According to research conducted by The Children’s Society, which surveyed 2,000 parents across the UK in May, on average they are spending £422 per year on uniforms and £287 for primary school children.The survey found that on average pupils were expected to have three branded items, with 29% of secondary school pupils expected to own up to five branded items including PE kits, and 13% expected to have at least seven.
“Have a look on local Facebook sites or sometimes schools have secondhand sales themselves,” advises teacher, mother and money saving expert Sophie Bradbury. Easter is a parent of two girls aged seven and 10, and understands the strain it can put on families. In reality, Easter suggests parents end up spending more in a shorter space of time buying lower quality uniforms, because they might need to be replaced.