State schools are free, right? Not any more, apparently. A study published in October 2014 by the Children’s Commission on Poverty showed that, on average, parents of state school pupils face annual bills of £800 per child. This pays for basics such as school meals, equipment, trips and school uniform. Uniform is the worst offender. Department for Education guidance states that uniform should not be so expensive as to make pupils or families feel they cannot choose a particular school. Yet the research found that some schools were insisting on uniform priced at more than £500. Costs ranged from that peak to as little as £34 per pupil, with an average price of £108 for primary school uniforms and £126 for secondary school uniforms. Many schools now demand school badges or logos to be embroidered onto uniforms – not just blazers, but other clothes and sports kits – raising prices unnecessarily high. The inquiry, supported by the Children’s Society and led by a panel of 16 c
Posted on: Fri, 05 Dec 2014 07:52:06 +0000
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