The spiralling cost of school uniforms

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The spiralling cost of school uniforms

16 August 2013

The average cost of school uniform is now £156 for primary school pupils and £285 for secondary school pupils, according to a survey by Family Action. The survey cites the increase in the number of flagship academies and the 'postcode lottery' local authority school uniform grants system as reasons for this significant increase.

Worryingly, it states that parents on the poverty line are forced to spend up to two-fifths of their income in August on back to school costs.

DfE guidance states school uniform must be "affordable and not a barrier to parents when choosing a school". Academies and many schools now directly contract with school uniform suppliers. You are their client: do not be afraid to negotiate with them to get the best deal for both the school and ultimately, parents. It would be a shame if a parent did not send their child to your school or academy because of the price of your uniform when you could negotiate a lower price.

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