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Cost of school uniform - yikes!

Cost of school uniform - yikes!

Old May 26th 2011, 9:17 pm
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Default Re: Cost of school uniform - yikes!

thanks for the info moso

we're based in auckland... somewhere... havent decided yet (was going to wait until we arrive!)
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Old May 26th 2011, 9:37 pm
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Default Re: Cost of school uniform - yikes!

Originally Posted by MOSO
I would definitely buy enough school shoes for the next X years.
I would have to disagree - you can never predict how much and how quickly your child will grow and could end up with lots of unnecessary pairs. You can get good 'UK style' school shoes but they are expensive.
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Old May 26th 2011, 9:53 pm
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Default Re: Cost of school uniform - yikes!

Originally Posted by luvwelly
I would have to disagree - you can never predict how much and how quickly your child will grow and could end up with lots of unnecessary pairs. You can get good 'UK style' school shoes but they are expensive.
Not forgetting a lot of the primary schools where shoes are optional ...

And secondary schools where some have regulation Roman sandals etc.

There's a huge market in second hand uniforms both at the schools and also on Trade Me where you can get near new for a fraction of the price.
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Old May 26th 2011, 10:32 pm
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Default Re: Cost of school uniform - yikes!

Originally Posted by MOSO
Postie Plus do some school clothing, but not sure what (none of our primary schools round here have uniform) but sure won't be as cheap as UK for 2 reasons: supply/demand and VAT is added to children's clothes and food.

I would ask the school for a stationery list for each child's class. You won't be able to get the correct exercise books in the UK (they are all coded) but you may be able to stock up on pens/pencils/glue sticks/scissors etc. Ask for the list though as most schools are specific on the brands they want you to get.

The donations should be able to be split over the terms too.

I would definitely buy enough school shoes for the next X years. The quality here is not good to put it midly!

Don't worry though the freedom and lifestyle your kids will enjoy here will soon make up for the huge hole in your wallet!
I only wish Postie Plus did uniforms for Rolleston Primary, the only place you can buy them is through the school ................. talk about monopolising the market place !!!
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Old May 27th 2011, 3:29 am
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Default Re: Cost of school uniform - yikes!

Originally Posted by jengrantmorris
We leave for NZ in three weeks' time and have just registered the kids at their new school (we have signed a lease on a house already).

I can't believe how expensive school uniform is over there - about £14 for a polo shirt with the school badge on. They are £8 here - but I don't even buy the school ones, they are allowed to wear plain white ones and they cost about £4 for a pack of three! The sweatshirts are about £17 each - the school ones here are £8.75 for small ones and £11.75 for bigger - but again, I buy the plain ones which start at £3 each since they don't have to have the badge.

The plain navy school trousers are £25 a pair there! They are £6 a pair here so I'll be buying enough to cover the boys (we have two) for the rest of primary school and posting over whatever won't fit into our suitcases. Unfortunately I can't do that with the polos and sweatshirts as I'll have to buy them from the school with the logo on. The shorts are £13 a pair over there - Tesco has them here for £5 for two pairs.

We'll get used to the things that are priced higher, and I'm sure there are things that are priced lower, but we also have to consider that DH is taking a cut in salary, our rent is going to be higher than we've paid since we lived in London and we have to start from scratch saving for a deposit to buy a house one day. Oh well, there are way more important things in life than money and this move is still worth it. I'm just glad I'm able to stock up on school trousers and shorts before we leave.
Do what everyone else does and buy them second hand.
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Old May 27th 2011, 3:34 am
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Default Re: Cost of school uniform - yikes!

You might like to have a look at this previous discussion regarding schooling costs too:
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...ationery+costs
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Old May 27th 2011, 8:06 am
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Default Re: Cost of school uniform - yikes!

Don't worry though the freedom and lifestyle your kids will enjoy here will soon make up for the huge hole in your wallet!
Exactly, we remember our reasons for coming over and nowhere does "getting rich" feature.

I have bought enough clothes for my boys for the next 4 years and shipped them with our goods. I didn't know which school they'd be in until after we'd sent our stuff but I'll just post over whichever trousers won't fit in our suitcases. And yes, we'll prob look at second-hand tops as my boys' tops tend to look like a dog's breakfast before the first half-term of the year anyway!! Mucky pups.

Lots of great info in this thread, thanks!
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Old May 27th 2011, 11:25 am
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Default Re: Cost of school uniform - yikes!

