plain blue tank top. Again ridiculous price from the two official suppliers. Purchased 4 from the same seller but they had a white logo on them,so I picked the logo off...took me ages. Now new Head has decided they don't need to wear them anymore!

At least boys can wear plain white shirts but the girls have to have a special stripey shirt that can only be purchased from the official suppliers.

This monopoly should end.

barbiedoll

Sensemaya wrote: »

The blazers are extortionate. A friend gave me a blazer so I cut the badge off bought 2 Trutex blazers off ebay ( £3.99 each compared to £40 with the embroidered badge naturally) and sewn it on. First blazer has lasted 2 years but I doubt whether the second blazer will last 3 years.But the badge will be resewn on to it.

I'm going to start doing this. My son is quite small for his age so his clothes can last him for ages. But these £40 blazers are of such poor quality that he's got through 3 of them in less than two years. The shoulders wear thin from the strap of his school bag, the buttons fall off as soon as you get the blazer out of the bag and the linings fall apart after a few washes. The material is horrible, cheap, shiny polyester and it just looks shoddy.

I do find that the school trousers are good quality from the "official" supplier though, they have been worth the money. I get his shirts from Matalan and he wears his old trackies and t-shirts for PE now, apparently, no-one wears the official school kit as it's deeply uncool. So I won't be buying replacements for those.