Uniform

Eleven Plus (11+) in Birmingham, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Wrekin

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CharlotteandWilbur
Posts: 23
Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2016 12:26 pm

Uniform

Post by CharlotteandWilbur »

Hi

We went to the Five Ways parents induction evening yesterday and I was wondering if I could ask parents of older children some questions.

Can the children wear shirts brought from asda/supermarkets or do they have to have the logo.

Again same for pe trainers do most children just wear supermarket trainers or is it branded. I am looking at a cost point of view, totalling it all up is a bit daunting when we are used to being able to just buy from asda.

What kind of school bags do your children have is it just a plain rucksack I am assuming in dark colours.

Thank you kindly for any responses
nervousmom
Posts: 1687
Joined: Sun Jul 15, 2012 9:38 am
Location: Warwickshire

Re: Uniform

Post by nervousmom »

I have a DS in year 11 and a DD in year 8.

They both have plain white shirt/blouse with the stiff collars. I buy mine from M&S, but supermarket ones would be fine as they don't need a logo.

Year 7 & 8 wear a grey jumper, this is optional and although my DD briefly wore one in the winter of year 7 she didn't wear it in year 8 and my DS never wore it, so if this is still optional I wouldn't bother.

They do both have branded trainers, (because everyone else does!) we buy from Sports Direct to try and keep the cost down.

We also bought my DD astro turf trainers, but I don't think she ever wore them as she always wears her trainers.

They both have rucksacks. DS is a black Adidas one and DD currently has a light purple Hype one. A plain dark one will be fine to start.

We were also to given a FW tracksuit by a family member, but neither of mine have ever worn it.

I bought them both the FW branded swimming costumes, but they can be plain black (I couldn't find a plain black costume for DD, but the FW one was reasonably priced)

My DS trousers are plain black (M&S) but again supermarket brand would be fine.

DD does have logo skirt from Clive Marks. I bought her the shorter length one (which she still rolls over at the top) but a larger waist size. It is adjustable so has lasted her years 7 & 8 and will be fine for year 9 too.

She has a clip on tie, DS has a normal one. In the house colour.

We bought all PE kit from Gogna Sportswear, but did it online. Make sure you get everything you want at the same time, so then only pay one postage cost.

When DD started 2 years ago we went to Clive Marks in first week of summer holidays. They didn't have the size blazer she needed, so they ordered it and posted it free of charge. So I would suggest you sort the uniform at the start of the summer!

My niece will be starting in September too and I think they may go to uniform sale at school and maybe look at the second hand sale too.

DD couldn't have DS old blazer as boys and girls are a different style!

I hope this helps, but I'm always here for anything else at all you want to ask about FW.
CharlotteandWilbur
Posts: 23
Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2016 12:26 pm

Re: Uniform

Post by CharlotteandWilbur »

Thank you nervousmom that has been incredibly helpful.
franklymydear
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat May 05, 2018 3:08 pm

Re: Uniform

Post by franklymydear »

Hi,

We were in the same position twelve months ago, with little idea of what was essential and what was desirable and I would have loved some advice, so here goes on what I hope will help you a little.

With hindsight we could have cut some corners, like the school swim hat for girls which is not compulsory for the school pool, and tight-fitting. Also, we bought a very expensive dentist-fitted mouth guard for what turned out to be a very short-lived hockey season (the daughter was on crutches!) when a shop-bought one may have sufficed. Five Ways also had a day when the specialists came in to take mouth impressions (in September or October if I recall) should that be a desired route for you. I would still invest in shin-guards as a badly placed hockey stick can cause nasty bruising. The only other 'extra' we bought for sport was a base-layer KEFW top from Gogna for those colder autumn and winter days. Like nervousmom, we too found that the astroturf boots saw daylight about twice, so will probably not invest in more. Having said that though, much depends on your child's capabilities/interests in that field. Our daughter wears non-branded white trainers which are perfectly acceptable though do get dirty - unless she is single-handedly trying to excavate a new sand pit with her toes!!

Last year school obligingly had uniform evenings in June when we were able to take a fistful of notes (or credit cards) to buy from both Clive Marks and Gogna on site. The evening we went to was well run, though busy, and we bought pretty much everything. Remember to factor in two months more growth before your child even starts at the school. Typically they usually seem to grow when you've just bought more clothes - or is that just ours? The skirts have a small embroidered lion on the bottom left and all girls wear the same (so not supermarket bought). Shirts/blouses we purchased from M&S who, for the past several years, have had 20% off during May. I must just advise that the school uniform changes slightly for girls in Year 9 to a rever blouse with KEFW embroidered on in the house colours (so no more ties for the girls) and a move to a black jumper. On the subject of jumpers, our daughter has worn her two grey jumpers quite a lot - despite pronouncing them itchy. Once she cottoned on that I wouldn't be constantly telling her to put her coat on which, incidentally, they are not permitted to carry around school, she realised it was the lesser of two evils. And, the jumpers look really smart.

Regarding school bags, I had this very conversation with the Head of Year 7, and we came to the conclusion that an easy-to-see bag, distinct from the mass, was probably more desirable - though in muted colours! Hot pink is probably a no-no! On muted colours, I recall reading that dark grey, black or navy are required for coats.

