The summer holidays are approaching and every parent's worst nightmare looms - it's time to take the children uniform shopping. Don't panic though, lots of retailers have announced their cut-price school uniform deals for those looking to snap up shirts, skirts and trousers early.
Aldi and Marks and Spencer have both announced deals going on sale from early July, so parents can be super prepared for the year ahead. Some supermarkets are offering bundle deals, with others knocking a percentage off the total cost, and at some retailers, shoppers can get cashback on their uniform purchases.
Here, we give you a rundown of what is available now and what to keep an eye out for.
Read more: Surge in school uniform support requests to Perthshire charity
Aldi school uniforms
Aldi's headline-grabbing deal is back. At just £5, the budget chain's uniforms rank among some of the lowest-priced on the market and parents have really rated them in the past.
Its school skirts, trousers and dresses are water-repellent to help stop the worst types of staining. A lot of their range is also tumble dryer safe and non-iron, which will make all parents rejoice. All uniforms are durable and come with a 150-day guarantee, so you can rest easy knowing you're covered.
What's included: Everything you'll need to get kitted out on the first day. The £5 bundle includes a jumper (£1.50), two polo shirts (£1.75) and either trousers or a pleated skirt (£1.75).
How to buy: Thankfully, you've got a bit of notice. Hop online to order from 8am on Sunday here. July 3rd or head in-store to grab them from Thursday, July 7th.
Guarantee: As mentioned earlier, all of Aldi's school uniforms come with a 150-day guarantee. See the full list of items covered in the T&Cs here.
Keep your receipt though, you'll need it whether you're requesting a refund (no exchanges are available) in-store or online to prove you're within the 150 days.
Asda school uniforms
The smart-price supermarket has an extensive offering when it comes to its uniforms. Parents can pick up the basics in a variety of colours and sizes, so almost every school situation is covered.
Making things even simpler, the supermarket recently made a range of 34-key uniform items available to order online, alongside your weekly grocery shop. There's also an offer for 11% cashback on any purchase you make on the George website via TopCashback. Simply sign up here and then click the link through to the Asda website and you will get your 11% cashback credited to your account.
What's included: Parents can pick up a two-pack of polo shirts for £2.50, a two-pack of pinafores or dresses from £9, trousers and skirts from £6 for a pack of two and jumpers, in loads of colours, from £4.
How to buy: Asda school uniform is available in store and online with a free Click and Collect service available.
Guarantee: Asda's school uniform comes with a 150-day guarantee which will see you through the first term and beyond. Full details on the terms and conditions are here.
Tesco school uniforms
If you're the sort to do things at the last minute, then panic not. Tesco's F&F uniforms are easy to wash and easy to iron. Trousers come with adjustable waists which make them ideal for combating expensive growth spurts, while stain-repellent finishes make washing uniforms much more straightforward. And if the environment plays a part in your decision, the polyester in Tesco's school uniforms is recycled.
A limited number of items from the school uniform range are available to buy through the Tesco Groceries platform, making it possible to get £10 off a £35 purchase via TopCashback. Simply sign up here and then click the link through to the Tesco website.
We also suggest signing up for the Tesco Clubcard programme if you haven't already. There aren't any deals on uniforms at the minute, but there's plenty of lovely stationery to save money on. And keep an eye out for any uniform deals popping up by downloading the app.
What's included: Prices start at £6 for a two-pack of V-neck jumpers, £8 for a two-pack of cardigans - these are available in five different shades, so most primary schools will be covered - and £4 for a two-pack of crew neck sweatshirts. Meanwhile, two long-sleeve shirts start at £3.50, two skirts from £6 and two pinafores from £10.
How to buy: Tesco uniforms are only available in-store, though some items are available to add to your trolley if you do your grocery shopping online.
Guarantee: If you opt for Tesco, rest easy knowing they have a 100-day guarantee, so if the uniform wears out quicker than you expected, they'll exchange it. Make sure you keep your receipt as they'll be checking the 100 days. Find the terms and conditions here.
Sainsbury's school uniforms
Uniforms are appearing in Sainsbury's stores now and are available to buy on both the Tu website and the Argos website, with next-day delivery available for those who find themselves in a pinch.
Tu has a sensory-friendly Dressing With Ease range, where touch and close fasteners replace buttons and the softest material possible is used to maximise comfort and encourage independent dressing in littlies.
What's included: Polo shirts start at £3 for a pair, while trousers, jumpers, sweatshirts and dresses start at £7 for a pack of two. If two shirts aren't enough but five feels excessive, Sainsbury's is one of the retailers that offer packs of three shirts with prices starting from £4.
How to buy: Sainsbury's full school uniform range is available to buy online now here as well as in-store, although depending on the size of the store you may not get all styles of each individual item so it's worth planning a visit to a larger one.
Guarantee: Much like other retailers, Sainsbury's are offering a 150-day guarantee if you are not satisfied with the quality of your school uniform. You can return to any store along with proof of purchase for a refund or exchange. For full terms and conditions, please click here.
Marks & Spencer
M&S school uniform is beloved by many parents and has one of the widest ranges available including easy-on styles and softer sensory-friendly options.
If you're a Sparks card holder it's worth keeping an eye out to see if you get any school uniform-related personalised offers. But otherwise, if M&S uniform is top of your back-to-school shopping list, put a note in your diary for July 5. M&S will be doing 20% off all uniforms from then until July 25 both in-store and online.
What's included: All of the essentials are available in M&S's extensive school uniform shop, though prices are slightly higher than other supermarket offerings. Jumpers start at £6, trousers and skirts start from £7. Packs of polo shirts start at £3 with more formal shirts starting from £8. Girls can pick up dresses and pinafores from as little as £10.
How to buy: School uniform is already in M&S stores for this autumn and is all available online here. Their Click and Collect offering is free on all orders while home delivery is free for orders over £50.
Guarantee: Marks & Spencer do a 35 money-back guarantee on unworn items ideal for trying things on at home if your child isn't comfortable in an in-store changing room. But where other retailers have specific guarantees for school clothes, M&S doesn't - instead, all purchases are subject to their usual refunds and returns T&Cs.
Morrisons school uniforms
Morrisons' clothing range Nutmeg has a great range of school uniforms on offer, with home delivery and click & collect available. Its website is the most confusing though, with little information in comparison with other retailers.
What's included: Most items are available in a handy two-pack so you've got a nice backup, while polo shirts are available in hefty packs of five for £6.50. Prices start at £2.50 for a two-pack of polo shirts and go up, with jumpers costing £7 for two and short sleeve shirts for £5. Trousers are available in a range of ages and sizes at £9 for a pack of two, there are two pinafores for £10 and skirts at two for £7. We couldn't see much in the way of plain dresses, but gingham ones in a number of colours are available at £9 for two.
How to buy: School uniforms at Morrisons are available to buy online via their Nutmeg website, with home delivery and click & collect available. A select range of products will also be available in some stores.
Guarantee: Unlike the other big retailers, Morrisons doesn't seem to have an impressive guarantee. In the past, they've been known to offer a headline-grabbing 200 days, but it's not currently known if they're offering the same deal. Morrisons standard returns policy states items must be returned within 30 days with proof of purchase. You can check out their return Ts&Cs here.
Lidl
Last year, Lidl's £4.50 bundle was snapped up at supersonic speed. The retailer hasn't announced dates, prices or products for their highly anticipated range yet, but we encourage eager shoppers to keep an eye out as they'll be quick to sell out when they are launched.
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