Legal action against School due to the cost of School uniforms, Please advise

jellyhead

pigpen wrote: »

These prices are significantly reduced on last years... but here you go.. price list for the 'cheap' uniform I have to get for 3 of mine.. The scarf is laughable!!! The children aren't even allowed to wear hats or gloves on site and are not allowed their own coats.. that one REALLY annoys me!

That would annoy me too! The local high school have now introduced a blazer but students can wear any coat over the top of that if they wish to. Mine was in year 11 so he was allowed to wear his old uniform for his final year, then they wear their own clothes in 6th form.

They allow boys to grow their hair here too, but it's not allowed to be dyed or styled outrageously. Ordinary long hair is okay, but they have to tie it back for some subjects.

I suppose we're quite lucky really. Primary don't insist on any logo items at all, although they have changed the colour from grey to purple, and none of the supermarkets sell purple jumpers or cardigans. They sell them online though, or for delivery to store if you don't want to buy the school logo clothes. We are allowed to buy them without the logo from the uniform shop too - my son hates the logo! It's enormous and irritates the nipples, apparently Some children have 'fruit of the loom' polos from ebay and handknitted cardigans. I've suggested 'fruit of the loom' polos to the school supplier because they seem to be much better quality than the ones they use.

jellyhead

barbarawright wrote: »

I'm sure people remember the collapse of the clothing factory in Bangladesh a few months ago. Shirts sold here for £1 aren't likely to have been made in the best conditions and are probably made by children younger than the ones wearing them. Being MSE doesn't mean one has to abandon one's ethics entirely...

M&S sell fairtrade school uniform.

jellyhead

Marker wrote: »

What I am trying to get at is peoples views on what is expensive and what is not is personal. We may earn exactly the same, have same size family and outgoings etc. You may spend £20 on a steak without battering an eyelid, I on the other hand would hover over the £10 steak. Hope you get what I mean.

While I'd go for the Asda 2 for £7 steaks :rotfl:

Spendless

jellyhead wrote: »

We are allowed to buy them without the logo from the uniform shop too - my son hates the logo! It's enormous and irritates the nipples, apparently S

I can believe that. When my son started Junior school, I bought him a logo'd polo shirt. On the first day the stitching on the back of the embroidery was so scratchy it had left a welt through the middle of one of his nipples. :eek: He never wore it again!

Bella73

MarilynMonroe wrote: »

On a side note I think uniform full stop for those under 7 is IMO is abit sad.(And I never wore uniform untill I was 11) I was just reading a website for a local preschool, primary and no bright shoes are allowed, I mean no individuallity whatsoever! Seeing a 4 year old trotting off for a full day at school in a drab bland navy uniform makes me feel sad for them. Are we making just work drones for the future who are all conditioned the same? I am thinking so.

It is normally to stop bullying which yes does happen below the age of 7 if you don't have the "right" clothes.

It also makes it easier to spot children if for some reason they leave the school grounds when they shouldn't.

As for the actual question about the cost one way lots of parents could make the uniform last longer would be to be their children to change out of it when they have finished school. I find it amazing the amount of children who are still wearing their uniform at 7pm and later.

I know it's old fashioned but when I was at school we went home and got changed. We were never taken shopping etc still in our uniform and certainly never "went out to play" in it. It's no wonder they don't last.

As for shoes it helps if you clean them every week, we used to do ours on a Sunday.

For those of you thinking I'm ancient I'm only 40.

jellyhead

Bella73 wrote: »

It is normally to stop bullying which yes does happen below the age of 7 if you don't have the "right" clothes.

It also makes it easier to spot children if for some reason they leave the school grounds when they shouldn't.

As for the actual question about the cost one way lots of parents could make the uniform last longer would be to be their children to change out of it when they have finished school. I find it amazing the amount of children who are still wearing their uniform at 7pm and later.

I know it's old fashioned but when I was at school we went home and got changed. We were never taken shopping etc still in our uniform and certainly never "went out to play" in it. It's no wonder they don't last.

As for shoes it helps if you clean them every week, we used to do ours on a Sunday.

For those of you thinking I'm ancient I'm only 40.

I used to hang my uniform up straight after school, but I think it only got washed once a week, probably while I had my weekly bath :rotfl:

BillyB

When our local school changed to an academy, all the students got a set of uniform for free. A blazer, tie, jumper and 3 shirts and every student was measured to make sure it fit. They did change it one or two month after a new school year started though so all the parents had just bought new..!

Person_one

Bella73 wrote: »

I find it amazing the amount of children who are still wearing their uniform at 7pm and later.

I know it's old fashioned but when I was at school we went home and got changed. We were never taken shopping etc still in our uniform and certainly never "went out to play" in it. It's no wonder they don't last.

Waste of water and energy washing all those extra clothes, think of the environment! Also, kids go out to play in their uniform three times a day at school, bit daft to stop them playing in at at home.

The uniform was optional at my primary school, some kids wore it all the time, some never, most somewhere in between. No bullying that I recall as a result. It was nice to have a choice.

peachyprice

jellyhead wrote: »

probably while I had my weekly bath :rotfl:

On a Sunday? Whether you needed it or not?

jellyhead

Spendless wrote: »

I can believe that. When my son started Junior school, I bought him a logo'd polo shirt. On the first day the stitching on the back of the embroidery was so scratchy it had left a welt through the middle of one of his nipples. :eek: He never wore it again!

I bought him plain ones from the schoolwear shop, but he wanted the logo on his jumper because 'everyone else will have it' and he didn't want to be different. We got his schoolbag and PE bag elsewhere - school doesn't insist on logo items although it's quite handy to have their name on their bag I suppose. I put keyrings or zipper pulls on his bags and lunchboxes for easier identification just in case somebody else has the same one.

We can also get the school coat without the school logo, so it can be worn at weekends too. I didn't get it though, the new purple colour is really girly.