The cost of school uniforms

eviltwin

The school uniform issue is a very real one for a lot of parents especially ones like me with kids in second level.

It costs me about 200 euros to get my childs uniform, I have to get a brand new one cause my daughter is in one of those annoying schools that has a different uniform for senior cycle :mad:

I wouldn't mind if the quality was good but when you are paying 50 quid for a piece of rubbish jumper that falls apart in a matter of months its a waste of money.

Our PA has been on about this for years and has tried to campaign to bring in the generic uniforms that can be picked up in Tesco etc but the school resist. I don't know why. I wonder do teachers really understand the pressures parents are under?

saa

I certainly didn't need a new uniform every year, other than the jumper you could pick up generic shirts and slacks. I feel that they do not like the iron on crests as the schools have a huge fear of students "not looking well", it was a bit ridiculous when my school was asking parents to make sure the child had two sets of uniforms in case they get a stain on one,I don't use lame abbreviations often but, omfg.

eviltwin

saa wrote: »

I certainly didn't need a new uniform every year, other than the jumper you could pick up generic shirts and slacks. I feel that they do not like the iron on crests as the schools have a huge fear of students "not looking well", it was a bit ridiculous when my school was asking parents to make sure the child had two sets of uniforms in case they get a stain on one,I don't use lame abbreviations often but, omfg.

Not all schools...ours and the other one down the road has a special school skirt or trousers with the school colours sown into the seams :mad:

And a school coat which is 80 quid alone.

SerialComplaint

eviltwin wrote: »

Our PA has been on about this for years and has tried to campaign to bring in the generic uniforms that can be picked up in Tesco etc but the school resist. I don't know why. I wonder do teachers really understand the pressures parents are under?

Don't give up. Are you sure the PA chairperson has been taking the PA concerns to the Principal? Have you brought up the matter with the Parents reps on the Board of Management?

eviltwin wrote: »

Not all schools...ours and the other one down the road has a special school skirt or trousers with the school colours sown into the seams :mad:

And a school coat which is 80 quid alone.

Sounds like one of those very old-fashioned schools? Again, what response is the PA getting from the Principal or the Parents Reps on Board of Management?

chicamom wrote: »

Big business opportunity, big prices, big rip-off...and as for Text-to-Parent scam. Did you know IPPN (Irish Primary Principals Network) profit from all text-outs made to parents on this system? Tax payers pay the bill, teacher's org receive profits? How is that fair.. and why can't they avail of free web-texts like any other organisation?

chicamom wrote: »

The cost of this service at 4c per text is very similar to other commercial text services like clickatell. I guess the IPPN get some kickback all right, but I doubt if anyone is making a huge amount out of it.

The free web texts are generally not suitable unless the usage is very low. Once you go over your monthly 'free' limit, the cost per text of about 10c can be prohibitive.

chicamom wrote: »

You assume democracy has reached all corners of this country. Not so. Not all schools have a PA. Not all BoM's play by the rules, even their own rules! Not all parents have power. Some corruption exists in education. Education represents 20% of GDP in most countries worldwide.Big money involved, and yet very little public awareness/perception of corruption. INTO and Teachers keep plugging the hard-done by , hard working-dedicated teachers and self sacrificing nature of the job...blah blah. Studies are currently underway regarding this very topic by UNESCO (amongst others). Very interesting reading.
I was elected on our BoM recently as parent rep. Because I am blow-in and less constrained by local and family ties and loyalties, I'm more inclined to speak out on issues. Six months later, still no meeting called. In the meantime when I raised issues re: school financial matters,clientelism,un fair tendering for maintenance jobs, lack of transparency around fundraising practices and disbursements, not to mention unfair extra charges to parents etc., PP and Principal ambushed me in a private meeting instead. Result: After 8 years of my kids attending there, I've pulled my three kids from the school (even tho' it's small and struggling for numbers, rural, 2-teacher) Drastic..yes. Necessary to ensure they would not be victimised by Principal who dislikes being questioned by their mother...yes. Implausible, do you think? Well, I've now got three homeschoolers on my hands who would strongly disagree with you. No Parents Association by the way, (was promised but never materialised). Don't start me on the uniform issue....how about one designated local supplier in our small nearby town and 18 village schools in catchment area (needless to say similar, but all slightly different uniforms)?

