Demand high for school uniform swaps, West Midlands charities say

[SueFinanceManager]

How many of you remember those staged school debates back in the day and one of the old perennials was school uniform.

I am sure your debates ran along similar line to the pros and cons as per below:
 

As a child, apart from not liking my Black & White uniform with ridiculously bright orange PE shorts/shirts I never really gave the buying of it much thought although, as a child in a single parent family I probably should have and taken more care of it!

So reading this news article made me sit up and think about the number of families struggling to purchase school uniform for their little ones about to embark on their new adventure at primary school:

Demand high for school uniform swaps, West Midlands charities say

I feel sure this is happening all over the country with families being squeezed from so many directions, so does your school have a school uniform?  Has the structure of that uniform changed over the last few years so that parents can buy, for example any brand of black trousers rather a specific make/style? 

Have you had to help provide some families with uniforms and if so how do you fund that?  Is this from the school budget or does the school PTA fund this through fundraising events?

If as a school you scraped uniform do you think this would make it easier or harder for low income families given the argument that wearing uniform leads to 'Less Bullying in Schools'

When a little one starts big school parents often feel overwhelmed as they start full time education and I really feel for those families where uniform is just another thing to worry about.

Sue 
 

[sunnyday]

Maroon!

Primary school uniform - maroon and yellow

Secondary school uniform - maroon and pale blue

So I just could not get away from maroon 🤣

Sorry - that was not what you were asking at all 

Our primary is accepting of any trousers but their polo shirts and sweatshirts have the school logo and can only be purchased via the school office - same with sports shorts and tops - also book bags

There is a chance to obtain second hand uniform items from school (items gifted by parents) - also lots for sale via the village FB page

 

[Cait]

Our PTA at the village Primary had a second hand table for uniform at the summer Fair and bagged items that could be bought year round.   Logos were on polo shirts and sweatshirts, but in the colder months when children wore sweatshirts all the time, the polo shirts were just generic cheap ones.   

[Froglet]

The schools I have been connected with in recent years have a uniform that is pretty generic. Sweatshirts/cardigans with logos are available and are 'preferred' but the policy makes it clear that a plain one in the school colour is fine. Trousers, skirts, polo shirts are what is standard 'uniform' from the local supermarket. We always seem to have loads of spare uniform which is either lost property or things children have grown out of which parents give back to us. We give it out as needed.

[SueFinanceManager]

On 11/08/2023 at 09:37, Froglet said:

The schools I have been connected with in recent years have a uniform that is pretty generic. Sweatshirts/cardigans with logos are available and are 'preferred' but the policy makes it clear that a plain one in the school colour is fine. Trousers, skirts, polo shirts are what is standard 'uniform' from the local supermarket. We always seem to have loads of spare uniform which is either lost property or things children have grown out of which parents give back to us. We give it out as needed.

I think the idea of allowing sweatshirts/jumpers that are the school colour but plain and therefore not as expensive as logoed is definitely a sensible approach that allows children to fit in and helps parents afford the uniform.

Good to hear from Sunnyday  & Cait that people in your areas can access second hand stuff too - I remember some of my own childrens kit was grown out of so quickly it had loads more mileage in it for another child!