Parents of pupils at Bury St Edmunds County High School say change to uniform is ‘totally unnecessary’ as families struggle with cost of living

Parents of pupils at a secondary school have said changes to its uniform are a ‘totally unnecessary’ step backwards and will hit families struggling with the cost of living.

Bury St Edmunds County High School, formerly County Upper School, has told parents that, from September, their children will have to wear a blazer with a logo, tie, white shirt/blouse and grey skirts or trousers.

Pupils currently wear a polo shirt and navy pull-over jumper with logos.

In an online poll, launched by a concerned parent, a 95 per cent majority said current Year 9 and 10 students shouldn’t be included in the change.

Headteacher Sally Kennedy said they had been consulting on the issue for seven months and would provide one blazer and one tie per pupil. Future blazers can be bought from £29.50 and ties at £3.75.

But parents’ concerns about the cost remain.

Sarah Dean, of Bury St Edmunds, who has five sons, including twins currently in Year 9, said she is not sure how she will pay for the new uniform as she needed help from a foodbank charity to buy the current uniform.

“Gatehouse helped me to buy uniform for this year already and now I’ve got to replace all of it for two people,” she added.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to afford the uniform. I’ll probably be sending my children to school in the uniform I’ve already bought.

“I’d like to say I’d drop out and change school but we’ve already tried that and King Edward VI School is full.

“Schools are so old fashioned now. This just pushes them further backwards. It’s not a very progressive move.”

Mrs Dean, 44, who works as a teacher at an alternative provision school, said that one of her twins is on the autism spectrum and already struggles to wear the current uniform.

“He struggles to wear the jumper – there’s no way he’ll wear a blazer.

“It’s not a very inclusive policy,” she added.

Mum-of-two Sharon Scrivener, who has a son at County High, created the poll on Facebook – which attracted 23 votes, to see how many parents were for or against the changes.

She said: “I just don’t think it’s fair for us parents when my child is currently in Year 10. When he goes back, he’ll have about 35/36 weeks – probably less than that if you take off the holidays – and then he’s finished. So I have to go out and buy new shirts when I have a whole uniform that still fits him.

“We’re all struggling – everything is so much more expensive – but families have had to pick sometimes between food and heating. It’s just totally unnecessary to expect those of us that didn’t join County High, our children joined County Upper, to buy new uniform.”

Lizzi Fordham, who also has a son at the school, said she personally won’t struggle with the cost because her son attends school twice a week, but worries for parents who cannot afford the new uniform.

She also worries that the uniform will not be inclusive of pupils with special education needs or transgender pupils.

“Children with sensory needs should be considered. The blazers and the shirt is very restricting. The polo tops actually have more give in them.

“And what happens if there’s a pupil that is transgender because white shirts are see through.”

She argues that a uniform made out of softer materials and which has less buttons would be more suitable.

In guidance to parents, seen by the Bury Free Press, the school said white shirts, which do not need a logo, can be purchased from supermarkets, along with skirts and trousers.

Headteacher Sally Kennedy said: “One of the aims of the new uniform is to create a new strong identity for County High School across our sites.

“We wanted our decisions around the new uniform to be made in partnership with our students, parents and staff and that is why we have been consulting on this issue for seven months.

“At every stage, we have taken on the feedback and acted on it wherever possible.

“We are fully aware of the impact of the cost of living crisis and that is why we will be funding the initial cost of blazers and ties for all students. The only new item current parents will have to buy is school shirts or blouses.

“We will also keep a stock of new uniform and we would ask any parents to contact us if they are struggling to afford the uniform.”

According to feedback from the school’s survey, 48 parents of pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9 (12 per cent) responded to the consultation. A further 64 parents of pupils in Years 10 and 11 (17 per cent) responded.

Pupils and staff were also consulted.

The school also said the pupils expressed interest in starting a pre-loved uniform shop.