No Room At The Inn
So since this is supposed to be a ‘mummy blog’ I suppose I should mention something to do with Erin or parenting, it’s been a while 
(I wrote this sentence before I decided to post about St Andrews on Monday and now I can’t be bothered to think of a new intro, sorry)
So in January we had to decide whether to apply for primary school or defer for a year until she’s five, she’d basically do another year of afternoons at nursery. After about five minutes deliberation we decided that it would be best for her to move up with her friends. Her birthday is in February so she’ll be one of the youngest but the teachers seem confident she’ll cope fine and I think she’s ready for the challenge. We had another lovely parents evening this week, I’m so proud of her, I just hope she continues to get on as well once she’s moved onto ‘big’ school.
Unfortunately last week we received a letter saying that our local village primary school is over subscribed and therefore all applications will be decided by a panel that will be sitting today. Hopefully all will work out, the village rumour mill has been hard at work and we’ve heard that all kids within the catchment should be okay, if not then I shall appeal on health and transport grounds.
In the meantime discussions over school uniform take place on a regular basis on the shool dawdle run, check dresses or pinafores, shirts or polo-shirts…so many fashion decisions, Erin’s in her element. I think I’m going to make a day of it during the summer holidays, taking her out for lunch and helping her choose stationery and blitzing her whole uniform in one go. Don’t tell anyone but I’m rather excited, I miss the whole buying new stationery for school and picking a new school bag, in fact perhaps I should kit myself out before Uni 
If anyone has any uniform buying/wearing/organising tips, chip in in the comments I need all the help I can get
I can just see you sitting down at Uni with one of those pink pens with a big pompom on the end!!
Yes, I have tips (earned over many years of harrassed uniform shopping). For years, I bought the really cheap uniform stuff from Asda/Tesco, but frankly, they’re a false economy. The trousers go bobbly (or rip – although this could be more to do with boys playing footie etc), and the shirts are so thin they’re practically see-through. I’ve found the best quality stuff is at M&S or Next (and M&S do a lot of 2 for 1 offers as well). Oh and don’t buy them too big thinking they’ll grow into them – it’s a false economy as they’re often knackered before they do – although again, could be a boy thing!
Oh, and shop early. I’m always looking for the biggest sizes (14/15 stuff) and they’re rare as hens’ teeth. I’m imagining that the teeny sizes may be similar.
Lastly, buy a laundry marker and write names on labels. Iron-on labels don’t stick and I don’t do sewing! x
There. Rant over
)
As soon as the school’s break up for summer BUY EVERYTHING! You will have no chance come August
Ooh good tips, thanks both. Go early, don’t buy cheap and mark everything, got it!
I wasted money by buying jumpers with the school logo on them. Plain solid jumpers will work just as well and it is less painful to the pocket when they are lost. Make sure you label ALL clothes. For school shoes, buy cheap. They will go through even the most expensive shoes in no time flat (learned that one the hard way).
Oh for goodness’ sake – I can’t believe English Mum has stolen all the very good school uniform points I was going to make! I agree completely – the cheap uniforms are a false economy as the bobble and don’t look great after about a term. I’d recommend Next and M&S. I don’t spend a fortune on gym kit though as it often gets lost. And LABEL EVERYTHING!!!
Noted Kat, especially the school shoes tip.
Perhaps I should have limited it to one tip each Rosie
Joking aside it’s good to hear people giving the same tips, I’m hearing the Next and M&S message loud and clear.
Hmm, I actually disagree with the cheap shoes one. I bought my son cheap shoes and had to replace them twice in one term because they just weren’t up to it. I bought a pair of Start Rite ones the next term and they’ve lasted all the way through.
Agree with English Mum about Next and M&S for clothes (Next are really good for cheap sports kit too).
Although I have to say I buy my son’s trousers from Tesco and they last really well (there is usually a hole in the knee after a couple of months so I’d rather be spending ?4 than ?8. They probably never have time to bobble!)
Label EVERYTHING for it will get lost and don’t sweat it when she comes home with a big black marker pen blob on the front of her top – it comes out eventually and unless they’re having a school photo, what does it matter?
Echo the M&S etc comments, although with one caveat – tights. EVERY single pair (school or non-school) I have ever bought from M&S has bobbled, ripped, or got a hole in the gusset. Adds have been marginally better so far, but at least cheaper when I have to buy more. If anyone has any tips on tights, please let me know! Here’s hoping for good weather soon..
