Parents have slammed a school for introducing a new compulsory branded uniform which costs more than £160 for boys and £200 for girls.
South Nottinghamshire Academy in Radcliffe-on-Trent introduced new branded trousers and skirts, including a logo-branded girls’ trousers for £21, a branded skirt for nearly £30, and boys’ trousers for £19.50.
The school also came under fire for not consulting parents on the decision, Nottinghamshire Live reports.
But the school has said it will purchase a blazer and skirt or pair of trousers for every pupil currently in Year 7 to Year 10.
Julie Lester-Lee has one child at the school in Year 10, and two twins due to start in September.
She said: "It's going to double my costs. I think at the moment, when some people are scrimping and saving whatever they can, it's not the best decision.
"I think maybe the money could be better put into other things like trips for the kids - my son in Year 10 hasn't been on one since Year 7.
“I'm OK but there are parents out there who are on the bread line. I expect that my boys will need two or three pairs of things and that does add up - so cost is the biggest issue."
Another parent at the school has set up a petition against the changes, which has attracted 250 supporters so far.
Rob Kemp, 53, has an 11-year-old daughter who will also join the school in September. He said: “The Government and laws are clear about school uniform and excessive costs.
“At this time when everyone is impacted by rising costs and financial pressure, this school [South Nottinghamshire Academy] have decided that they want to force through uniform changes which will mean hundreds of pounds of outlay for parents."
He also wrote to the Secretary of State for Education, Nadhim Zahawi, and other parents contacted the local MP, Ruth Edwards.
Kate Handley said that the shift in uniform policy "probably" contributed to her thinking to not to send her children to the school.
The 37-year-old who lives in Radcliffe-on-Trent said: ”My children are still in junior school. I probably wouldn't send them to South Nottinghamshire Academy and that's probably one of the reasons why."
The school has defended the change of uniform, arguing it was needed because of issues around the skirts and trousers some pupils are currently wearing.
Dan Philpotts, headteacher of South Nottinghamshire Academy, said: “The school uniform at South Nottinghamshire Academy has remained unchanged for many years.
“School leaders and governors have fully considered the practical, financial, and logistical implications of rolling out a new uniform.
“While the change to uniform has been planned for some time, we do recognise the current squeeze on household budgets due to the cost-of-living crisis. For this reason, we have tried to mitigate the impact on families by purchasing a new uniform for every current student.
“We are also providing competitive prices on compulsory school uniform items, in comparison with other local schools; supporting families of new and current students in cases of financial hardship and operating a pre-loved – second hand uniform scheme from September 2022."
