Marks & Spencer School Uniform

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It's coming up to that point in the Summer holidays when, like it or not, I need to start thinking about going back to school. For me, as a teacher, this involves burying my head in the sand and building a castle on top of it. However as a parent? Let's get buying the school uniform pronto before it all runs out!

As The Boy is entering Year Two now, I've had a couple of years experience of different suppliers of school uniform and have tried most of the supermarket own brand uniforms with varying degrees of success. This past year has illustrated the cheaper uniforms shrink terribly in the tumble dryer or lose the colours quickly. I now understand why my sister invests a little more to buy uniform from Marks and Spencer.

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Foot Development in Children: Did You Know? (Guest Post)

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Buying school shoes for your children can be a bit of a minefield. With so many types on the market, varying in cost and style, as well as being equipped with various features, shopping for the humble school shoe can be more difficult than you may think.

Some parents insist on spending over the odds on shoes bought from specialist retailers, where you can end up spending £40+ on a pair of school shoes that, if most children are anything to go by, are scuffed and well-worn within a couple of weeks. You will find that many children in the playground can easily get through two or more pairs of shoes every year, which soon adds up in cost – a price that many of us can’t afford. So, is it possible to scrimp on the cost without affecting our child’s feet and their development? You’d be surprised at how affordable school shoes can be if you head to the supermarket ranges, such as George. But before you do, here are a few facts that may interest you. [Read more…]

Back To School: Stamptastic Name Stamps

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As we race towards the end of the first half-term of The Boy's Reception year in school, I thought now would be a good time to write my review of the Stamptastic labelling system that I was sent during the Summer holidays. Yes I could have written the review before school started, but I actually wanted to focus on the durability of the near-permanent name stamper on a range of different materials.

Stamptastic is a way of labelling children's clothes and other school belongings that takes seconds, doesn't require sewing or ironing on labels, or indecipherable writing with a Sharpie pen which has bled all over the label. Quite simply it involves a stamp with the child's name on it and an inkpad.

I did The Boy's entire uniform (5 polo shirts, 5 sweatshirts, 3 jogging bottoms, 4 pairs of trousers, 3 pairs of shorts, coat, hat, P.E kit – shorts, daps, t-shirt, joggers, sweatshirt), book bag, lunchbox, lunchbag, and water bottle within five minutes.

All of it, in five minutes.

The process is incredibly simple: order a resin stamp block with your child's name embossed out of polymer, choosing three different fonts and a variety of sizes; and then order an ink pad. Within a week, the set will arrive ready to personalise your child's uniform.

name stamper

The actual stamping surface is 38mm x 15mm so it fitted really easily onto every clothes label that we had, it is also clear and doesn't bleed; it dries within a couple of second. The ink is an oil-based ink, which is the equivalent of a marker pen, but doesn't run.

Stampastic labels

Apologies it's not the entire label but as I have never shared The Boy's name, I decided that would be a bit daft to do so now! However, this close-up shows the quality of the stamped image.

Six weeks after stamping everything, and with the uniform having been washed every week, it is safe to say that on clothing the ink is excellent and has not faded at all! The only thing that it has come off from is The Boy's plastic water bottle and plastic lunch box. This is something that Stamptastic are aware happens, it's to do with the coating that the plastic items have which prevents the ink from being absorbed. However, it's not a problem as it takes less than thirty seconds to locate the stamp set and restamp it!

The stamper costs £8.00 and the ink pad costs £10.00, and I think that is excellent value for money. It's an equivalent price to iron-on or sew-in labels, with the added benefit of lasting a lot longer, and being nowhere near as time consuming! Stampastic gets a big thumbs up from us!

I was sent this product for the purpose of this review, my opinion is honest and unbiased.

Back To School: Trutex School Uniform

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Here's my final post in my series of school uniform review. And appropriately, it is for Trutex, which is the brand of The Boy's embossed school uniform.

