Is school uniform a financial burden for families?
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00:00I think it's really important to understand and put into context what school uniform is
00:05and what it does. And what I mean by that is that school uniforms worn 195 days a year,
00:12it's unique in terms of clothing items that you won't find anything else that's worn as
00:16much as a school blazer, for example, which you have one of and you wear every day, day
00:22in day out, come rain or shine, hail or thunder, ice or snow, and you're going to wear it and
00:27it will last you for at least a couple of years before it needs replacing.
00:35A Department for Education spokesperson said too many families tell us that the cost of
00:39school uniform and PE kits is too expensive. No child should be prevented from looking
00:45smart in school or taking part in sport because of cost. But on the other hand, the School
00:50Wear Association argues that the uniforms made by member companies are of higher quality
00:56compared with cheaper items. The association said, quote, they are designed to wash and
01:01wear repeatedly.
01:02So the key point to understand with school uniform is that, and particularly with branded
01:09school uniform, which you buy a few items of as part of the school uniform code, is
01:13that it doesn't get replaced every year. You know, when you go into secondary school, typically
01:17you might have a blazer, a tie, maybe a jumper as a branded school item. You'll replace your
01:22blazer on average 2.4 times. School specific uniform is just that, it's uniform. Everybody
01:28has to wear the same. That, in a school environment, takes away a lot of that pressure. I think
01:34school leaders also overwhelmingly say that it gets kids into the sort of mindset for
01:40learning when they've got a specific uniform on. And I think people talk about trying to
01:45reduce the cost of uniform. Some parents will end up buying expensive branded grey jumpers
01:51and other parents who maybe can't afford to do that end up with, you know, not doing that.
01:55And it creates a whole raft of have on, have nots in the school environment.