Latest news with #schooluniform
The Sun
6 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Aldi reveals when cheap school uniforms are coming back – and it's earlier than ever
Aldi's famous school uniform bundle is back and landing earlier than ever. Parents will be able to get their hands on the budget-busting Back to School range. 1 The bundle includes two polo shirts, a sweatshirt or cardigan, and a choice of trousers, skirt or cargo shorts – all for a fiver. That's right, a full school uniform for just £5. Aldi has confirmed the range will hit supermarket stores on Saturday June 29. The supermarket giant has frozen the price for the fourth year running, helping cash-strapped families stretch their budgets during the cost-of-living crunch. But you'll need to move fast – like all of Aldi's Specialbuys, once they're gone, they're gone. It's no wonder this deal flies off the shelves every year. With prices starting from just £1.50, and sizes available for kids aged 4 to 12, it's the perfect chance to get ahead of the summer scramble and sort schoolwear early. Whether you're prepping for reception or restocking for Year 6, this deal's a no-brainer. And Aldi isn't skimping on quality either – the uniforms come with a 12-month satisfaction guarantee, giving parents peace of mind that the kit will survive through the year. The eco-conscious will be pleased too as the range is made using recycled polyester and supports Cotton Made in Africa, so kids can stay smart without costing the Earth. Aldi shoppers demand Walmart-style checkout policy to be axed after customer stunned by item 'loophole' With shoppers expected to flock to stores, Aldi's urging parents to mark their calendars and stock up before shelves are stripped bare. The deal will only be available in stores so you'll have to head to your local Aldi. It's worth calling up ahead and checking if they're in stock before making a trip. How does it compare? At Asda, the same bundle - two shirts, a cardigan and a skirt – will set you back £18. For boys, a sweatshirt, two-pack shirts and cargo shorts comes to £18.50. Over at Tesco, you're looking at £6 for two shirts, £4 for a sweatshirt and £9 for cargo shorts – a total of £19. And if your little one wears a pinafore, a two-pack will cost you £10. This makes Aldi's uniform deal the cheapest by far. Its always good to compare prices across different stores to make sure you're getting the best bang for your buck. How to compare prices to get the best deal JUST because something is on offer, or is part of a sale, it doesn't mean it's always a good deal. There are plenty of comparison websites out there that'll check prices for you - so don't be left paying more than you have to. Most of them work by comparing the prices across hundreds of retailers. Here are some that we recommend: Google Shopping is a tool that lets users search for and compare prices for products across the web. Simply type in keywords, or a product number, to bring up search results. Price Spy logs the history of how much something costs from over 3,000 different retailers, including Argos, Amazon, eBay and the supermarkets. Once you select an individual product you can quickly compare which stores have the best price and which have it in stock. Idealo is another website that lets you compare prices between retailers. All shoppers need to do is search for the item they need and the website will rank them from the cheapest to the most expensive one. CamelCamelCamel only works on goods being sold on Amazon. To use it, type in the URL of the product you want to check the price of. Save money Aldi How to save money when shopping at Aldi Unlike other major grocers, Aldi does not have a rewards or point card system but that does not mean you cannot save on your shop. Every week the store releases a list of special buys, which are unique bargain products you find online at Aldi and in store. The store releases a fresh range of deals every Thursday and Sunday, so be sure to check regularly to see what's new. Meanwhile, the store also regularly sells fruit and vegetables at highly discounted prices, as part of its 'super six' deal. It also does weekly saving offers on typically pricey items such as meat and fish. Plus, it's worth keeping an eye out for products with red stickers on them. These are added to items that have been reduced due to them being close to their best before date or slightly damaged. The best time to get these reduced products is towards the end of the day, when you can get discounts worth up to 75%. How can I save money on school uniforms? IF you are struggling to afford the cost of school uniform or PE kit, you may be able to apply for a grant from your local council - but the criteria vary from council to council. This is usually in the form of a one-off payment paid directly into your bank account. Some councils will reimburse payments made to approved retailers. You can ask your local council what help is available and when you need to apply. If you can't get targeted help from your council, there are other options to get cheap uniform. Speak to your school to see if they can offer you some clothing. Some charities offer help to families in need too. Charity Turn2Us has a free grants search tool on its website which you can use to find out what help is available to you. Charity shops can also be a good place to find cheap school uniform.