We were sent three pieces of school uniform; shorts, trousers and a sweatshirt (the polo shirt in the photographs is another brand).

Trutex school uniform

Both the trousers and the shorts are single pleat pull-on trousers, with no fly or hook fastening and an elasticated waistband at the back. The trousers were available in either black or grey, and came in aged 2-7 years (we chose a size 4 years), and the shorts came in grey from 3-7 years (we choose a size 4 years again). Both are incredibly good quality materials and stitching, and they strike me as being very hard-wearing, something which I'll be reviewing in a few months time. I particularly like that they are just pull-on at this age, as The Boy (like many little ones over the country) becomes so distracted by playing that he needs easy access when toileting and dressing himself.

The sweatshirt is thick, with a soft fleece lining and raglan sleeves. It's worth nothing that the other sweatshirts that I've reviewed have normal sleeves, and that this is the only one with raglan sleeves. I've yet to work out if that helps retain the shape or is more comfortable to wear, but it's interesting to note. The cotton feels thick and hard-wearing, I'll be interested to see the durability of it. The sweatshirts come in a range of colours to suit any school's colours, and sizes go from ages 1-2 years up to 13 years when they turn into S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL. My one bug bear with the Trutext uniform is that the sweatshirts and polo-shirts come in 3-4 or 5-6 years. As most children start school aged 4, I don't understand why they don't have a 4-5 years.

Trutex is not available to buy online, as they are the company which most school uniform shops purchase in to resell once embroidered. Find your nearest school uniform stockist via the online store locator. There's clearly a reason why so many shops stock it, and that is because of the consistent quality.

Trutex's ethical trading policy and carbon neutral policy are available online, it's reassuring to see they have signed up to the ETI's Base Code initiative as the other stores have.

I was sent these products for the purpose of this review, my opinion is honest and unbiased.

Back To School: Tesco School Uniform

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Over the course of the Summer I've been asked to review several different brands of supermarket school uniforms. It's been a really interesting review process for me as I've been able to examine the difference between the quality, range, fit and price of the uniforms available in four of the main supermarkets.

In this review, I'm looking at the Fred & Florence school uniform range available from Tesco. I have bought quite a bit of clothing from Tesco in the past for The Boy and have always found it to be well made and hard wearing. Essentially I did feel that a polo shirt, trousers and sweatshirt made in Bangladesh or Kenya would surely be much the same as any other on the high street, and wasn't expecting anything outstanding or different to the other uniforms I've reviewed.

The website for the boys' uniform is very easy to navigate and allows for selection under type of clothing, size, colour or price. As a first-time uniform buyer, I was slightly bamboozled by the selection of trousers available, as they all seemed the same quality and style to me, sold singularly or in pairs. I ordered a few different styles of trousers, both pleat and flat fronted, and a two-pack of flat fronted shorts (which The Boy is wearing in the left picture below). The shorts (£5.00 for two pairs) are actually a 3-4yrs size, I was optimistic in hoping they'd fit him but very pleasantly surprised to discover that they did. With an adjustable waist which has been tightened, and a good length in the leg, these shorts are seeing him through the warmer days of Autumn and hopefully last into Spring. The material is soft and not scratchy, but strong and durable.

Tesco School Uniform

I was impressed with the polo shirts (£2.00 for two) as they actually 'hung' well on The Boy and were a good length. I am quite hopeful that they don't end up with twisting hems as I suspect one or two other brands may, and the colour is a nice bright tone. The unisex sweatshirt is amazing quality for £3.00 with ribbed cuffs and hems, and has a soft inside.

The trousers are well cut, a thick material and soft, and with a Teflon® fabric protector which "repels spills and releases ground in stains easily with laundering". The Boy hasn't come home yet with any in-ground dirt, so I can't comment on the repelling properties of the fabric, but they do wash and iron very well. And from £6.00 for two pairs, they are a competitive price.

