Beaconsfield High School

[Y]

Would strongly advise returning the rucksack. Unless there has been a change of management (!) the claim that the school is getting 'increasingly strict' about Y7 and Y8 bags is unlikely to hold water beyond the first month of the new term. When my daughter started and I mentioned to my niece that the school was 'cracking down' on uniform infringements, she said 'Oh, they say that every year.' She is now final year at university, and sure enough, they've continued to say it every year, and they've never enforced it beyond a month or so.

Buy your daughter something cheap to see her through the first few weeks, and then buy her what she wants (within reason). School bags are one of those items that can make a girl feel very uncomfortable if she stands out from the crowd as having something very unfashionable. Unless you have a real 'cool girl' for a daughter, you will get away with a rucksack through Y7, but by Y8 many girls will be carrying a shoulder bag, and in Y9, rucksacks are in a distinct minority.

Unless your child is likely to be in the hockey team, if the school says sticks are optional, don't buy one.

[Muguet]

in DD's Yr7 form only 3 out of 30 girls still use their black/navy rucksack. I wish the school would either drop this item from the list of compulsary equipment or enforce its use.

When DD visited the uniform shop in the winter she was told that the regulation trousers were horrible and that hardly anybody wore them. No hard sell on this one then!

[Booklady]

Thanks - thats's helpful. The rucksack is not compulsory from the uniform shop - we were told it had to be plain navy or black - which I am sure we can get for under £30! The girls dealing with us did not do a hard sell - but I think Jules7 had a slightly different experience!!

Thanks on the trousers - thats helpful!

[drummer]

We bought two of the skirts and having got them home cannot see how they differ from M&S skirts in quality or style. The M&S skirts are at least half the price and last for years, are easy to care for and still look good, I have yet to see how these new skirts measure up to the wash & wear of school - they'd better be b£**&^ amazing for £15.99 a piece!

The bags were shocking at nearly £30! They certainly didn't appear to be anything special. Our primary school has recently introduced optional school coloured/logoed rucksacks for only £7.50! The bags are superb and carry loads and the quality is much better than bags I've bought for 3 x the price

And after spending all that money? Overall I think the uniform look a bit of a mess with all the different blues going on which don't go together at all, the blazer and jumper together - eewww!

[Jules7]

Just thought I would say BHS did a great job yesterday with the picnic/games afternoon for girls starting in September (I think it was particularly for girls at schools where there are only a couple or so going to BHS from each school but am not sure?). My DD came back really happy and looking forward to the induction evening.

Regarding the induction evening, does anyone know whether they can turn up in home clothes or in the uniform of their existing school?

[Booklady]

Hi Jules7 - hopefully our two met up yesterday - my DD seems to think she did! She also really enjoyed it - and also saw a number of other older girls she knows from guides already. Now it just remains for us to set a date to catch up too!
I am assuming they can wear what they want for the evening event - as its not in school time!
Hope to meet soon!