General Chat

Dawn, does the school run a second hand uniform shop?or you could askif they have any spare inlost property.

Teresa, Haven't heard of a secondhand shop or anything about lost property but can find out.

Hi Dawnie, Try sounding out other parents to see how they feel about it. The head is likely to take more notice if there are a few of you who are not happy. Gwynne

Gwynne only know 1 other parent and her daughter doesn't wear a sweatshirt anyway as she doesn't feel the cold.

It's only recently that schools seem to have hit on the idea of weatshirts with badges. As you say, you can't send your child in a plain sweatshirt because, like most children, she wouldn't want to be different. The school certainly has a duty to ensure they use a reputable supplier. It is sheer bad management for the shop not to keep an adequate supply of essential uniform. It's not as though they're going to be left with surplas stock. Try the school governors first and then your local education office. Never mind school funds. Better still, letter to local newspaper will works wonders

It's not necessarily a case of not having enough stock in to cover demand. With the best will in the world, if you place an order well before you run low and the supplier lets you down by several weeks, you can't help but run out of stock. I don't order when we're down to the bare bones and I base orders on stock sold during the year and previous years and based on previous delivery times for particular items. Next year, blazers and kilts will be ordered even earlier!!! However, I do feel that your Head should make allowances and he's being very inflexible and unhelpful. Many schools do sell second hand uniform (ours does) so perhaps you could ask him (or someone more approachable) about this. Alternatively, can you put out a request for a sweatshirt on the off-chance that someone's child has grown out of, or no longer needs one? Hope you get it sorted to your satisfaction Dawn. Daisy

I thought the Government said a while ago that state schools should ensure that uniform items were readily available in competitive outlets - ie that schools should make sure that parents could clothe their child in the required uniform from non specialist uniform shops if they preferred. I would suggest contacting the local education authority to check its position on uniforms, explain the difficulty you are having, and get their view on what you should do to resolve this. You will then be better placed to take it up with the head and governors as a general school issue. My local school just sets what colours you have to wear for each item (ie grey trousers/skirt, bottle green sweatshirt/jumper/cardigan, white shirt/blouse/polo shirt). It , sells items with school badges on available through its office but doesn't insist on badges. I find I can get most of the stuff my kids need at my local Asda or Addams though I do buy one school sweatshirt/cardy each a year for 'best'. Angela

Dawnie, ask at your local Citizens Advice Bureau if they know of any charities that help out school age children. I found out about one when my son was 5 and wanted to join a gym club. I was able to get help for him for uniform, private music lessons, school trips and anything else to do with his education and welfare. (I was a single parent). They used to help anyone on a low income altho obviously everything was means tested. The money came from someone years ago leaving a trust fund for poorer children to have the same advantages as others, and the interest on the investments made in property etc etc keeps helping the young people even now. Your local area might have something similar. Good luck - I think that head teacher is an idiot. There definitely should be more than one outlet with reasonable prices and stock available all year round.

I wonder if the head realises the stress he/she is putting your daughter through.