However, while it would be easy to promote the wonders of the repellant fabric, and paint a picture of droplets of mud and paint flying off at all directions with the forcefield of the mighty Teflon® fabric protector, there is a more important feature that makes the Tesco school uniform stand out above any other material feature.

The 'Buy One Give One' trousers cost between £3.00-£6.00 for one pair. Slightly more expensive than the two-pair packs, but let's face it they are still cheaper than a frappuccino! However, the major selling point of these (and what I think Tesco should be promoting more than stain repellant fabric) is that for every item of uniform bought from this 'Buy One Give One' range, a complete school uniform will be donated to a child in Kenya, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka.

Tesco launched the scheme in 2009 and provided 12,000 children in Kenya with a brand new school uniform to attend school with. In 2010, they expanded the scheme to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and have given away over 100,000 uniforms to children in these three countries. 100,000 children in some of the world's poorest countries had a new uniform because parents in Britain spent £1 more on their child's trousers.

Surely that is the most appealing factor in the Tesco school uniform?

I was provided with a voucher to purchase items from the school uniform range for the purpose of this review, my opinion is honest and unbiased.

Tesco's Ethical Policy can be found here.

Back To School: Sainsbury's School Uniform (Review)

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As we race towards the beginning of the Autumn Term, I seem to be like King Canute in that I cannot hold back the ebbing tide of my little boy growing up!

The endless list of things that I need to make sure he has for school grows (lunchboxes, P.E. kits, shoes, daps, labels or stamps to claim everything as his, etc.), and so it was fortunate that Sainsbury's sent me a full school uniform outfit to test out.

Sainsbury's school uniform

We received:

I'm impressed with the quality of the cotton in the polo shirt, and it feels loose and comfortable for The Boy. The sweatshirt is soft and thick, with an elasticated hem which helps keep him looking smart and will stop the Winter draughts from blowing up his back. The teflon-coated trousers are pull on and have an elasticated waist, with an adjustable inside to ensure they won't fall down. We were sent the 4-5 years trousers and as you can see from the photos above, they are actually a little long. The Boy is 110cm tall so these are definitely on the larger side.

I'm quite impressed with the quality of the uniform and the value for money is definitely comparable with all the other supermarket uniforms.

I am very aware of how important it is to some parents that the uniform which they buy is sourced ethically, and that the damning newspaper reports from a few years ago are a thing of the past. Sainsbury's ethical trading policy shows how important it is to them as well.

I just wanted to share this cute little video as well, showing that school uniform definitely needs to be hard-wearing nowadays!

I was sent these products for the purpose of this post, my opinion is honest and unbiased.

The Washing Line (Flashback Friday)

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This morning I decided to take a chance on the weather and hang out some washing on the line.

It's not a terribly astounding washing line, especially at the moment as it's lopsided due to The Boy sliding down it like a fireman.

It's a quite unassuming Brabantia whirlygig.

But as I hung up the clothes, I had a moment when I remembered hanging out The Boy's brightly coloured pants. His first pants.

Sunday 21st August 2011

Almost exactly two years ago, I posted that photo as a Silent Sunday to show the coloured gems that The Boy was getting to grips with. Potty training was a success and he was dry during the day within a fortnight.

And it feels like only yesterday that I was pegging his little, dinosaur pants on the line.

So how come I was doing the same thing earlier, but with these?

Flashback Friday 16th August 2013

How have the past two years gone by so quickly?

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flashback friday badge

Back To School: Asda School Uniform (Review)

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I can't quite believe that in two and half weeks, my little baby will be starting school.

It seems like only yesterday that I was blogging about his vocabulary; all twenty words! And now? Now he's telling me about how, "Luckily mummy, I had put the code in correctly on the iPad!"

However, I've entered into a world that is second nature to me; the education system, albeit as a parent this time, not as a teacher. As one of those teachers who barks at children to wear the correct school uniform, it is important to me that The Boy is kitted out according to the rules of the school. And as a busy working mum, I also don't want to be washing uniform throughout the week, so want a fresh polo-shirt (at least) and (probably) trousers and sweatshirt for each day. I'm fortunate that he doesn't have to wear emblemmed polo-shirts and sweatshirts, therefore saving quite a few pounds as the only supplier in the town charges £8.00 for a polo shirt alone!

