Do you think the cost of school uniform is too high?

[glenda5Participant]

Did you know that:

• The average cost of Primary school uniform is at £255 and Secondary school uniform at £340 – in London the averages are £452 for primary schools and £456 for secondary schools
• According to the Department for Education nearly one-fifth of parents and carers reported that they had suffered financial hardship as a result of purchasing their child’s school uniform
• That in 2013, the Department of Education advised schools that:

“…When considering how the school uniform should be sourced, governing bodies should give highest priority to the consideration of cost and value for money for parents. The school uniform should be easily available for parents to purchase and schools should seek to select items that can be purchased cheaply, for example in a supermarket or other good value shop. Schools should keep compulsory branded items to a minimum…”

If you would like this to change, please sign the petition: https://www.change.org/p/the-department-for-education-stop-schools-using-branded-pe-kits

I would love to hear more from you on this also!

[KathymumofoneParticipant]

That seems high to me. My son (10) attends a Hampshire state primary. His uniform including 6 shirts, two sweaters, 2 trousers.sports kit, Clark’s shoes and Adidas trainers came to £160. There’s no uniform coat. Even if I add book bag and sports bag it’s £175.

which isn’t cheap but thanfully not £255.

There are two school specific items, the sweater and the PE t-shirt.

i guess we must be the lucky ones

[glenda5Participant]

The figures come from the Department for Education and a report done by The Children’s Society called ‘The Wrong Blazer’. It does sound like your school does the minimum, Kathy, which is better than most. The higher costs come from the use of school branded items. My son’s school requires them to have a full branded PE kit – that’s everything from the shirt, jumper, jogging bottoms, shorts etc. Other schools do much worse – coats and jackets, bags, socks. It’s really getting out of hand and is on the increase. If anyone would like the links for either report please do let me know.

[SherimaParticipant]

When I added the shoes the bill was around £250. It did not include underwear , school bag and swimming gear

[SOLOMUMMYParticipant]

There will always be a duffdiffer between secondary and primary school uniform costs. Partly due to size difference, partly due to range of equipment needed and partly due to branding emblems etc.

 

My lo could never have two school jumpers a week so for me would be five for us.

Add in three pairs of school shoes due to outgrowing and likewise the pe trainers or plimsolls.

Plus given the level outdoor learning the coat, rainsuitand wellies.

So even though can shop at supermarket, the quantity of clothes, plus outgrowing rate soon adds up. Full price three pairs of Clark’s shoes alone could be ieo £120.

[Author]

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