How To Save Money On School Uniforms

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Buying a school uniform can be expensive, especially if you’re starting from scratch. In this post, I share all the things I did to save money on school uniforms this year.

Our daughter starts school this September and to be honest I’ve been dreading sorting everything out. I knew I was going to have to spend a lot and with everything increasing in price I knew I was going to have to do some serious bargain hunting.

As it’s her first year at school, we need everything. She doesn’t wear a uniform to nursery and as well as the usual uniform and P.E kit we also need a forest school kit which included wellies, waterproof trousers and a waterproof coat.

How To Save Money On School Uniforms

Before we get started, I wanted to show exactly what I bought for our daughter and how much it cost. I’ve included delivery costs where I ordered items online and Vinted fees when I bought from Vinted.

• 2 x pinafore dresses, 1 skirt and 4x white polo t-shirts £17 Aldi (inc delivery)
• 2 x fleece cardigans 2 x knitted cardigans £13 Asda
• 2 x PE Tshirts £2 Asda
• Joggers for PE 80p Vinted (part of a large bundle of winter clothes)
• 5 x Tights £9.50 Sainsbury’s
• 5 x White Ankle Socks £3 Asda
• 10 x White Vests £3.88 Vinted
• PE Bag & Forrest School Bag £5.53 Vinted
• Wellies £2.20 Vinted
• Waterproof Coat £3.53 Vinted
• Waterproof Trousers £1.20 Vinted (free delivery from a new seller)
• School Shoes £3 Asda (sale item purchased in January)
• School Book Bag £5

Total = £71.44

Items we haven’t paid for

• PE Shorts – Reusing a pair of cycle shorts from over the summer
• Daps – We were given a pair from family ages ago and luckily they are now her size
• Coat – last year’s winter coat still fits so doesn’t need replacing yet
• 2 x gingham summer dresses were given by a family member.

The main reason I bought from so many different places was a combination of lack of availability and wanting to try different supermarkets to compare quality.

For example, not every supermarket does age 4-5 tights and it took me weeks to find plain white PE t-shirts. Aldi typically comes out cheapest for the full head-to-toe school uniform at around £5 but Asda had more options when it came to multipacks.

Buying second-hand clothing is something that I’m really passionate and to be honest, I do feel guilty about the amount of new clothing I bought even though I bought a lot second-hand to try and balance things out.

I spent a lot of time searching on Vinted but couldn’t find enough bundles in the right school colours and sizes to make it worth doing. While I did end up often paying Vinted fees and postage, this still worked out cheaper than new for things like the welly boots and waterproof trousers.

I feel very lucky the £3 school shoes I bought in January now fit (I sized up!) but I knew I’d be able to resell for that price and at least recoup my money if they didn’t.

Why Do We Need School Uniforms?

Buying a school uniform can seem like unnecessary stress and cost and you may be wondering why we even have school uniforms when children could just wear their own clothes. It is often argued that uniform doesn’t affect how children learn and the time schools spend moaning about uniforms not being correct could be better spent on other things.

One thing school uniform is supposed to do is make the gap between wealthy and less well-off children less noticeable – so there is less bullying and reduced peer pressure.

School uniform also has other benefits such as making it easier to identify children when on school trips and if they cause trouble near the school premises. It can also make the school day easier as it prevents decision fatigue in the mornings.

I feel lucky that our chosen school actually has quite a relaxed uniform policy and we can choose from three different colours which make buying the cheapest or purchasing second-hand much easier.

Where Is The Cheapest Place To Buy School Uniforms?

Supermarkets are usually the cheapest place to buy school uniforms. Both Lidl and Aldi do a skirt or trousers, 2 polo shirts and one school jumper or cardigan for around £5. However, the colour options on the jumpers can be a bit limited.

Tesco, Asda and Morrisons prices are all around the same and I think the range offered will depend on the size of your local store. We went to an Asda superstore to get a few things we hadn’t been able to find elsewhere.

Sainsbury’s and M&S are where you’ll find prices start to creep up and then dedicated school uniform shops tend to be the most expensive.

Buying second-hand school uniforms can also be a great way to save money.

Is Cheap School Uniform Good Quality?

You might be worried that buying cheap school uniforms means that they will be low quality.

However, many supermarkets have a quality guarantee. For example, Asda has a 100 day School Uniform guarantee.

Do I Have To Buy A Uniform With The School Logo?

Some schools may request that children have school uniforms with the school logo on or that uniforms be bought from a specific uniform shop.

This can make buying school uniforms even more expensive, as parents are unable to cheap generic items from supermarkets.

