For many families, the start of the new school year signals the beginning of stress over the ever-increasing cost of school uniforms. The cost of living is already straining the family’s resources, and now there are other concerns like paying for the child’s school uniform.
Very few stores sell the designated school uniform required by schools, which makes them relatively expensive. Additionally, as a child grows or the uniform becomes soiled and yellow, parents are often encouraged to purchase newer uniforms.
From a financial and environmental standpoint, it is beneficial to wait to replace your child’s uniform until it needs replacement or no longer fits.
To allow parents to purchase less expensive substitutes from supermarkets and high-street merchants, new rules regarding school uniforms may go into effect. These guidelines will encourage schools to minimize the quantity of pricey branded products that are necessary.
The Labour MP Mike Amesbury introduced the Education (Guidance about Costs of School Uniforms) Act 2021, which has broad bipartisan support. It will go into effect in September, the beginning of the school year 2022–2023.
Buy your uniforms from the supermarket
Although specific schools can continue to determine their uniform regulation standards, the legislation intends to help families save money by removing the need to buy expensive branded items from specialised school wear providers, such as blazers.
They can instead buy generic substitutes from supermarkets. They may look for back sales at Aldi and other affordable supermarkets in the UK. This will save you cost and the difficulty of travelling to expensive shops to buy blazers and other school items.
Buy sizes that are a bit larger
Children are growing every day, therefore, it can be helpful to buy clothes that are a size above what fits them. Children can wear clothes that are a few sizes larger than what they currently need so that parents will not need to replace uniform items as frequently due to growth spurts.
Buy two sizes larger, especially for investment pieces like blazers, or it might become a recurring expense for parents.
Buy second-hand clothes
Numerous councils in the UK have established uniform banks and exchanges where people can donate and swap outdated or out-grown school uniforms. Donating uniforms can help families financially as well as avoid unnecessary waste or use of resources in the ecosystem.
Once your child grows out of a uniform, you can donate it to such places or pass it on to your younger child. You can also find much cheaper school uniform options at these places for your growing children. Parents can look for hand-me-downs from friends or relatives that might one day be the ideal size for their children.
Parents should understand that it is appropriate to accept or dress their children in hand-me-downs and that it is not shameful. There should be no embarrassment in accepting the goodwill of those around you and saving money whenever you can, especially considering all the additional financial and emotional strains that come with being a parent.
Additionally, this might be a terrific strategy to lessen your family’s environmental imprint if you wish to be more environmentally responsible. When your child ultimately outgrows their hand-me-downs, you may pay it forward by giving them to some other parent, or you can even save them if you’re intending on having children in the future.
If you are a parent who has a child that is growing, you will need to routinely update their closet to ensure that they have clothes that match their changing height and physique. Parents can use a height calculator to estimate their children’s height before shopping for their clothes. They can then keep an eye out for hand-me-downs of a relatively larger size.
Regularly check for mending
Due to the harsh treatment they receive from students, school uniforms tend to tear or get stained easily. By regularly inspecting clothing for any needed repairs, parents may extend the lifespan of their belongings. Reattach frayed hems, and clean paint splatters with laundry soap.
Holes could be mended to avoid further perforations. If dresses or skirts are overly long, they can be briefly hemmed higher or made shorter. Remove the stitches of the temporary hem to change the length of clothes as your child grows taller.
Check out EDClass if you decide you would like to homeschool your child and save on school uniform costs.
