You say families spend an average of £329 per child on school uniform each year (From the home front, Family, 26 August). This is at odds with research by Oxford Brookes University that showed the average secondary school outfit in 2015 cost £88, or £127 with PE kit. Even allowing for inflation and the fact that children will have more than one of some items, the figure you quote seems unlikely, especially when you consider that the most expensive item of clothing, the blazer, will typically last for more than one year.
The real question, however, is not one of cost but of value. Good-quality uniform lasts longer and provides better value in the long run than cheap, off-the-shelf garments.
As is well documented, good-quality uniform contributes to improved learning, better behaviour and greater safety in and out of school. This year, research carried out by Family, Kids and Youth showed that it is also a positive factor in children’s wellbeing.
David Burgess
Chair, The Schoolwear Association
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