In Auckland most schools have an individual uniform, so the grey skirt/pinafore doesn't apply, also the plain white shirt/polo won't apply either - most uniforms have logos - so unfortunately you can't really buy in advance. Most schools will have 2nd hand options too, and once you get in with a community you'll find people will hand stuff down to you. It is an initial outlay of cash to buy the stuff but it does last and wash and wash and wash.

As regards the stationery - you'll find it will be around $60 per year per child, then there is the school donation too that you'll be expected to pay. Most schools will have this cost detailed on their websites so you know roughly what to expect.
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Old May 27th 2011, 2:58 pm
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Default Re: Cost of school uniform - yikes!

Depending on where you settle most of the time the boys wear shorts for school so don't buy too many long trousers.

Also when my daughter moved to Papamoa and registered Ryan for school she asked about the uniform and was told the day it would be on sale. We were there at the time and being naive we went. When we arrived we found that it was people selling uniforms that their children had grown out of so we left. I have to say though most of it did look in good condition.

Gail & family lived in Wanganui when they first emigrated in August then left in December for Papamoa. She left Ryan's things with the logo on for them to be sold and the proceeds to go to the school so they had hardly been worn. If you are not too proud this is another option.

June
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Old May 27th 2011, 5:57 pm
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Default Re: Cost of school uniform - yikes!

Originally Posted by Margaret Parkinson
Depending on where you settle most of the time the boys wear shorts for school so don't buy too many long trousers.

Also when my daughter moved to Papamoa and registered Ryan for school she asked about the uniform and was told the day it would be on sale. We were there at the time and being naive we went. When we arrived we found that it was people selling uniforms that their children had grown out of so we left. I have to say though most of it did look in good condition.

Gail & family lived in Wanganui when they first emigrated in August then left in December for Papamoa. She left Ryan's things with the logo on for them to be sold and the proceeds to go to the school so they had hardly been worn. If you are not too proud this is another option.

June
What's wrong with second hand ??? No one cares, it's just uniform.
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Old May 27th 2011, 9:36 pm
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Default Re: Cost of school uniform - yikes!

You are quite right there is nothing wrong with second hand but we thought we were going to the school shop. Sorry I did not word that right. Ryan was a big lad at the time and we doubted there would have been anything to fit him so we had to pay the full price down at the shop in The Mount. He has slimmed down a lot since its a pity he did not do it before he left school it would have saved a lot of money.

June

Last edited by Margaret Parkinson; May 27th 2011 at 9:41 pm.
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Old May 27th 2011, 9:41 pm
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Default Re: Cost of school uniform - yikes!

Just to add my two-penneth to the school uniform debate. Oldest daughter went into the senior section of her school (yr 12) and needed a whole new uniform, so two blouses, one jumper and a skirt cost $270. Bought from the only shop that sells them. Oh and the hockey top, which they have to have cost $80. Which is a complete rip off. No secondhand hockey tops as they have just changed the style of them
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Old May 27th 2011, 10:03 pm
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Default Re: Cost of school uniform - yikes!

Originally Posted by Margaret Parkinson
You are quite right there is nothing wrong with second hand but we thought we were going to the school shop. Sorry I did not word that right. Ryan was a big lad at the time and we doubted there would have been anything to fit him so we had to pay the full price down at the shop in The Mount. He has slimmed down a lot since its a pity he did not do it before he left school it would have saved a lot of money.

June
Oh no worries ...got it
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Old May 29th 2011, 10:43 am
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Default Re: Cost of school uniform - yikes!

Originally Posted by rick78
as our date for packing/leaving looms we're starting to think about more stuff like this... plus the fact that the pound is getting weaker at the moment meaning money we send across is worth less!

are grey dresses/skirts and black shoes pretty standard for a 4-5yr old at school? Do schools have uniforms for kids this young?

The only thing that has worked for me is to bring the kids decent Clarks school shoes...... mind you one doesn't ever seem to wear shoes, and one is happy to wear the brown Roman Sandals .... and yes the uniforms are expensive .. Mostly I got second hand but when I did buy uniform it was big enough to make sure we get the wear from it. $90 for x1 school jumper and i nearly fell over backwards , needless to say he is under threat of death not to lose it.!!!!!

But do bring lots of stationery....
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Old May 29th 2011, 8:06 pm
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Default Re: Cost of school uniform - yikes!

stationery and donations vary, we are in a decile 10 zone as is all the other local schools donation $170, activity fee per term $20 and statioery i wish it was $60 ours was more like $120 and took all day to source as the school were very specific on types of pencil, exercise books etc. While glue sticks may be generic believe me I have never seen a school so picky! 5 shops and all day shopping was not my idea of fun!
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