I had been looking at the uniform in Asda, especially as they sell red polo-shirts and sweatshirts, the colour that The Boy needs, when I received an e-mail asking me if I'd like to review some of the range. I was consequently sent vouchers and called into Asda in Cwmbran to pick up The Boy's new uniform.

Asda school uniform

As you can see, I bought a fair amount for the money!

  • shoes = £12.50
  • daps/plimsolls = £2.50
  • teflon-coated trousers = £3.00 (x2)
  • teflon-coated shorts = £2.50 (x3)
  • sports shorts (two pack) = £3.00
  • sports (swim) shorts = £3.00
  • tracksuit bottoms = £4.00
  • polo shirts (two pack) = £2.50 (x2)
  • sweatshirts = £2.00 (x3)
  • shower-resistant fleece-lined coat = £5.00
  • shower-resistant pac-a-mac = £4.00
  • socks (7 pairs) = £4.00 (x2)
    • Total = £66.50

I'm wowed. Actually wowed that I have bought an entire week's worth of school uniform for less than a month's worth of child benefit. I have been dreading buying his uniform for various reasons, not least of all because of the financial impact. However, these clothes appear to be hard wearing, especially as the trousers and shorts are teflon-coated.

The Boy tried his uniform on earlier, he is a fussy clothes-wearer as he likes soft clothes, and he actually commented that the shorts and trousers were very soft on his legs. He also had a big smile on his face when he pulled the sweatshirt on, due to the soft lining. And you can't ask for more than a child who is comfortable in his uniform, it means he'll be ready to learn.

Asda school uniform

When did my little baby become such a big boy?

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I received vouchers to purchase this uniform for the purpose of this review. My opinion is honest and unbiased.

I am sure that some people reading this will query how a uniform can be produced so cheaply and ethically, especially when the label indicates that the clothing has been made in a developing country. Here is the link to Asda/George's Corporate Ethical Responsibility Policy, and here is the ASDA Wal-Mart Policy on Ethical Trading.

Back To School: Aldi School Uniform (Review)

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It is with a slightly heavy heart that I am beginning to accept that The Boy will start school in September. He's tremendously excited, and I must confess that I can't wait to see him enjoying school in the way that all three of us hope he will. He's going to a really lovely school very close to home with a huge rolling field and small class sizes; I couldn't ask for more.

And so with the acceptance of school comes the realisation that a whole new realm of requirements is needed:

  • school uniform
  • school shoes
  • PE kits
  • coats
  • name tags

and the list goes on and on…

We've now reached the point where life could become a little expensive with everything that The Boy will need for school. Luckily help is on hand from Aldi; tomorrow (Thursday 25th July 2013), they are launching the UK’s cheapest supermarket school uniform.

And when I say cheap I mean financially frugal, not poor quality!

Aldi sent me a school uniform to try out with The Boy, and included a thick Winter coat (£9.99) with reflective panels for him as well:

Aldi school uniform

We were sent:

  • 2 polo shirts
  • 1 round neck sweater
  • skirt or trousers
    • = £4

I've had instruction from my sister that life (as a working mum) is easier if they have a fresh uniform each day, therefore that means I could buy The Boy five complete outfits for the grand total of £17.50.

£17.50!

In a very well known high-street clothing store (where my sister gets her children's uniform) one outfit costs £14 and a week's worth would be £73.00.

I know which store I will be going to!

Regular shoppers of Aldi will know that they have weekly special buys which are incredible bargains, but once they have gone then that's it, no more! So pop down to your local store tomorrow and stock up before you have to start buying the expensive uniforms instead!

I was sent these products for the purpose of this review, my opinion is honest and unbiased.

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