MSE Poll: Are you allowed to buy cheap school uniforms?

MSE_Kit

Poll started 6 September 2022

Buying new school uniform can be a costly exercise – especially if your child has to wear pricey branded items. In England, new rules have been introduced which now mean that schools must look at removing unnecessary branded items and allowing parents to buy from the high-street and supermarket own-label uniforms. So this week we want to know, does your child's school let you buy from supermarkets, or are you restricted to a specific shop? If you have more than one school-age child, please answer about your most recent experience.

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Did you vote? Are you surprised at the results so far? Have your say below.
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Thanks!

brila

Why no option for no generic items allowed at all?  This is our situation and I cannot believe we are at the only school continuing with this. 

crispybac0n

Same question as Brila, 'Why no option for no generic items allowed at all? '

Exmouth community college give choice of 2 shops in Exmouth, proserv and shipshape.

not really a choice when you see the prices. If the children have the wrong uniform they are excluded.

Grievingpanda

Same here, the full uniform must be branded included the tiniest of logos on the boys school trousers. Additionally the full sports kit has to include their initials so cant even passed on to siblings or other children.

Brie

Grievingpanda said:

Same here, the full uniform must be branded included the tiniest of logos on the boys school trousers. Additionally the full sports kit has to include their initials so cant even passed on to siblings or other children.

Would have worked in our family as 5 of us have the same initials.....but couldn't you unpick the initials and add the new ones?

MalMonroe

I think generic items should be allowed in all schools. Anything else is just pure discrimination.

As a single parent on a low salary I'd have found it extremely difficult to comply with 'strict uniform regulations' had my daughter's school insisted on special uniform clothing. Her school did have a uniform, complete with logo but it wasn't expensive and some items could be generic. The worst thing is that there's more than one of each item to buy. A child can't just have one pair of trousers, one shirt, one skirt, etc. I'd have supplied a special and expensive uniform if it had been absolutely essential, even if we had to eat beans every day but school governors/teachers etc.should really have a think about schools' purpose. They're there to educate our children, not to divide. A child without a regulation uniform is a child scorned, bullied, looked down on and left out. How is that beneficial to anyone?

BobbinAlong

Why is there no option for "school has a second hand uniform shop". My children went to private schools but they all had second hand uniform shops and that's where all the bigger items and non-generic items such as blazers and duffle coats and rugby shirts came from. Saved me a fortune!
Sports kit had to have larger name tapes sewn on the outside - a great idea as everyone can see when kit has been "borrowed".

ginger_chocolate

I don't have children but seeing this I am genuinely horrified that schools are allowed to insist on items being from a specific supplier, let alone that it's the norm. Iron on badges or a branded tie being supplied by the school at cost price (or free for children on free school meals) but other than that just having a general colour scheme plus sensible rules about style (no high heels or jeans, reasonable skirt length etc) seems sensible. What possible benefit can it have to be so pernickety that you insist children's clothing comes from a specific supplier?