Money Moral Dilemma: Should I challenge my daughter's school over pricier uniform with logos?

silvercar

When I was at school, it was easier and cheaper to have children wear uniforms than their own choice clothes. Why doesn't the same apply today? 

LCVLCV

There are probably other parents/carers who are thinking the same. Would they accept the right colour but unlogo'd? Ours does. Helpful! Also, could you encourage them to have a 2nd hand sale perhaps?

Jimifan

bikaga said:

From the point of view of someone who grew up outside the UK, this is supremely unimportant. If you want your child to wear a uniform and want her to go to that school, either go with the requirements or challenge them if that's what the legal definition supports. If you can afford the £4 per pair of trousers extra, pay them, if you can't, change schools or maybe ask for some support from someone who cares about your kid if you think it's the better school.

If you don't want your children growing up like robots, enlist them in a school that doesn't make them wear uniforms and judges them by compliance to a dress code they have no say in.

Not £4 extra, one pair for £16 or TWO pairs for £12, significant difference!

Tiramisuzy

Might I suggest that you put out an anonymous enquiry through your local Mum's/Parent's/Community Facebook group - there's bound to be one? It will give you a sense of local feeling on his topic though bear in mind that many who feel as you do won't wish to publicly comment for the same reasons as you. The added benefit is that the school will no doubt see that there is (hopefully) a swathe of local opinion against this policy and this might assist you and others in making a challenge. Perhaps ask if any school governors seeing your post would like to justify this policy, which goes against Government rules, and ask what they are doing to represent their pupils and their families? 

dirtmother

I am so sorry you are having to deal with this rubbish. A lot of factors have to go into the 'choice' of school and many do not realistically have a choice. My experience is that this sort of policy can be indicative of other issues, those less amenable to the 'mere' application of money. I would suggest it is worth talking to parents of children further up the school to find out about enforcement and you could consider writing to the governors to remind them of national policy and ask about their observation thereof but yes, I think you are right to consider whether this is the hill you want to die on.

It may interest you and others to know that there are some mainstream state secondaries still in the UK who mysteriously manage to produce delightful well educated young people without recourse to uniforms. I never had a moment's stress over what my offspring wore to one of these, but it may be different in other communities. A 'strict' uniform policy alone will not prevent unpleasantness between young people (as I discovered myself as a teenager when I ill advisedly declared to friends that my grey skirt was second hand, feeling proud (as I still do) of the cleverness of my mother)

BerryIceCreamSmile

I can understand why you would want to save money on school uniform but without knowing the school or your circumstances, I think it’s quite hard to give objective advice.  Leaving the money issue aside for now, there are a couple of other things that maybe you could consider:

No student wants to be singled out for being the kid who looks different so I’d ask you to look at your motives for not buying the uniform - it’s not so bad if nobody would notice but if it would be really obvious that you’d gone against the norm then I’d hope you’d consider the effect it might have on your daughter.  Most kids just want to stay under the radar and get through the day, and going from being a big fish in the small pond of primary school to a minnow in the ocean of high school can be bad enough for some of them!

Do you know other parents whose children are going to that school, and could you ask them what they are going to do?  That way, you’ll get a view from people who are in the same situation as you.  Some of them might even have older children who are already there so they’ll have a view from a longer period which can be quite useful.

My daughter went to a high school with a uniform that you could only buy from the school itself.  It was more expensive, but it was also much better quality than some of the clothing I’d bought previously from supermarkets when she was at primary school.  The school said they had made a conscious decision to do that so that they could get the best value for parents and buy quality clothes that would last without having to give a cut to the uniform shops.

I think it’s also worth waiting to buy everything on the list that they give you - just buy the most important items and hang on for a bit before buying extra kit that’s on the list but your daughter might never wear.  My daughter’s school was always grateful for second-hand uniform in good condition and I donated all kinds of uniform and PE kit items that were on the list but hardly worn, and they went to someone who needed help with buying the uniform.  If that’s your situation rather than money-saving, I’d speak to the school and see what they could offer.

I hope your daughter has a wonderful time at school!

mccueam

I never understand why schools have uniforms. In most other countries, they don't. Are schools pretending to be public schools?

Gillemeow99

daveeeeed said:

Gillemeow99 said:

sunshinebubble said:

My sons high school also has branded trousers (at £25 a pair), blazers, jumpers, skirts, PE kit etc. the school reviewed the guidance from the government last year (summer term 2023) and determined that they were in line with the policy regarding prices as they were equally priced compared to other local high schools. Off the back of the policy they did, however, make a change to the PE kit and gave us a grand total of £14 reduction on a £400 complete uniform by changing this kit.
If he goes into school in the incorrect uniform, regardless of whether it’s because I can’t afford it or any other reason he gets put into isolation until the “issue is resolved”…

sunshinebubble said:

My sons high school also has branded trousers (at £25 a pair), blazers, jumpers, skirts, PE kit etc. the school reviewed the guidance from the government last year (summer term 2023) and determined that they were in line with the policy regarding prices as they were equally priced compared to other local high schools. Off the back of the policy they did, however, make a change to the PE kit and gave us a grand total of £14 reduction on a £400 complete uniform by changing this kit.
If he goes into school in the incorrect uniform, regardless of whether it’s because I can’t afford it or any other reason he gets put into isolation until the “issue is resolved”…

I would say that they're breaching the guidance here. Particularly with branded trousers and skirts, as multiple trousers and skirts are needed.

