But an increasing number of British schools are adding to parents’ burdens by introducing more and more branded items of school uniforms.
In August we reported how parents have to fork out £70 more than they should for school uniforms due to strict rules on buying from specialist suppliers.
As well as jumpers and blazers, families in certain parts of the country are now expected to shell out extra for trousers and skirts featuring the school’s logo – which cost up to five times as much as standard items bought from budget supermarkets.
One dad, from Calverton, Nottingham, is so incensed he has launched a petition calling for it for it to be illegal for schools to have compulsory logo uniforms.
Mark Brassington, 49, was horrified when his son Charlie’s school – Colonel Frank Seely School – introduced the logo trousers that cost nearly £20 a pop – five times the cost of the £4 pair he'd bought previously.
He said: “We would normally buy our son’s school uniform trousers from a supermarket like Asda, Sainsburys or Tesco – they normally cost between £3.50 and a fiver.
“We were told our son couldn’t attend without wearing branded trousers. Someone said that around 25 people had been given detentions this week and threatened to be or actually put in isolation because they weren’t wearing them.
“There are so many families who are struggling with this – they just don’t know what to do. I think some people are ending up going into debt over it because, how else do you do it?
“Ultimately, it makes no difference to a child’s learning whether they have a logo on their trousers or not.”
Mark, a contractor, told how the grey trousers are no different to the previous pairs allowed to be worn by students – other than a small logo at the top near the pocket.
He said the quality is nothing special, adding: “After three days one lad’s trousers ripped.
“That mum is fuming – she’s a single mum with two sons, I think one of them is in that school and it won’t be long before she has two in there as they’re close together in age.
"At £20 a pair, even if you’re just buying two pairs, that’s a lot of money.”
Mark has complained to the school, but claims they “weren’t interested”.
“I tried to phone them and they said I had to write in,” he explained. “I went through their complaint procedure and they just dismissed it.
He has since made an official complaint with the Department for Education. The school has been contacted for comment.
Mark isn’t the only parent driven to take action.
Last year mum-of-five Alma Doyle, 40, a housing administrator, started a petition to get the government to place a cap on the price of school uniforms after an academy in South Bank, North Yorkshire, introduced logo-ed clothing.
St Peter’s Catholic Voluntary Academy revised its uniform policy so that students were required to wear skirts and trousers featuring the school logo, plus a £14 Nike branded T-shirt for PE which also included the school crest.
The new rules meant parents were faced with having to pay between £10 and £16.50 for a pair of boys’ trousers – compared to a two-pack from Tesco which cost £6.
Meanwhile a girls’ skirt with the logo cost between £11 and £13.95 compared to a non-branded £3 one at Asda.
Alma told Fabulous Digital: “We live in an area of poverty following the closure of the steel mill and people are struggling, but the price of school uniform seems to rise yearly.
“The government pledged to do more to get schools to come together and make uniform affordable for all. The supermarkets also came on board with the introduction of coloured sweaters and budget, good quality uniforms.
“It seemed like the school retaliated by making logo uniforms compulsory.
“If you wear a logo blazer, why is it necessary to have the logo on trousers too, in a position where you can’t even see it when the child is wearing a blazer?
“The financial assistance provided by the school is not enough as it only covers one single item.”
The school has been contacted for comment. Last year head teacher Zahida Hammond provided a statement, which said: “Governors and leaders at the academy are committed to ensuring that all students have equal access to a range of experiences, regardless of their financial circumstances.
Could you claim up to £150 towards your kid’s school uniform from your council? Find out if you qualify
AS a parent, you may be entitled to certain types of financial help, depending on your financial circumstances.
- Some local councils provide help with the cost of school clothing, including PE kit
- The Government provides a central service to help parents find out if their council will help them.
- The service will then redirect you to your local authority's website, where you can find the relevant information by looking at the Education tabs.
- Read more here.
“This year we have funded items of school uniform and PE kit for a number of students. As such, it is our intention to extend our financial support for uniform and school trips in the coming academic year.
“Financial support is always offered by the academy as appropriate to the needs of the family and we encourage any parent with concerns to contact the academy directly.”
This year mum Kim Sims, 31, from Bucknall, Staffordshire, had to borrow £200 from her mother-in-law to pay for her daughter Paige’s branded school uniform for St Peter’s Academy in Fenton, reports the Stoke Sentinel.
She said the blazer, tie, shirt, and P.E kit cost her around £95. She’d previously been able to buy it for around £50.
Kim said: “We were then told the children would be put in isolation if they didn't have the right uniform. It's disgusting.”
A school spokesman said: “The Academy has and will continue to support parents who are undergoing financial difficulties in purchasing the uniform.”
Single mum-of-three Joanne Illey, from Middlesbrough, was forced to take out a doorstep loan to cover the cost of her children’s school uniform last year.
She said all her eldest son’s clothing for Outwood Academy Ormesby secondary school in Middlesbrough was required to have a logo – even the PE kits, which had to be bought from a specialist supplier.
She told Fabulous Digital: “This year I was able to get his uniform half price by applying for the low income grant.
“Even that is a one-off, but if you need more uniform you have to apply again. Not many people are aware of the grant.”
Mum-of-two Katy Taylor, from Manchester, told Manchester Evening News her daughter’s uniform items featuring the school logo don’t fit as well as non-branded ones, despite being “really expensive”.
She bought her daughter's previous primary school uniform from Sainsbury's and told the newspaper it had been “brilliant value for money and has really lasted”.
Research by The Children's Society shows the average cost for secondary pupils is now £340 – rising by £71 if clothes must come from specific outlets.
School Standards Minister Nick Gibb said: “School uniform costs should not be a barrier for any pupil attending or applying to a school of their choice.
“Our existing guidance is clear that when setting uniform policies, schools should keep costs to a minimum and be mindful that they are affordable for everyone – this includes keeping compulsory branded items to a minimum.
"Decisions about school uniform are made at a local level by school leaders, who are best placed to ensure these policies meet the needs of their pupils.”
How branded uniform items compare to supermarket prices…
THIS year Lidl sold a full school uniform set for just £4.50 – featuring skirts, shirts, sweatshirts and trousers all for £1.50 each.
Aldi's back to school offer came to £5 for two polo shirts, one jumper and a pair of trousers or skirt.
Asda's uniform deal came in at £7.50 – including a pack of two polos (£2.50), a sweatshirt (£2) and a pair of trousers or a skirt (£3) for £7.50.
Sweatshirts, trousers and skirts featuring the Colonel Frank Seely School logo from Just Schoolwear all cost between £13.95 and £19.95 depending on the size.
Blazers are priced between £25.95 and £30.95.
Cllr Richard Watts, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, said: “We would encourage all schools to follow a common sense approach to their uniform, for example choosing uniform items widely available on the high street, making school logos available as sew-on patches, and having a plain sports kit that can be used for different sports.
"Schools should be using a range of suppliers to avoid single outlets having a monopoly that allows them to raise prices."
Shops that stock the branded items told Fabulous Digital that schools do not get a cut of sales.
From Morrisons to Debenhams, here we rate all the school uniform ranges available on the high street — but who gets top marks?
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