With special offers on kit starting at supermarkets and department stores this week, savvy parents will want to be first in line to ensure they get the best deals.
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Sainsbury’s and Marks and Spencer are among those with school uniform sales in the next fortnight, with up to 25% off.
With uniform, shoes, bags and sports kit costing £482 a year per secondary school child, according to recent figures, every saving is welcome.
Here, we have compiled some of the best deals on the market and when you need to bag them by.
Sainsbury’s
There’s currently 25% off all Tu clothing, including school uniform.
The offer lasts until midnight on Thursday 27 and runs in stores as well as online at tu.co.uk.
The deal brings a pack of two jumpers down from £7 to £5.25.
Aldi
The store’s £5 Back to School Uniform Bundle is available from July 4 until stock runs out.
For a fiver, families can pick up two polo shirts, one sweatshirt or cardigan and a choice of trousers, skirt or cargo shorts.
Aldi has also introduced a 12-month satisfaction guarantee to its famous bundle, giving families some reassurance that the clothes will last the school year.
As with many Aldi offers, the items are only available while stocks last.
Lidl
Prices start at £1.50 for a sweatshirt and for £5 you can stock up on two polo shirts, a sweatshirt and trousers, skirt or shorts.
Like Aldi, the uniform at Lidl is generally only available for a limited time, so don’t delay if you want to get a good deal.
Look out for the uniform arriving during the first weeks of July.
M&S
Marks and Spencer has announced that it will be offering 20% off school uniform from July 2 for a limited time.
The deal will bring the price of a three-pack of responsibly-sourced polo shirts down from £7 to £5.60.
Prices at M&S have stayed the same since 2021 and the store says its kit is designed to be durable and pass the “hand-me-down” quality test.
How to save money on school uniform
EMILY Longman, reviews producer at parenting review site MadeforMums, which does an annual school uniform survey, reveals how parents get the best value:
- Price isn’t everything. Parents tell us they want uniform that lasts.
- In our MadeForMums school uniform survey in 2023, Sainsbury’s came out top for “worth the money”, with parents praising its quality.
- Look out for features that will make uniform last as long as possible and grow with your child, including adjustable waistbands, let-down hems and stain-resistant treatments.
- Shop second-hand if you can at school recycling events, and also on Vinted or in charity stores.
- Some retailers, such as M&S, also have recycling initiatives where they offer discounts or vouchers if you donate old uniform.
Asda
Head to the George section at Asda to get a two-pack of dresses from £10, two jumpers from £5 and a five-pack of polo tops from £7.50.
For extra savings, look out for Asda’s summer promotion, which may be set to start in the coming weeks.
Morrisons
Morrisons‘ school uniform range is available in up to 370 stores across the UK.
You can get a three-pack of polo shirts for £4.95 and a two-pack of trousers for £10.
And unlike some stores, the price doesn’t increase when you buy for older children.
Tesco
You can’t buy school uniform online at Tesco.com, so head into your local stock to browse the range.
If you’re looking for a good deal, the store usually offers 25% off its uniform in the last week of the English school summer term.
This will fall around July 22 this year.
If it’s the same as other years, you’ll have around five days to bag a bargain.
You can also save on school uniform when all clothing goes on sale in the store. This happens a few times a year.
Matalan
In Scotland, Matalan will have 20% off school uniform this week from Monday June 24 to Sunday June 30.
The offer excludes shoes, accessories and underwear.
Parents in other areas of the UK should keep their eyes peeled for a similar reduction towards the end of the summer term.
John Lewis
The department store has a full range of good quality uniform from its Anyday range, with prices starting at £2.33 for a polo shirt when you buy them in a multipack.
You can also find a school uniform checklist at johnlewis.com, which is handy to make sure you have everything you need.
How else to save on school uniform
It’s not just buying from the right retailer that will save you money on school uniform. Here are some other cost-cutting tricks:
- Label everything, from clothes to colouring pencils, to make it less likely they’ll go missing.
- For value, a name stamp will last you years and you can reapply whenever it starts to fade.
- The biggest money-saver of all costs nothing – get double the wear out of school uniform by getting your kids to change out of it when they get home.
- Check out school nearly new sales, as well as Facebook marketplace and local charity shops, for cheaper school uniform.
- Buy a children’s foot measure to use at home so your can snap up bargains in online shoe sales. Get one at Next for £6.25.
- If you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, and your child receives free school meals, you may be entitled to some financial help with the cost of school uniform. Go to gov.uk/school-uniform. Some local authorities in England will also lend a helping hand.
- Your child usually has to be receiving free school meals to qualify.
- Sign up to newsletters from Clarks to get 15% off a pair of shoes.
- Those who work in the grocery industry and are on a low income get a £150 School Essentials grant from GroceryAid. Applications opened on June 17.
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