Most of my daughters class don't carry art materials though I would advise getting some if you can, simply because a piece of work started in class is more easily carried on at home if your materials travel with you. Although I couldn't find it listed anywhere last year, your child will also need an art apron. Early Years do a very good one for a reasonable price, though pretty much any will do.

For ease of changing, we bought both a clip on tie and a regular one. If you go to the uniform evening remember to take the letter you will receive in due course about which house your child is placed in: without the information, you will be unable to buy your child's pe House top and tie.

I hope that's a help for starters. If you need to know anything else, please ask.
nervousmom
Posts: 1687
Joined: Sun Jul 15, 2012 9:38 am
Location: Warwickshire

Re: Uniform

Post by nervousmom »

My DD has an old t-shirt of her dad's as an art apron.

We bought both DS and DD a mouth guard and neither have used them! (Bought from Sports Direct)

My DD also has 2 types of tie!

We never had a swim hat for DD even though she has long hair.

Both have dark coloured coats.

They both have sports socks bought from Gogna, but yesterday DD wore plain white ankle socks which she said are fine.

I too buy the M&S uniform when they do 20% off!

We will need new blouses this year for year 9, which annoyingly have to have a logo.

Sport polo, like tie, needs to be house colours. Siblings are the same house, so DD can have DS old one!

Last year we bought DD a squad jacket with her name on, optional. She is in netball team so we also bought her a netball dress which was £20.

We have managed to get DS through 5 years with just 2 blazers
CharlotteandWilbur
Posts: 23
Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2016 12:26 pm

Re: Uniform

Post by CharlotteandWilbur »

Thank you so much, it has helped a lot. We do plan on going to the uniform evening and I now have a clearer idea as to what is required.
Stansmum
Posts: 32
Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2017 10:00 pm

Re: Uniform

Post by Stansmum »

This is the thread I have been looking for!

We missed the uniform evening at the school as DS was on his Yr6 residential, and didn't realise how much of a done deal things were until he came home from induction and said everyone was wearing kit.

I think I have my head round daily uniform, but the sports stuff is an enigma. I remember being told there are two kits. He's not sporty so I can't imagine he'll need extras. Will a house top, shorts, trainers and a tracksuit do it?

Gogna site looks good but is asking for an email address for school specific product. Am I doing something wrong?

I was planning a trip to Clive Marks but the one in Kings Heath is shut and the others are miles away from us, and (quite bizarrely) from the school. I don't drive. Can it all be done online?

Thank you.
ToadMum
Posts: 11945
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Uniform

Post by ToadMum »

Some uniform suppliers require parents to register and log in before they can even view their school's (or any) items, but Gogna has just let me select and add a KEFW item to my basket and problem to the 'confirm address ' page and the only reference to an email etc was this bit up in the corner of the page:

Ordered from us before?

If you are already registered and want to associate this order with your account then please login (recommended).



(Going back now to delete item, since my younger DC are at school here in Essex and the one in Birmingham is a bit past the school uniform stage :lol: ).
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
Lategate
Posts: 153
Joined: Sat Jun 24, 2017 9:42 pm

Re: Uniform

Post by Lategate »

HGS uniform/ kit question here too- thanks for starting this thread- we got the HGS blazer, jumper, tie, rugby shirt, shorts, jogging bottoms, base layer and socks from the induction evening- now to the rest.
DS already has a black PE bag, a Nike one with a swoosh on, will that be ok? We still need to get a rucksack, which will need to be a dark colour. Any recommended brand for a comfy but sturdy and accessible bag would be appreciated.
As for trainers and football boots, any recommended brands/styles? DS is not that sporty so these are things that we don’t buy that often!
nervousmom
Posts: 1687
Joined: Sun Jul 15, 2012 9:38 am
Location: Warwickshire

Re: Uniform

Post by nervousmom »

Stansmum wrote:This is the thread I have been looking for!

We missed the uniform evening at the school as DS was on his Yr6 residential, and didn't realise how much of a done deal things were until he came home from induction and said everyone was wearing kit.

I think I have my head round daily uniform, but the sports stuff is an enigma. I remember being told there are two kits. He's not sporty so I can't imagine he'll need extras. Will a house top, shorts, trainers and a tracksuit do it?

Gogna site looks good but is asking for an email address for school specific product. Am I doing something wrong?

I was planning a trip to Clive Marks but the one in Kings Heath is shut and the others are miles away from us, and (quite bizarrely) from the school. I don't drive. Can it all be done online?

Thank you.
I have an account set up on Gogna for buying sports stuff.

They need 2 kits, one is games and the other PE

DS kit consisted of:-
- pe top in house colours
- black or shorts with logo on
- rugby top - black one side and black and white the other
- rugby shorts
- black logo swimming shorts
DD kit
- pe top in house colours
- black or shorts with school logo
- black hockey top
- black skorts with KEFW on
- black logo swimming costume

DS called PE kit his single kit - house top + shorts and rugby kit he called his double kit - both kits were used each week.

I didn't realise Clive marks in kings heath was closed, that's the only one by us! DD needs logo blouses for y9, better do it online!

I hope the above info is useful
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