Daily Mail
03-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Daily Mail
Parents fury as school to ban SKIRTS in move to be 'more inclusive' as it pushes for 'gender neutral options for all students'
A school has banned pupils from wearing skirts in its drive to be 'more inclusive' and offer ' gender neutral options'. Students will no longer be allowed to wear the item of clothing as of September after a letter was circulated this week informing them of the uniform change. Furious parents at Honywood School in Essex have hit out branding the move 'group punishment' and 'crazy'. It comes after the headteacher James Saunders also said in his communication on Monday that pupils had been wearing the skirts incorrectly. Students can currently choose from trousers or a school-branded skirt - but come the new academic year their only options will be black trousers or black, knee-length, tailored shorts. A letter seen by the Colchester Gazette said: 'Over time, we have unfortunately experienced persistent issues with school skirts being worn incorrectly. 'By replacing the option of skirts, ongoing challenges in this regard are removed so that the collective staff and learner focus, and energy within school remains fully on learning.' It adds that tailored shorts will provide a more gender-neutral option for all pupils and uniform may become more financially affordable for families by replacing the skirt. A parent, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Gazette: 'I am disappointed - they are rolling it out as a gender-neutral initiative but it's not really, they are trying to do group punishment. 'Yes, girls should wear skirts appropriately and parents should be enforcing it.' She added her daughter, in Year 7, wore skirts with the school branding which she had 'spent money on' and concluded the change was 'crazy'. The parent also claimed last September the school banned female students from wearing socks and they now have to 'wear tights all year round'. Locals have taken to social media to weigh in with their thoughts, saying 'I'm surprised they haven't banned trousers instead' and 'is this not discrimination against girls'. But a few parents said they were not surprised as 'some of the girls roll them up so short'. One person said: 'It will stop them from rolling them over at the waist band so they are so short.' Another added: 'There should be a strict uniform regulations and if not adhered to parents heavily fined: end of.' Come the new academic year students' only options will be black trousers or black, knee-length, tailored shorts (file image) But a third commented: 'This is really interfering with their education.' And someone else said: 'That's ridiculous, yes have rules but making girls wear shorts/trousers... what is this world coming to.' The school issued a public letter to parents on social media this evening where Mr Saunders said in his view the approach to banning skirts was 'not contentious'. He explained: 'It follows a simple uniform model used by many schools across the country. 'I would like to reassure you that we will open a dialogue to include parents' views so that they may be able input directly into this process.' Honywood School has followed in the footsteps of a handful of other secondary schools that announced they would be moving to a trousers-only policy in September. Canon Slade School in Bolton and Philips High in Whitefield, Bury, are among those to have already made the change. The school's response A spokesman for Honywood School told the Gazette: 'On Monday, a letter regarding changes to our uniform policy was sent to families. The school received a number of queries about these changes. 'At this time, we have not been able to respond to these enquiries as they were received less than 24 hours ago. 'Our policy is to respond to all communications within 48 hours. We will be responding through the appropriate channels in due course. 'We take the opinions and concerns of our families seriously. 'It is disappointing that we have not been given time to respond in our normal community-minded way and that families feel this is a matter that needs reporting in the media. 'We have always preferred to work directly with families rather than respond to external pressures via third parties. 'We only wish families were more passionate and vocal about the real challenges schools are facing currently such as lack of funding and SEND support or that the media was exposing these issues publicly. 'The approach we have taken is not contentious and follows a simple uniform model used by lots of schools across the country. 'It is clear that our families have concerns and we will continue to work with them directly to achieve a mutually accepted solution as the media is not the appropriate platform to deal with this matter.'
Daily Mail
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Radio star Lauren Phillips, 37, brags about still fitting into her school uniform after 20 years and her prestigious accolades
Breakfast radio star Lauren Phillips treated fans to a trip down memory lane on Wednesday when she tried on her old school uniform. The 37-year-old Nova 100 host shared a video of herself modelling the purple ensemble, which consisted of a short pleated skirt, shirt and matching blazer. 'Screaming, it actually fits - just,' an amazed Lauren said in the caption, adding, 'Loving myself sick.' The Jase & Lauren show star revealed she had been a prefect and middle school house captain at her old school Wesley College in the Melbourne suburb of Glen Waverley. Posting an image of the blazer and her badges, Lauren said her mother had kept the uniform after 20 years. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Lauren's nostalgic post comes amid a planned stunt by the Nova breakfast team to 'relive' their high school years on Friday. Nova announced on Thursday that co-host Clint Stanaway will join Lauren and Jason 'Jase' Hawkins as they broadcast their show from a bus travelling the Glenn Waverley area. Along the way, the team planned to stop at Clint's old school Glen Waverley High and Lauren's Wesley College. It continues a 'nostalgic kick' by the Nova breakfast team that began in February when the Jase and Lauren Show Instagram account shared a throwback snap of Lauren. Paying tribute to all the children starting school in 2025, the photo showed the radio star looking unrecognisable in junior school at Wesley. The photo showed Lauren flashing the camera quite the cheeky grin as she posed in her school uniform. The future radio star looked cute-as-a-button in the snap, which also showed her adding a pop of colour to her uniform with a purple scrunchie. It wasn't just Lauren that was given the throwback treatment either, with the account also sharing adorable childhood photos of co-hosts Jase Hawkins and Clint Stanaway. Like Lauren, both looked almost unrecognisable in the photos, save for Jase whose cheeky grin was apparent, even as a youngster. Clint too has undergone a bit of a transformation in the ensuing years. His throwback photo showed him sporting a shock of blonde hair - more than a few shades lighter than his current do. The presenter was also sporting freckles across the bridge of his nose and a wry smile. Last year, Lauren revealed that she was left 'broken' after losing her KIIS FM job to Kyle & Jackie O after they landed a $200million expansion deal to broadcast in Melbourne. 'I was gutted. I thought that was the end of my radio career,' she told in July. 'Late last year I was ready to leave the country and move overseas. I was like, "I'm out of here".' When Nova approached the radio duo for a breakfast show opportunity, Lauren revealed she was initially hesitant to get on board and explained she was worried of facing the axe again. 'I had a pretty bad taste in my mouth and I was scared of that happening again,' she said.
