Parents at a Kingswood school are “at their wits’ end” over “ridiculous” uniform changes set for September, claiming that leaders “have no consideration for the current financial climate” of ever-increasing living costs. Pupils at King’s Oak Academy will be expected to wear new shirts, trousers skirts and jumpers at the start of the next academic year, with different coloured polo shirts for lower, middle and upper school members.
Parents were consulted last year about the clothing overhaul, but a petition against them has attracted 109 signatures – including that of Ayshea Ware, who has a daughter going into Year 11 from September. The frustrated mum says she has written to school three times about the “ridiculous” uniform edits, coming just eight months before her daughter is due to leave, but has received no reply.
The update comes just two years after similar changes to PE kit. But school leaders have defended decision to impose new classroom wear on the basis that "the new uniform is, overall, cheaper than the old one".
“It is an absolute waste of money to purchase new uniform for her final year, especially as her current uniform will see her through,” Ayshea said. “Her current uniform will do her perfectly well for the last eight months she is there.” Ayshea showed BristolLive a letter to parents dated July 2021, promising that Year 11s could continue wearing the current uniform until they leave the school.
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Ayshea added: “It’s about the waste of money for a Year 11 change and the fact that we have evidence that they originally said Year 11 would have a choice. Several other Year 11 parents have also complained, had meetings and so on, but haven’t got anywhere.” Parents of girls have also objected to the “horrendous” replacement skirt which has been mandated, which Ayshea described as “double pleated, old fashioned and very unattractive”.
A single new King’s Oak-branded polo shirt from Monkhouse costs £9 or £10 depending on size, with trousers costing £34 for two pairs and branded skorts costing £16.75 each. The letter to parents stated that “alternative, unbranded jumpers are not acceptable uniform options” for middle and upper school students, while exempting Reception “to recognise the rate at which children grow/require new uniform”.
It also acknowledged that for parents of children soon to leave the school, “the cost of purchasing a new uniform for one year is not desirable”. With that in mind, students attending Year 11 from September 2022 “will be invited to wear either the current… uniform or the new 2022 uniform”, the letter added.
A subsequent letter dated August 2021 suggested that those who wished to dress children in unbranded alternatives to logo-bearing polo shirts and jumpers would have to apply for a “uniform exemption card”. Following feedback from parents, another letter dated June 2022 acknowledged continued hikes in the cost of living, permitting them to buy “colour matched” supermarket alternatives to the branded polo shirts.
An attached list of approved high street buys included plain polo shirts from Asda, Sainsbury’s, Matalan and M&S costing as little as £2.50 each.
“We do appreciate that some families are currently struggling financially,” the letter from principal Katherine Ogden read, adding, “we hope that the introduction of the above options will help families make appropriate uniform purchases”. But Ayshea says this concession – which includes iron-on patches sold by the school – will only have the effect of highlighting students from more deprived families. “That’s just going to point out all the poorer kids and that’s just not fair,” she said.
The letter also indicated that a uniform change survey had received 460 responses, and urged parents to contact the school if they were still experiencing trouble affording the new items. Ayshea did not object to the changes last year – because she was confident that they would not affect parents in her position. “I didn’t respond to the consultation because I knew it wouldn't apply to Year 11s – we have evidence they originally said that,” she said.
“But now they’re saying that’s rubbish and that it does in fact apply to children entering Year 11 as well.”
Some parents commenting on the petition suggested that the new uniform requirements were not in line with government rules introduced last year, insisting that schools make uniforms affordable for all. But Cabot Learning Federation, of which King’s Oak Academy is a part, insisted that the new uniform was “inclusive” with only one KOA-branded item, a PE top costing £19.25 from Monkhouse, being mandatory and plain options for everything else.
The uniform changes were “designed to ensure we are both raising aspirations in our school community and prioritising the comfort and needs of all of our pupils”, said head of communications Rachael Sugden. The updates are “part of the managing change process the academy underwent to transform the school into a cohesive and operational all-through school by September 2021,” which marks KOA’s hundredth anniversary, she added.
Ms Sugden said parents were made aware of plans twelve months ago, with continuous updates by letter and chances to contribute feedback. These had led to “adjustments” in the requirements “to support the rise in the cost of living several families are experiencing”. However, revisions following “further consultation with stakeholders” included a new requirement that Year 11s must conform to the new uniform rules during their final year, despite early assurances that they would not.
She added: "Consultation with stakeholders included all parents/carers, pupils and staff, who provided feedback that they wanted all pupils in the all-through school to have a consistent uniform across all ages. " Ms Sugden said the school was “very grateful for the support and engagement of our parents and carers during the consultation process a year ago".
She added: “We follow Government guidelines for our tendering contract processes and our consultation with parents, carers, staff and pupils about our new uniform considered the cost, quality, washability and comfort of many suppliers.” Ms Sugden added that the school had purchased items of uniform to be handed out to those families in most need, and that a swap shop would facilitate parents to exchange or pass on unwanted uniform items from next year.
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