SMARTER SCHOOL UNIFORM ACTUALLY SAVES PARENTS MONEY

With more schools opting for smarter quality uniforms including blazers and badges, the Schoolwear Association says the trend will actually save parents money.

Garment testing that showed high quality school-specific uniform out-performed low-cost off-the-shelf school clothing in durability and long life.

Our Chairman David Burgess said: “For hard-pressed families, school uniform represents real value, especially when compared with the outfits children would choose to wear when they are out of school. In fact, it can be even better value than these figures suggest because many items of quality school wear last more than a year, particularly blazers which are typically the most expensive uniform item.

"Most parents and teachers agree that quality, school specific uniform contributes to better education and behaviour. Therefore, it is a worthwhile investment, and we believe every child is worth it.”

In years gone by, traditional school uniform looked like it might be declining, as modernising education trends led some schools to dress down their uniform or do away with it altogether. But smart traditional school-specific uniform has made a comeback with many schools transforming into academies and upgrading their uniform as a strong visual message of change.

But uniform still represents great value for money, as research by Oxford Brookes University for the Schoolwear Association shows that a school uniform costs on average just 45p per school day, and the real drain on many family clothing budgets are outfits children wear when they are not in school. Research showed one individual garment to be worn out of school, such as a designer sweatshirt, could cost an average of £46.58, that’s £13.10 more than the cost of a full primary school uniform, excluding PE kit.

As children enjoy their summer holidays, we urge parents to purchase uniforms for the next school year now in order to avoid the annual back-to-school panic. This will ensure that there aren't any last-minute problems, especially if there are any special requirements, as this will give suppliers time to resolve them.