In an attempt to combat this, the government have brought in some new rules around school uniform that should help struggling parents and which asks school to limit the number of branded items they are asking pupils to wear.

Schools that ask for uniforms to be purchased from a specific shop will have to prove that shop provides the best value for money and the contract will need to be put out to tender every five years.

Other things schools are being asked to do are as follows:

• Set up a second-hand school uniform shop to offer cheap uniforms to those who need them, especially for more expensive or school-specific items such as blazers or rugby tops.
• Avoid being overly specific about some items, such as coats and bags, so parents aren’t forced to be multiples. Eg, if a child already owns a coat, they should be allowed to wear it to school, regardless of colour or style.
• PE kit – branded (logo) items should be kept to a minimum, and overall requirements shouldn’t be too specific.
• Be mindful if non-compliance with uniform policy is due to financial hardship.

School Uniform Grants

Some local councils provide a grant to help with the cost of School uniforms for low-income families. You can check if this is available in your area on the government website here.

Where Can I Buy Second Hand School Uniforms?

There are lots of places you can buy second-hand school uniforms.

If you’re looking for branded school uniforms then it might be best to check out local Facebook groups or see if your school has a group that sells pre-loved items.

I’ve found lots of school uniforms on Vinted. I find with Vinted it’s better to try to buy bundles of clothing or to purchase several items from the same seller otherwise the postage and fees can sometimes negate any savings.

Look out too for new sellers who may be offering free postage – I had this with the waterproof trousers I bought which was an absolute bargain!

Other places to look for second-hand school uniforms online include Shpock, Pre-loved and eBay.

What Are The Benefits of Buying Second Hand School Uniforms?

Aside from saving money, there are lots of other reasons to buy second-hand school uniforms.

Buying pretty much anything second-hand is much better for the environment as reduces your carbon footprint and prevents things from needlessly ending up in landfills.

It may allow you to buy branded schoolwear or better quality when ordinarily you may not have been able to afford to do so.

You’ll also be spending money with families or charities that need it, rather than making the CEO of a big corporation even richer.

Even if you don’t want to buy everything second-hand it could be a great option for spares or backups when things inevitably get lost.

Save Money On School Uniforms – New School Uniform In Charity Shops

Charity shops can be a great option for buying school uniforms secondhand although options can be quite limited. But did you know, that charity shops also often sell brand new school uniforms too?

Many high-street brands have a relationship with charities where they donate surplus stock to be sold, including school uniforms.

Last year my local Scope had a full rail school uniform including summer dresses, pinafores, trousers, shirts and jumpers. All of these were half of the original retail price, unworn and in their original packaging.

Read More: Brand New M&S School Uniform at Scope

Save Money On School Uniforms – Using Items You Already Have

When it comes to the start of the new school year, it can be tempting to buy brand new everything, whether it’s needed or not. While it is nice to start the new term looking all shiny and new, just remember within a few days shoes will be scuffed and shirts will be stained.

Before buying new, it really is worth checking how much of last year’s school uniform still fits, or is in good condition.

We’re also reusing some items we already have such as cycling shorts for PE shorts (I bought a three-pack a the start of the summer and she’s only ever worn them under dresses) and Aubrey’s coat which should still fit until Christmas, if not longer.

Cheap School Shoes Vs Expensive School Shoes

There are lots of pros and cons when it comes to buying cheap or expensive school shoe and here are some of the things you may want to consider.

Cheaper School Shoes Often Don’t Last As Long

‘Buy cheap, buy twice’ as the saying goes. And is this really true when it comes to school shoes? I’d agree that many budget school shoe brands don’t last long and from my own experience with my brother who only left school a couple of years ago, I’d say Shoe Zone and Aldi are probably the worst overall for quality.

However, as children’s feet often grow quickly, it might not be worth shelling out £40 for a pair of school shoes if they’ll only be worn for a few months.

Spending £40 on pair of Clarks shoes that will last for the whole school year might be worth it for an older child who isn’t likely to go up three sizes in the space of a year.

There are also other factors to consider such as whether your child is likely to lose or damage their shoes. One thing you can do is look out for sales and buy a size-up ready for next term!

How To Save Money On School Uniforms – Final Tips

Here are some final tips for how to save money on school uniforms: 

• Shop out of season in the sales – for example, August is a great time to buy gingham summer dresses and grey school shorts as they are often on sale.
• Label your child’s clothes clearly with their name so you can claim them back if they end up in the lost property.
• Follow washing instructions carefully to ensure clothes last for as long as possible.
• If you have Nectar points, these can be used to purchase school uniforms from Sainsbury’s.

I really hope these tips help you to save money on school uniforms and do let me know in the comments if I’ve missed anything!