The Boy on Top
In South Africa - uniforms are the norm. There is a summer uniform and a winter one. There are specialist suppliers...it's a mission and an expensive one...but I like uniforms.
There is a sense of identity with the school, it builds loyalty.
On another note..we don't have the same issues here in France with schools...not yet. It will come in 4 years when Sqiff foes to high school and then we'll have to move...The local high school is BAD...rough.
But time enough to face that.
I did uniforms k-12, and I really liked it, for the pros you cite. Of course, it was a short list: in high school it was skirt and blazer, oxford shirts, matching knee socks and any brown loafer. The gym uniform was this mini-dress thing with bloomers (bloomers! -- that was the only part I didn't like, but since everyone had to wear them, it was more bearable).
Plus you could get everything at the same store.
Sounds like they've turned it into a complicated mess. I feel for you!
Is this a state school? If it is, it amounts to discrimination on grounds of cost and the school governors should have addressed it ages ago and you maybe should ask them to, while Pete is still of an age not to care if you send him in non-regulation blue.
If it's a private school, they are a law unto themselves and you just have to take out a fifteenth mortgage and toe the line.
Uhmmm, its private. I am well aware I have no rights to complain once I'm out of the state system, but its still an absolute nightmare. Though, as I said, I actually approve of school uniforms, this is just this side of madness. There are actually restrictions on the type of pencil we have to provide. TB
State school or private? Makes no difference. All my local schools have teamed up with the abomination that is the National Schoolwear Centre and 2 children in nothing smarter than polo shirts and trousers (oh and the embroidered beanie hat) = a fairly nasty bill of £200+.
Now from your post, I'm willing to guess that its a private school but its no better than in the public sector, though I've heard the OFT are investigating..
Yeah, its private. The insiduous thing is its actually not a money spinner for the school. We're having to purchase from a number of different places, and I just don't think they're clever enough to have kick backs from them all.
£200 for two kids? Ick, we're not into it for much more. Its the time to procure it all that's got me riled. TB
asda all the way for me....and luckily, small person's school is fabulous and will do for another year. come year three though, it's all change again and i'm already dreading it...
Yeah, changing schools is not a fun thing for anyone involved! TB
Clothes lists ... I have fond memories of setting off to begin my archaeology degree with regulation waterproof trousers and my very own mason's trowel 
Commenting by HaloScan
