Where do you buy school uniform?

VK-2008

i have only heard of compulsory uniform in private schools
in public sector you should be able to get it anywhere

love marks and sparks quality
but asda and tesco do the job just as good
for older kids new look and burtons do good quality and dorothy perkins do nice white shirts

sturose

Gingham_Ribbon wrote: »

M&S or Asda:

4 shirts
3 trousers
1 shorts
1 T shirt
1 pair of decent shoes
1 pair of PE pumps
2 jumpers

Total: £80

If only we were all allowed to shop at asda, an increasing number of schools are forcing us parents to buy from sole suppliers.

VK-2008 wrote: »

i have only heard of compulsory uniform in private schools
in public sector you should be able to get it anywhere

love marks and sparks quality
but asda and tesco do the job just as good
for older kids new look and burtons do good quality and dorothy perkins do nice white shirts

You should but there isn't a school in my area that doesn't require something to be purchased from high priced suppliers, some schools require the entire uniform to be purchased from these shops.

Quote from my kids school:

"Only blazers with embroidered logos purchased from ourselves or Clive Marks are acceptable. Sew/iron on badges will NOT be accepted"

andrealm

VK-2008 wrote: »

i have only heard of compulsory uniform in private schools
in public sector you should be able to get it anywhere

love marks and sparks quality
but asda and tesco do the job just as good
for older kids new look and burtons do good quality and dorothy perkins do nice white shirts

I think schools aren't supposed to make you buy the uniform from particular shops.
However a lot of schools insist on you having logoed jumpers. I just got dd's cardigans's and tie from the official supplier and got shirts and skirts from Asda.

Some schools have an unusual colour of uniform that you can only get from school uniform shops, when I was at school they had a bottle green uniform that you could only get from one or two official suppliers. This was a state school.

nuttienettie

My son is 13yrs old (Yr 9). he had 1 of his PE kits stolen at the end of last term (july), so now needs it replaced, despite numerous calls to school asking them to try and sort this out. All his kits are clearly labelled, inc the bags!!

I got a huge shock when
1 rugby top = £22.50!!
1 indoor p.e. top & 1 pair shorts =£30.00!!
No cash left now for new sweatshirt approx £20.
Wouldn't have beeen so bad but the stolen kit would still have fitted him this year. Uniform costs too much and is usually poor quality too.

sturose

andrealm wrote: »

I think schools aren't supposed to make you buy the uniform from particular shops.
However a lot of schools insist on you having logoed jumpers. I just got dd's cardigans's and tie from the official supplier and got shirts and skirts from Asda.

Some schools have an unusual colour of uniform that you can only get from school uniform shops, when I was at school they had a bottle green uniform that you could only get from one or two official suppliers. This was a state school.

They can but I believe the rules state that they must have at least two different suppliers but this can mean a retail supplier and the school. My kids school trousers are just plain grey but the school insists that only the brand from Clive Marks is acceptable!

nuttienettie wrote: »

My son is 13yrs old (Yr 9). he had 1 of his PE kits stolen at the end of last term (july), so now needs it replaced, despite numerous calls to school asking them to try and sort this out. All his kits are clearly labelled, inc the bags!!

I got a huge shock when
1 rugby top = £22.50!!
1 indoor p.e. top & 1 pair shorts =£30.00!!
No cash left now for new sweatshirt approx £20.
Wouldn't have beeen so bad but the stolen kit would still have fitted him this year. Uniform costs too much and is usually poor quality too.

Thank You!! This is precisely why I am starting this campaign, it's disgraceful that we should be forced to spend our hard earned cash on specific uniform items when generic items from supermarkets are about a quarter of the price and the quality is no different.

I have had several jobs with companies that expect me to wear their logo on my uniform, had they suggested to me that I should pay for the privilege of advertising their company I would have walked straight out the door. Unfortunately we cannot do that with our children as we are legally obliged to provide them with an education, (rightly so) but the schools should not be allowed to dictate to us in this way.

Stuart

ladybez

I have 3 children in school. The twins, in primary school, we can buy their uniform from anywhere as it is either red or white tee shirts or white shirts and black or grey trousers, with black shoes. They can wear red sweatshirts with no logo or red fleece, again without any logo, All except fleeces were courtesy of Mr T. Fleeces were Rega==a in their sale so £6.00 for the two.
DD is at senior school. White shirts again courtesy of Mr T, all round pleated navy skirt (try getting that for a 15 y.o.) £6.99 bought 3 years ago, trousers have to be a specific style from school outfitters only, but they will not fit her so she has none, Sports tie presented by school this year. Badged blazer, from stockists £25.00 should last this year and next. However, my gripe is the p.e kit which has been changed this year and can only be bought from stockists conisiting of 2 different Tee shirts £15.00 each, Shorts £14.50, Tracksuit bottoms £19.50. I refused to buy the tracksuit top £25.00, Jumper "27.00, waterproof £19.00, jacket £32.00 and socks £6.00 a pair. Luckily she agreed with me and will be happy with navy football socks form Sports Di--ct!!

Sublime_2

I buy anything I can get away with from either Tesco, Mothercare, or M&S. Usually trousers, skirts, blouses, dresses, cycling shorts (for PE), socks, tights, etc.

Anything else such as logo'd cardigans, fleeces, bookbags, gymbags, PE tops, etc, I buy from the official uniform shop. I do notice the huge price hike though when buying from there.

freyanneke_2

DS2 has started secondary this year. Most of the uniform can be sorted out by eBaying and high street shops (20 miles by bus). Unfortunately they also have since 2009 new schoolblazers and they cost 25 pounds. Also the tie ( 3 pounds) and the school PE jumper (20 pounds) needs to be bought in the nearest town (again 20 miles with the bus) at the only supplier around. I am not very impressed with this system. I don't see the use of wearing a grey PE jumper with logo if they are not doing any inter school competitions. Are they going to jump further, run faster or score more when they have a logo on their hoody? I doubt it.

freyanneke_2

Best place I found to get uniforms was National Schoolwear Centre in Barnstaple. They have all sizes and shapes trousers and skirts in all colours. Just need to go in and fit it all, then pay at the till. Too bad I don't live anywhere close. They seem to have a chain, so I hope to find one a lot closer to Exeter.

NicolaL_2

I thought the franchise company that ran National Schoolwear Centres went bust last year.

Our DC's school has opted for an iron-on version of its embroidered logo so you can buy your jumpers and polos at ASDA/TESCO/M&S and then put the badge on yourself.