11 Plus Exams Forum

So we had a look at the uniform lists and the costs and cried.

My dd is adamant she wants the skirt but I think she's going to have to join the trouser wearers so we can get them from the high street!

Any uniform short cuts for those of us who find the supplier prohibitively expensive? I feel the uniform goes against why grammars were set up but that's another argument for another day... Fact of the matter is even the essentials are crazy money.

Any tips?

I'm not in your region but our uniforms are eyewatering too. Most places with costly uniforms will have second hand sales. I made good use of ours, blazer for £5 instead of £59 and into its second year. No shame in it these days, not that there ever should have been! I'd call the school and ask. Usually organised by the PTA or equivalent. Sure you are not the only one in this boat! You may even get a skirt!

Thanks Yamin I'll definitely speak to the school

I should point out I didn't literally cry it was more of an internal whimper lol

Yamin151 wrote:I'm not in your region but our uniforms are eyewatering too. Most places with costly uniforms will have second hand sales. I made good use of ours, blazer for £5 instead of £59 and into its second year. No shame in it these days, not that there ever should have been! I'd call the school and ask. Usually organised by the PTA or equivalent. Sure you are not the only one in this boat! You may even get a skirt!

You obviously type more quickly than I do, Yamin! Was going to suggest the same thing - if you don't want to ask the school right out about second hand stuff, just ask for contact details for the chair of the PA. You may even find it on the website?

There is a second hand school uniform Facebook group for Colchester. I have got uniform for ColCHS on there. I think it's called Colchester Area Secondary School Uniform give, buy or sell. I hope that helps. CRGS have a fantastic second hand uniform shop I don't understand why ColCHS don't.

I have sent you a pm.
Unfortunately the trousers are generally unpopular and not worn by many, despite the girls moaning that the kilt looks like a tea towel!

I was about to say that the bad news re the possibility that sales might be organised by the PA, is that I can't find any sign that the school actually has one.

The PA at SHSG makes several hundred pounds a year through the sale of second hand uniform - which is then available to be spent on school projects, of course. Big missed opportunity there, ColCHS

The only thing I will say for the new uniform, it is hard wearing and washes well. DD, generally mucky, has survived 4 years with one kilt and one Jacket every two years and they still look OK. The old uniform that she wore in year 7, whilst cheaper, looked faded and tatty after a few months.(Admittedly her habit of cuff chewing didnt help).

Be warned Coes like to leave alot of room for growth when fitting them, great in year 7, but the new uniform I bought at the start of year 10 is still too big, and she leaves in June!

I made a similar noise!

Quite a bit more expensive than the local non-grammar state school uniform, plus there are fewer opportunities to get it second hand (everyone I know has children there so getting second hand stuff would be a doddle).

I am hoping it lasts and lasts. I was still wearing most of my Yr 7 uniform in yr 11, admittedly it was quite ragged and used a lot of safety pins to hold it in place, but still not too bad. The uniform changed (from horrible to downright vile) when I was in Yr9, and a number of us were determined not to wear the new uniform.

I'm going to see if I can get any second hand and buy the minimum amount we can get away with at first.

The blouses are available on the tesco website and there was some colchsg stuff on the Facebook page a couple of days ago.