School structure and a Q regarding uniforms

I think even Woolworths sell them...I start purchasing them around now before mums go on a shop frenzy closer to bank holiday ...

Unfortunately that really doesn't work though. At my son's school the rich kids just found other ways to set themselves apart..like by wearing a certain brand of watch or even what brand of boxer shorts the boys wore. I think no matter what, kids will find a way to break themselves off into groups or cliques.

I've been told it's supposedly cheaper on the parents if the kids wear uniforms but it's not really cheaper for me. I have to buy both.....the uniforms for school and still buy the other clothes for everyday life.

Oh I agree, I was just saying that's some of the 'reasoning' behind it. It definitely didn't work at my school. The kids with the money had the posh wool & cotton version of the uniform and other kids had the cheap nylon version.  Not to mention the difference in people's shoes.

In the States I went to both non-uniform and uniform schools. As a child I liked the non-uniform ones but as an adult I now agree with uniforms. I wish they had them here in Sweden but they don't. I only know of one school here that does and it is a British school.

At the uniform schools I attended the kids found ways to set them apart but still there was less of a focus on clothing. This was a while ago though so things might have changed. I still agree with the concept or at the very least a dress code of sorts.

The thing I don't like about uniforms is the constant washing I have to do...sometimes at night, hoping their jumpers would be dry by the next day. (We now have a tumble dryer for emergency situations!) With twin boys one of them is bound to come home with gravy or paint or mud all over them! I can't afford to buy multiples of each, although now that I am "enmeshed" here I know enough not to buy the expensive school polos, but the 2 for £2 pound white ones from Asda to wear under the jumpers, and then buy only one white polo with the school logo from the school shop for wear during warm weather when the jumper is not needed (which cost £8 each here.) If my kids were different ages, I wouldn't mind buying more uniform items as I could pass them down to the next in line, but having to buy two of everything the same size is always such a drag!

BTW...at the twin's school the girls don't have to wear dresses if they don't want to, they can wear black trousers also.

Does the school itself give you a list of items to buy?  I am really confused on this!

Every school has a color that their school wears(green, blue, red,etc.).  Although a few schools have specific uniforms htat the children must wear, and most schools have their own shops uniforms are generally pretty generic and can be bought at most high street shops(Woolworths, Adams, Asda, M&S).  It's up to you where you shop and what quality you buy.  Schools will give out a list-mainly grey trousers/skirt, whiter shirt, coloured jumper(sweatshirt or sweater), black shoes.  If you want the insignia you buy from the school for shirts, jumpers and ties-it's good to have a couple of these for school events.  Most other things can come from the shops. 

Here's a link to another topic where this was discussed.


http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=7184.0

Also, the shops that specialize in uniforms will have lists of what each school's uniforms are.