You’ll get told that a blazer isn’t essential as the kids wear it for about six weeks and then never again (as they get into a proper winter jacket). We thought it was piffle but it is actually quite true. We still wanted the blazer though – it looks really nice on the first day.
We bought a lot from John Lewis and Alstons and also M&S. It has stood up to the damage of day-to-day schooling and well worth the extra spend. Check when M&S do their school offer though because, IIRC, it comes quite late as it’s geared towards the English return to school.
One tip: buy three of everything and two school ties. We thought two of everything was plenty but we still have days scrambling about.
And nametag everything. And check at night to make sure you child has lifted her own stuff and not another child’s top.
As for the shoes debate, madam is still in her first pair of school shoes – bought from Next – and they’ve lasted well on most days (she has had boots, wellingtons and trainers for the necessary days though – but she’s gone through plenty of each, the school shoes have been the only constant).
When my girls were smaller, they always had Clarks shoes – they measure to allow for some growth and they last for months.
Always buy more shirts/polo shirts than you think they will need, to avoid the issue with things being in the wash/needing a button sewing on/lost during PE changing.
But the biggest bugbear of anyone who teaches in a primary school is PUT YOUR CHILD’S NAME IN EVERYTHING!! Sorry for the capitals, but it never fails to amaze me when parents come in asking if I’ve seen their child’s jumper/shorts/pumps etc, and I say “is their name in it?” and the answer is ‘no’. For goodness sake, all the clothes look the same!!
Rant over. Have fun choosing Erin’s uniform!
I would have to say no to the Clarks shoes. I had Clarks all my days of primary and my feet are in such a bad way that a) I walk funny and b) have been told that at some point I’ll actually need surgery to correct the bad walk. On top of that c) I have toes which are horribly squashed together.
Now it may all be genetic but my mother has sworn off Clarks because of the state of my feet and won’t have them near the grandchild (soon to be grandchildren).
Most of madam’s shoes have been from NEXT or NEXT Clearance (except for all the Lelly Kelly’s) and she has cracking wee feet.
My uniform tips, is buy from M&S online as soon as they have the 3 for 2 offer on, buy more than you think you will need and also a selection of things. For Maxi I have 5 pairs of adjustable waist trousers, 6 short sleve button up shirts (stay whiter than the polo shirts, which also shrink), 3 long sleeved. 3 pair of shorts, 10 pairs of socks, 5 plain cotton jumpers and 2 branded school jumpers and 1 fleece cardigan from mothercare (it zips up he loves it).
I took Maxi in to try some stuff on to get the size right and then ordered 2 sizes. Mini is now wearing what Maxi has grown out of.
Best school shoes we’ve had so far are Kickers. Other than that I’ve had a love/hate relationship with Clarks … don’t buy patent or anything with stitching that goes down to the toe. We are currently back in Clarks and so far so good. I gace the cheap shoes a try and ended up replacing 3 times. Not worth it.
Label everything, get iron in ones rather than sew in ones. Will save a few hours of your time.
I buy shurts/polos shirts from the supermarket and jumpers from M&S. Next is good too.
Buy as soon as it goes on sale otherwise you’ll be left with freaky sizes. Buy enough for a week so you are not ironing and washing all the time. My 5 year old used her jumper or top as a napkin for the first term.
Summer dresses are great – ?2.50 I think from Asda.
M&S often do a 2 for 3 offer.
That’s it – probably just repeated everything above but hey ho.
I think Erin is quite keen on summer dresses, so I’ll get a couple of them along with a pinafore dress (love them) and some skirts. Some blouses a couple of cardigans and maybe one school branded jumper and polo shirt. I’ll try Clarks outlet for shoes or maybe Next.
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Warning – Tesco Ad To Follow! I’ve pinafores from Tesco every school year – the polo shirts keep cleaner and its less easy to see pen and paint on a pinafore – we get lots of comments about how smart she looks in them – Tesco and Sainsbury’s summer dresses are great too, We don’t get on too well with skirts,polos and cardigans as we usually lose the cardigans and they reappear when too small! – and, yes – the polo shirts get covered in pen! Shoes? got to be Clarks
I miss buying stationary and all the other “getting ready for school” stuff too! I used to love it, new folders, pencil case, pens, the works! Gel pens, of course!
Those were the days!