The BBC site is reporting that the OFT is going investigate school uniform supply / pricing, and tail-ends it with this spectacular (and unsubstantiated) piece of bilge from the increasingly ridiculous Sarah Teather:
"Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman Sarah Teather said: "Some schools require a certain expensive brand of clothing in order to deter poorer parents from sending their children to the school. "It's selection by the back door and it's got to be stopped. As schools become trusts and get more independence it's crucial that such tricks are rooted out."
Quite apart from this sounding quite remarkably unlikley, how on earth could this be policed? I am yet to hear of any state schools requiring their pupils to sport blazers by Hugo Boss, shirts/blouses by Versace and as far as I know Hèrmes are yet to enter the school tie market.
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You can buy the basic school uniform from Tesco, Asda etc. Trousers are £3 a pair, shirts about the same price for a pair. The price has come down, just as mine are about to finish needing them.
I went to the worst school in my borough and they forced you to buy all clothing from a well known high street shop which meant all the prices were fixed deliberately high.
Anyone not wearing the exact shirt and jumper/blazer was removed from lessons until they bought the item(s) at whatever cost. I had to apply to sue them til they stopped hassling me.
I was hoping folks a bit nearer to the ground could weigh in here, so thank you Ellee and AJH.
My school had official suppliers, but when you consider it was black blazer, trousers and a white shirt, the only specialist items were the tie and the badge. I'll have to ask my ma if she thought she was skinned at the time.
State schools create school 'colours' which they then incoroprate into clothing. Therefore, you have to buy usually slightly garish stuff which wouldnt be on general sale.
Rather than black/grey/white, it might be a bright blue/red/purple shirts/jumper/blazer. It is often so they have a greater range of reasons to exclude people rather than have to teach them, depending how 'bog standard' the school is.
My experience was 10/15 years ago, but 6 ft+ teenagers cant fit into kiddie sizes from the supermarket, so these rules still remain effective now.
How do they manage that? Trousers and shoes are surely the exception to the rule. Strip search everyone?!
I appreciate the point about non-standard colours - my sister's uniform had a blue/white striped blouse, and I had friends who attended a 'blue' school.
One of my contempraries once rolled up to school in a grey shirt and was warned off a repeat, but stayed in class. This was in the - cough - late 70's / early 80's and at a boys' grammar school with delusions of grandeur.
It was a bit different where I went. I was one of the 'small minority' who reached the 5 or more GCSE pass standard which determined much of the new fangled school league table for the borough.
They couldnt chuck me out or the whole school pass average would have significantly dropped. As a result I broke many other rules and nothing happened, but that was the one issue they took a stand on.
Ah - another memory has just surfaced.
My school allowed 5th and 6th formers to wear suits (but still with the tie and a white shirt), the idea being that we would then have interview / first job attire, I suppose. Anyway, they were specified as having to be 'sober' suits, and the character who turned up in an electric blue suit, was warned, and I think, threatened with suspenion if he wore it again.
My school loved its very pale blue shirt and very bright blue wooly v-neck jumper. I though I looked much better in my everyday cotton round neck pullover.
The fact it included the logo of my family fruit and veg firm where I'd work the weekend had nothing to do with it.
Made me easy to pick out with a pass playing footy and when running down the corridor between lessons as well I suppose.
Dont take it back now dammit!
Its the first sensible thing Sarah's said in her life.
You cant be expected to believe anything she says, its a natural reaction...
AJH - the anarchist in me really approves of you sticking it to The Man. You must have really wound them up....
They deserved it, I never learnt anything. Strangely, many of the staff left the year I left.
Likewise your libertarianism, something the Libs and new improved Labour could learn from.
AJH - be nice to think so, wouldn't it?
My long suffering mother was posed the question, and here are her thoughts:
A really "out of the blue" question you pose! As far as I can remember (way back in the mists of time) your and Anne's school uniform wasn't too dear because being black and navy respectively the blazers, trousers, skirts, etc. could be bought in any chain store and the badge sewn on. Only the blouses for your sisterand the ties for you were difficult to get except from the authorised outfitters. I can't remember, but I expect they were subject to the usual mark up. Even further back, I remember that MY school uniform (purchasable only from the recognised outfitters) was VERY expensive and there was a lot of it, being a private school: tunics, blouses, cardigans, socks, ties, blazers, raincoats, overcoats, hats (different for summer and winter); summer dresses, special gear for sport. I guess the same is true today for private schools where the uniform is "different" and has to be bought in special shops.
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