MoneyMagpie’s guide to getting a cheap or free school uniform

Nicola Kelly


twenty second Aug 2023

Studying Time: 5 minutes

As any mum or dad is aware of, the six-week summer season holidays are a mixture of enjoyable journeys out with the household accompanied by meltdowns, chaos and mountains of cash spent on childcare. 

With simply two weeks to go earlier than youngsters head again to their school rooms, getting again to the standard routine must be music to your ears. 

However for a lot of, particularly with the price of residing disaster, there may be one other stress looming: the way to pay for the brand new faculty uniform. 

The Division for Training encourages faculties to have a uniform coverage as a result of it reduces peer-pressure about having the newest garments, helps construct the character of a faculty and an identification throughout the group, and helps develop a superb studying atmosphere. 

However the prices can rack up quick, so right here is MoneyMagpie’s information to getting low-cost or free faculty uniforms.  Learn on, or click on on the hyperlinks beneath to go straight to every part…

 

The large outlets

Aldi and Lidl 

At all times good for a discount, these two supermarkets are the most cost effective on the subject of shopping for a uniform bundle.  For simply £5 you’ll be able to choose up both trousers or a pleated skirts, two polo shirts and a sweatshirt at Aldi for kids aged 4-12 years, from now till August 31.   

Lidl too has frozen its funds pleasant uniform bundle, providing the identical kind of deal as Aldi. Nonetheless, as ever with these two retailers, the bundles are solely obtainable whereas shares final so don’t depart it till the final minute. Additionally, they’ll’t be purchased on-line, you need to go into the shop. 

 

Asda 

Asda’s George schoolwear might be purchased on-line with a polo shirt two-pack at £3, two shorts for a fiver and two skirts for £7. It’s additionally promoting shirts from £1.75, trousers are £3.50 every, and a pair of socks for day by day of the week will set you again an extra £3. 

Supply is an additional £3.50 however it may nonetheless be cheaper than the petrol to journey to your native Asda. 

 

Tesco 

The UK’s largest grocery store is promoting its discount uniforms in chosen bigger shops so verify with the retailer in the event that they’ve bought what you want. A 3-pack of white polo shirts prices from £4, whereas every part else is being offered in pairs – crimson cardigans begin from £8, blue sweatshirts are from £5, gray trousers are from £8 and pleated clothes are £10. 

 

Sainsbury’s 

Like its opponents, the shop has been aware of fogeys pressured to depend the pennies and has frozen its TU faculty uniform costs since 2022. You may order on-line (supply begins at £3.95), whereas click on and acquire is free. Every two-pack is equally priced, white polo shirts price £3, gray skirts price £7, whereas a pair of thin model trousers is £6. 

 

Marks & Spencer 

You would be forgiven for considering that given its meals costs, this retailer is just not going to be sort to your financial institution stability. Assume once more. You may order on-line or order and purchase in retailer. Trousers begin at £5.60, polo shirts begin from £2.40, skirts prices from £4.80 and a two-pack of white shirts is £6.40. 

 

Subsequent 

The style retailer may not be your first thought on the subject of schoolwear however it boasts 4,000 objects to select from with sweatshirts from £6, skirts £5, trousers £8 and a two polo shirts from £7. Subsequent additionally has a number of socks and sports activities gear. Supply costs are a bit steeper, beginning at £4.95. 

 

Peacocks 

You may take a look at what uniform Peacocks has on-line and higher nonetheless, it is going to be delivered to your house at no cost. Trousers begin from £6, skirts price £5 and two polo shirts are £6. 

 

Uniform recycling 

At Upton Major Faculty close to Pontefract, Head Trainer Lynne Williamson encourages mother and father to ship in something that their youngsters have outgrown on the finish of every half time period. The objects are then washed and put right into a uniform trade occasion organised by the 12 months 6 youngsters. All the things is free. 

Lynne stated: “Initially there was a little bit of reluctance to utilize the trade, however we bought a gaggle of Key Stage 2 to do a venture on fast-fashion and the advantages to the atmosphere of re-using uniform and it actually modified folks’s attitudes.”

With 10,000 objects of clothes despatched to landfill each 5 minutes, the equal of £140 million in worth yearly, options like this are making an increasing number of sense for garments rapidly out grown. Ask in case your children’ faculty is doing the same scheme.

 

Charity outlets 

The excessive avenue is suffering from charity outlets lately so why not make an occasion of getting a rummage round on the lookout for some trendy objects from jackets to sneakers, shirts and jumpers. Conscious that faculties are going again, the outlets will usually have seasonal shows in the summertime. 

 

Web sites 

Try web site like Oldschooluniform.co.uk if you wish to hold your second-hand shopping for to your self.  Based by involved mother and father, you should buy objects by faculty identify for a lot decreased costs and even free on this web site. When you can’t discover what you’re on the lookout for, place a discover describing what you want and it’s very probably you’ll be contacted, in accordance with founder Andrea Grant. As well as, mother and father who’ve second-hand objects to promote can promote on the positioning at no cost. 

Alternatively, you may need to strive promoting a few of your loved ones’s old fashioned uniforms on a web site like Vinted. That manner you may make a bit of cash to place in the direction of both a brand new merchandise of clothes; additionally they promote schoolwear on the positioning. It’s simple to make use of and look by way of after getting the app, and the cash you earn might be despatched straight to your checking account. 

Gumtree or Fb’s Market Place are additionally price checking in the event you want explicit objects of sports activities tools like soccer boots. 

There are many web sites on the market providing uniforms so have a verify round and evaluate costs. It’s price buying round from the consolation of your armchair to see what’s on the market as a result of a little bit little bit of analysis may prevent kilos.

We’re additionally large followers of the web site YoungPlanet, the place folks add stuff at no cost and you may request your wants and folks can give you theirs. Very similar to Olio or different resharing apps, they are often an absolute godsend for college stuff.

Grants 

In England, some native authorities present discretionary grants to assist these struggling financially to fulfill the prices of shopping for faculty uniforms. Try your native authority web site or give them a name to see in case you are eligible. 

Generally faculties or trusts run their very own schemes to supply assist the place wanted however is determined by particular person faculties.   

Sometimes mother and father are required to purchase branded clothes which is all the time costlier so head lecturers are suggested to maintain the usage of these to a minimal and restrict it to long-lasting or low-cost objects. 

There are a great deal of choices on the market to swimsuit each pocket, so store round and benefit from the final days of the vacations with your loved ones.