Outraged mum blasts school uniform prices after spending £242 – and she still has more to buy

A MUM has blasted school uniform prices after she was forced to fork out £242 on her kids’ clothes – and she STILL has more to buy.

Jennifer Gilmour went shopping last week and spent hundreds of pounds on new uniform for her children before they start school again this week.

The mum-of-three to Sophie, Riley, and Robin, wants change to be
implemented so parents sending their children back to the classroom don’t have to spend a fortune during the summer holidays on school gear.

Her children are 11, nine, and five years old – with one starting
secondary school and the other two at primary school.

Mum Jennifer said: “We recognise that there is a cost when sending kids back to school but it’s the sheer price of it all.

“It seems like it is a way of the schools making more money.

“I find the issue to be especially problematic with secondary school.

“There’s no budget alternatives to the branded uniforms so you cannot find alternatives in the supermarkets etc.

“I have spent £242 already and I’ve not finished buying.

“I paid £60 for three pairs of shoes. Our eldest is starting high school and on her alone I spent £120.

“Why can’t we use our own blazers and print the school badge on top.

“Some schools have their own houses as well, so you have to have a specific coloured tie. It’s also the fact this purchasing comes in the summer holidays too.”

According to the secondary school’s website, Jennifer’s daughter Sophie needs to wear a plain white loose-fitting shirt, a black blazer with the school logo on and a house tie to be worn with six visible stripes.

She also has to fork out money for either a plain black full-length tailored and waist-high trousers, or a plain black knee-length flared, pleated, or A-line skirt.

And on her feet, the schoolgirl needs plain black leather or leather-looking polished shoes.

The total cost of just her daily uniform would tally up to £88.97 – if
both skirts and trousers are purchased and only one pack of twin
shirts.

What’s more, she will also need an indoor and outdoor PE kit so that her kids can get involved in lessons at school.

And she’d have to buy new trainers for indoor sport.

Jennifer added that she runs a parenting group in Cheshire, where
parents said that Hull prices are cheap in comparison to their £1,000 spending on uniforms.

The mum and campaigner recently shared her frustration on Twitter, where she gained a response from Labour MP Emma Hardy.

On Twitter, she said: “£242 on school uniform for three children and I’m still yet to buy two ‘dress skirts’, a pack of shirts and a school jumper.

“Yes it’s for three children but still, after the summer holidays.
@EmmaHardyMP #BacktoSchool2021.”

Emma Hardy responded and said: “It’s still too expensive. There is
Re:Uniform to help locally.”

Jennifer said she is now donating any old uniforms which no longer fit her children to the bank at Sainsbury’s for other pupils to have.

Jennifer added: “There should be more flexibility when it comes to
uniforms and parents should be able to do things with them from home.

“Like I said we can wear our own blazers etc. I can pass blazers
bought from the shop down through my kids but it is still ridiculous.”