Sheffield school uniform: Compare cost of every Sheffield secondary school’s compulsory uniform items

Parents want to save all they can by buying school uniforms in stores – but there are always items you can only get from suppliers.

UK charity The Children's Society last month claimed parents spend on average £422 a year on secondary school uniforms, the majority of which is made up of coats, bags and sports kits. But even if parents can save a few pounds by buying their shirts, trousers and school shoes from supermarkets, practically every school enforces some sort of branded item with their logo that can only be bought from suppliers.

Below, The Star has examined the uniform policy of every secondary school in Sheffield as well as their suppliers’ prices and compared how much it would cost to buy one of every compulsory item – most often made up of ties, blazers and PE kit.

Where multiple choices are available for what students are required to wear – such as choosing between either a cardigan or a blazer – The Star selected the cheapest option. Any item not strictly compulsory, such as some jumpers or optional branded PE kit, is not included. Religious wear such as hijabs have not been included, but these are often also compulsory under the uniform policies.

On average, Sheffield’s secondary schools required parents to buy at least four branded items.

The most expensive was Birley Academy, where buying one of every required item – a tie, a blazer, a v-necked jumper, a PE top, a reversible games top and a pair of shorts – all with the academy’s logo – would come to £90.

However, this is all on the basis of only buying a single one of each item – as every parent knows, secondary school children grow up fast and will get their uniform dirty no matter what, meaning several sets of each item may be required.

Buying multiple sets of these items, as well as the added costs of shirts, trousers and school shoes – all of which must be within school policy – can add up to staggering amounts.

Experts say the items sold by schools are often better quality and will last longer than supermarket or high street brands – but children grow up fast, and new uniform is practically needed every year.

Most school suppliers also sell their own optional items like trousers, shorts and branded jumpers, that are not compulsory but will meet their uniform policy. However, these can be steeper than if bought from stores. For example, buying just one of every item from King Edward VII’s school uniform order sheet at their lowest possible price would come to £211.29.

Several schools, such as Westfield School, Sheffield Springs Academy and Oasis Academy Don Valley, operate a second-hand uniform offering where items can be bought for as much as £1 a piece to help families offset the cost of living.

It comes after the DfE passed legislation in 2021 claiming to “ensure school uniform costs do not become excessive”, and claims all schools will be compliant by September 2023, meaning a number of these schools may lower their prices by the new academic year.