Secondary school places are announced this month, so now’s a good time to start planning what uniform your child will need when they change schools in September.
Although it might seem early, secondary pupils often need more items – especially when it comes to PE kit – and you might need to budget to spread the costs.
Here’s a guide for how much uniform to buy to get set for starting senior school. Always check your school’s uniform policy for specific requirements too! This can usually be found on the school’s website or starter pack.
Before starting to shop for school uniform, we recommend making a list based on the uniform guidelines produced by your child’s school. Make sure you take a note of what items are compulsory and which are optional.
It’s best to split the uniform needs into categories, then you can sort what you can buy now and what you can buy nearer the time.
How many of each item should I buy?
This depends on how often you’ll be washing the garment, how dirty it might get, and your budget. Little kids are much more likely to get their clothes dirty regularly, while teenagers mainly need to be reminded to put their uniform in the wash.
Daily uniform
This is the most important category as your school might have specific suppliers for items like school blazers.
Outdoor wear
PE kit
PE lessons usually on take place once or twice a week so you should be fine with just one of each of the following: PE top, shorts/skort, joggers/leggings, and two pairs of PE socks. Add on a pair of trainers (check with your school about what’s acceptable) and an item of swimwear. Keep everything in a designated PE bag.
Accessories
Kids will also need a sturdy school bag/rucksack, plus a water bottle, pencil case and stationery including pens and a scientific calculator. When they’re changing to secondary school, it might be nice to treat them to a new rucksack.
It’s often the little things that add up when it comes to getting prepared for the new school year. If you’ve invested in quality school uniforms though, you’ll enjoy peace of mind knowing it’s designed to last.
If you are worried about costs, remember we offer Klarna as a payment-spreading tool to help manage the cost of buying new school uniform. Klarna gives you the option to buy now and pay later, so not only can you spread the cost over three instalments, but your kids can also try on the uniform to make sure it fits before you pay for it.