Irish Times
27-05-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Boy (16) wins €9,000 equality claim over wearing earring at school
A 16-year-old transition year student has won €9,000 in compensation for gender-based discrimination and victimisation after he was punished for wearing an earring to school at the start of term last year. The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) has ruled that his school's uniform policy was indirectly discriminatory on gender grounds, favouring female students over males by requiring ear studs to be worn in pairs – and has ordered the rule changed. The decision on the boy's claim against the school under the Equal Status Act 2000 was published on Tuesday by the tribunal in anonymised form. The school had denied his claim. The student arrived to school at the start of the new term on August 30th last year with the upper cartilage of his left ear newly pierced and a round silver stud through it, the tribunal heard at hearings in November and December 2024. READ MORE The school considered it to be in breach of the uniform rules in its code of behaviour, which forbids 'all body piercings except one small stud in each ear', the tribunal heard. 'I think their intention is that boys don't wear studs ... I think they know boys won't pierce the other ear because they'll be called gay, they'll be called names. They won't go through the hassle of it, and they'll take it out,' the claimant told the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) at a hearing December last. Asked why he chose to wear the ear stud, the young man said: 'It's my grandad – it's a sense of my personality, following in the footsteps.' The student's solicitor, Gerard Cullen, said his client was presented with choices to either 'remove the stud or pierce the other ear' or complete the three week healing process with a plaster covering the piercing. He called that 'interference with bodily integrity'. Counsel for the school Kevin Roche BL, appearing instructed by Mason Hayes and Curran, said that after the young man instructed a solicitor in the matter, he had been sent a legal letter to say he would be considered to be 'in compliance' if he 'covered the ear with plaster'. He said that had already been offered to the young man, and rejected. The boy's grandmother told the tribunal her husband and all of her sons had worn piercings in their left ears – and that she considered this the usual practice for a man to wear one. A row broke out at a meeting between the boy and his family and the principal and deputy principal on September 4th, 2024, when the claimant's mother and grandmother came to the school, the tribunal heard. The complainant's case is that in the weeks that followed he was subject to sanctions, including being placed sitting outside the principal's office, being denied leave to go down to the town on his lunch break, and being assigned to evening detention which would have meant missing his bus home. The school's position is that it followed its disciplinary code at all times and sought to de-escalate the matter – with its barrister telling the tribunal that the first mention of legal action was on the part the complainant's solicitor. In his decision, adjudicator Brian Dalton wrote that the 'apparently neutral' rule on ear studs was discriminatory on the grounds of gender. He added that since the claimant had complained about that rule being unfair, it followed that the sanctions 'solely arose because of [his] objection to an unfair practice' and amounted to victimisation. Mr Dalton ordered the school to amend its rule on body piercings 'so that it facilitates the wearing of one or two earrings'. He directed the school to pay €9,000 in compensation to the young man.
BBC News
26-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Universal school uniform grant to help thousands in Tower Hamlets
About 7,000 families in east London are set to benefit from a council's universal school uniform £150 will be available to children who are entering their first year of primary or secondary school, if their families have a household income of £50,350 or Rahman, mayor of Tower Hamlets, said it would "go some way" to support children in the borough, while Mohi, a local parent, said school uniform costs were a "matter of worry" for himself and his comes as the government's Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill looks to limit the number of branded uniform items a school can require, to ease the financial burden on parents. "I'm working in a solicitor's, but you know, day by day our costs and expenses are really high," Mohi said. "As a parent, we always think ahead. So [uniforms] is something that is a matter of worry for me and my family." The head of London Enterprise Academy said its school uniform costs were more than £200, but that they supplied some items to students free of charge."I realise it's a very expensive time in August for parents, so as a school, since we opened, we subsidised the uniform," its principal Ashid Ali said."All of our students will get a free PE kit when they join our school, and when they move to Year 10, we have always provided free blazers, as the children are growing up." Suraia, a student at the school, said when pupils felt "inferior" to their peers because of their clothing, it affected "literally everything", including their Hamlets Council announced the school universal uniform grant earlier this Rahman said: "It will go some way in supporting our youngsters at primary school and when they go into secondary school."Giving them some financial help, some 7,000 children in a year will be supported."The City of London offers grants to families that earn under £7,400 or are on benefits, while Westminster City Council provides a grant to families eligible for free school meals. Wandsworth Council offered a voucher try to reduce costs for everyone, the government is proposing a limit of three branded uniform items at primary school and four at secondary."This means, for the first time, no school in England will be able to require unnecessarily large numbers of branded items, so no parent will be unfairly disadvantaged," a spokesperson for the Department for Education said. Watch the full Politics London programme on BBC iPlayer.
