School uniform 'tax on parents'
The OFT said this was a tax on parents, mostly benefiting the chosen retailers, and called on school governors to scrap exclusive agreements. The OFT calculated that if schools let parents use supermarkets, uniforms would cost £27 less for secondary pupils and £9 less for primary pupils..."There are many people on a tight income, regardless of school, who want to be able to clothe their children in quality school uniforms but they are being forced to pay over the odds." Citizens Advice said the findings reflected the experiences of low-income families.
I am not sure what constitutes low-income. Out of curiosity I googled my old school and was shocked. But not surprised. The uniform has barely changed since the Seventies, or earlier. I actually don't think that I have ever blogged this before, which is strange, because I am sure that all the lurking non-commenting ex-Loreto girls know what I'm going to say...
The skirts seem somewhat shorter than in 1979-86, and interesting to see that they have a one pleat option, although there is still the two pleat option. Can't tell whether it's still made of wool which caused heat rashes in 800 girls for two months every summer. I see it's a pullover rather than cardigan, but still with school colours, and they've relaxed the winter coat rule. Glory be, they don't specify a stockist for shoes, the implication being that everything else comes from the 'school shop'.
I am sure the filthy rich and smug parents of Hale and Bowdon delight in forking out a small fortune for the uniform...I bet the blazer still costs more than most schools' entire uniform. But the catchment area isn't just the stockbroker/footballer belt of North Cheshire but also the rather less prosperous areas of Timperley and Broadheath and Ashton-on-Mersey and Sale Moor. Back in the days it included Stretford and Old Trafford, and Warrington and even Inner City Manchester. No doubt there's a vibrant secondhand market, but I also bet you can't get those blazers new down Altrincham market.
Still, it's nice to see some of my favourite teachers are still listed as staff. Although apparently Sister Pat retired in July. It must have been tremendous fun getting rid of the deadwood - a whole generation of women who were unable to or discouraged from entering more suitable professions went into teaching despite having no natural inclination to do so, and often didn't even have a love of the subject. And it's nice to see Latin is stil on the curriculum.
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