The guidance states 
"Schools should assess the overall cost implications of their school uniform policy for parents and be aware of how costs could mount up where multiple items of the same garment may be needed. For instance, when a child may grow out of an item quickly or where spare items are likely to be needed."

Happy to help draft a complaint letter if you would like to take this further. 

Please sign my petition to change the law to stop schools having expensive uniform policies. This includes setting a maximum number of branded items, allowing complaints direct to the Department for Education, bypassing the school and including compliance checks in Ofsted inspections. 

Petitions and law changes not required- the guidance is sufficient, schools just have to follow it. Bypassing schools and going directly to DfE disempowers schools and will have unintended consequences. 

As others have said, this is an issue for the school governors and can be easily resolved through due process, without unnecessary escalation and bureaucracy. 

Schools are supposed to be compliant by September 2023. Many aren't. 

I've been right through the complaints process with one school who had 11 branded items and refused to reduce them. I complained to the Department for Education who upheld my complaint. It took 2 years to get to that point. I've complained to another school and that complaint is with DfE too. 

The onus is on schools to comply with the statutory guidance in the first place. If they don't parents should be able to escalate it to a higher authority.

gloriouslyhappy

“If you don't want your children growing up like robots, enlist them in a school that doesn't make them wear uniforms and judges them by compliance to a dress code they have no say in.”

I disagree about the robots bit. Living in London I see very ill-disciplined school children and most people my age - pensioners - avoid taking the bus at school ending time as it’s a nightmare of pushing and shoving, screaming and swearing and often quite blatant abuse including pickpocketing attempts on the other passengers by the little darlings. 

School uniform can at least help identify the culprits! This is no exaggeration by the way, next time you’re in London try taking the bus on a school route between 3-4pm and you’ll see what I mean. I had a child of about 12 stand next to my seat then I felt hands trying to get inside my bag on my lap. I shouted ‘what are you doing’ and he just laughed and moved away - and the other children nearby actually laughed and teased him for being caught!!! The driver wouldn’t do anything when I complained, not even stop and make the boy get out, just shrugged and said it happens all the time! 

I now time my travel more carefully. Sad indictment on our times. I’ll probably sound like an old fogey when I say we were taught to respect our elders, mind our Ps & Qs and give up seats on public transport without being asked.. 

Another big advantage to school uniform is that all pupils are equal and can’t be outdone by children of richer parents who can afford the latest big ticket fashions.

pembrokeshiremamgu

I understand that schools are starved of funding in many cases and that it is trying to increase its income in order to shore up school budgets and selling clothes with the school emblem is a way of achieving this and can be a very convenient way of shopping for some parents however this is akin to blanket taxation that doesn't acknowledge that some are more able to pay than others.  I think it's fine for the school to sell skirts and trousers with the school emblem on - some parents will be pushed for time and will happily buy them but schools should be catering to the needs of all of their pupils not just those who come from well heeled homes, the schools policy makers clearly haven't thought about pupils whose families cannot afford to buy sufficient or any of the specified, more expensive clothing so maybe start by asking the school if it runs a bursary for those who are unable to afford these items or sufficient items.  If you're not getting a reasonable answer from staff contact the Chair and copy in the parent rep governors who may be getting contact from other parents too on the matter.  Ask for a copy of the policy to find out when it was introduced / last revised - was this before the current COL crisis?  Was the policy subject to an equalities check?  What consultation was undertaken before its adoption, was there any consideration to easing the pressure by specifying suitable non-school supplied clothing?  Do they or have they considered in developing the policy selling emblem patches so that those parents who need to can buyer cheaper uniform items and buy only the patches, at least for trousers and skirts (the former can easily have holes in the knees after only a few wearings, this is unsustainable both financially and in terms of environmental impact).  If you don't get a reasonable response from the governors and the school is publicly funded through the LEA contact them - if you are able to show that the school's policy has not been equality checked or has been inadequately policy checked to take into account the impact on students from less affluent households they the LEA is going to have questions answered as to their own equalities policy.  Obvs organising support for your cause shouldn't be difficult as everyone is feeling the pinch at the moment but take a staged approach; no point in using a sledge hammer to crack the nut unless necessary but there are lots of other avenues if necessary and enough support is garnered including press releases, formal complaints (which schools will want to avoid escalating if an easy and mutually acceptable solution is achievable), petitions, uniform strikes (some of which can be newsworthy if dealt with creatively e.g. all pupils taking part in the uniform strike going into school in similar plain clothing but with the school emblem painted on their face - maybe with protesting parents offering face painting outside the gates and the media there to film, interview.  I'm sure the school will see sense if the right questions are asked through the correct channels but if not there are other ways of achieving greater parity - and shouldn't that be what schools want?  Absolutely challenge gently but firmly, you'll not just be doing it for yourself, there'll be plenty of other parents willing to back you.