This is a dreadful, dreadful situation. I guess relationships can be difficult in a small community. WOuld you consider escalating to the Patron (the Bishop presumably) or proposing some kind of mediation approach to get things back on track?

snuggles09

My 3 daughters go to a school where you have the school crested jumper and a skirt for the senior side ( from 3rd calls to 6th class) but the junior side it's just navy skirt, navy jumper or cardigan ( can be bought in Tesco or Heatons )

Any navy track suit will do, they have a school one but it's not mandatory..i'm noticing more and more the Heatons and Dunnes tracksuits in the school, the "proper" school ones are dying out

I bought my daughters their pinafores already for Sept in the Heatons sale here for 5 euro each, i get the white shirts in Tesco and I can get the track suits in Dunne for 6 euo a jumper and 4 euro for the ends

My friend who lives around the corner however, her daughter goes to a different school and the pinafore alone is 40 euro:mad: It's crested everything with them and she has 3 kids like me

Seems very unfair that it costs her triple the price to dress her kids for school as it does for me to dress mine

chicamom

Yes good points. I realize I was possibly on a RANT with the "text-to-parent scam" thing!( It was very very late!) But I have had a terrible time of it recently with our school and do find myself getting incensed with the whole education system in this country, especially re: transparency and accountability and lack of proper complaints procedure. The problem in our area seems to be the whole Patronage issue, the Priest having too much say and influence over the Principals and most parents although privately dissatisfied are fearful to be seen to cross him publicly. As for complaining to the Bishop I'm not sure he would listen to just one lone voice.

Rega

eviltwin wrote: »

I wonder do teachers really understand the pressures parents are under?

What do teachers have to do with school uniforms?

byhookorbycrook

Apparently teachers get kick backs from uniform suppliers:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

SerialComplaint

Rega wrote: »

What do teachers have to do with school uniforms?

So who sets the uniform policy then?

chicamom wrote: »

Yes good points. I realize I was possibly on a RANT with the "text-to-parent scam" thing!( It was very very late!) But I have had a terrible time of it recently with our school and do find myself getting incensed with the whole education system in this country, especially re: transparency and accountability and lack of proper complaints procedure. The problem in our area seems to be the whole Patronage issue, the Priest having too much say and influence over the Principals and most parents although privately dissatisfied are fearful to be seen to cross him publicly. As for complaining to the Bishop I'm not sure he would listen to just one lone voice.

No problem about the ranting at all. I'm not sure that the Bishop would listen either, but sure you've nothing to lose at this stage. You can point to clear procedural issues, like the failure to have any BoM meetings. If the Priest/Principal had any sense, they would stick to their procedures like glue, and freeze you out by having their majority on the BoM!

Lola92

SerialComplaint wrote: »

So who sets the uniform policy then?

As far as I can remember from trying to get school hoodies done as a mini-company for transition year and getting a hockey uniform approved, it is the Board of Management that make the decision on uniforms. My father did a stint on my schools BOM as a parents council rep and put a lot of work in to trying to change the school coat from a rubbish quality one for €80 that fell apart after a wash to a really good wearing and waterproof regatta one for half the cost, just less the crest!

Rega

SerialComplaint wrote: »

So who sets the uniform policy then?

Board of management make decisions like that. Nothing to do with teaching staff.

January

In the case of my secondary school who tried to change the uniform when we were heading into 4th year, the parents got to vote.

Chucken

I know this is a big bump but I dont think I should start a new thread.

Finally common sense prevails

Schools face being forced to allow parents opt for cheaper uniforms instead of expensive crested jumpers and blazers under new rules.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/schools-will-have-to-allow-cheaper-uniforms-29569608.html

January

I don't see it happening... It says the DOE aren't discussing it at the moment, it's just a proposal of the Tanaiste... It would be great if it did though.

I was talking to our principal about this last year, getting a company where you can get iron on crests to supply to the school. We have generic uniforms but our P.E. kit costs €32 for the smallest size!

Chucken

I think it will happen. If its being talked about longside the budget, at least the govt are taking it seriously.



Because it will not involve any direct cost to the Exchequer or any new taxes, the school uniform regulations will not strictly be part of the Budget but are expected to be announced alongside it. "It is happening," a senior source close to Mr Gilmore said.

moochers

My boy's school has a very specific school uniform (colour and crest). About three years ago the school started having a secondhand uniform sale at the end of the school year. The school trousers and jumpers which normally cost around 30 euro each are sold for a fiver. The quality is very good and most parents avail of the service. I think this is a fantastic idea.

Ken.

Call me cynical but this seems like a ploy by the government to cut children's allowance and the back to school grant.

wolfpawnat

ken wrote: »

Call me cynical but this seems like a ploy by the government to cut children's allowance and the back to school grant.

Indeed. But was it not on the front of one of the papers today that Gilmore was not in support of it.

I got stung for 122 for a Junior Infant this year for uniform and 40 for books. And of course with my luck he has to have wide fitting shoes from Clarkes, but thankfully nana sorted that. But the 100 bts was nowhere near enough. I have to fork out another 80 before the end of september for photocopying, etc. It's all about cuts cuts cuts and we, the parents suffer.