School uniform swap shop helps save money and tackles second hand clothes stigma

Almost half of parents said they’re worried about the cost of school uniforms, according to research by the charity Save the Children and the Baby Bank Alliance network.

Elise, a mum of three, has just picked up a new uniform for her son Charlie.

“It’s really expensive, I’ve got three kids you’ve got to get jumpers, T-shirts, trousers, shoes, double all of them because of the washing, so it’s amazing for saving money but also I never buy anything new if I can help it because it seems such a waste when there’s pre-loved which can be handed on.”

Elise said she can always find what she needs through the scheme.

“You can say ‘oh I’m really looking for some jumpers in age seven to eight or has anyone got the school uniform or the PE kit that we need’ and nine times out of 10 somebody would be able to go ‘oh yeah, I have actually I was going to pass that on or do something with it’ and then we swap it over.”

Jon started the scheme at his children’s school, Ysgol Treganna in Cardiff in 2022, and still organises the swaps for the school, working with deputy head, Gareth Evans.

“At the end of each half term, myself and Tom will look at what’s left in lost and found, basically what hasn’t been reclaimed and then Tom and his group of friends will then bag everything up and take them home to Jon to add to the website,” said Evans.

Jon’s scheme isn’t just about easing the financial strain on families, it’s also about sustainability.

He said: “This is helping families to save both their pocket and the planet and I think that extra dimension around the environment has really captured people’s interest in this initiative.

“There are 30,000 schools within the UK, all or most will be using school uniforms in one way shape or form, so the potential is definitely there to help many more schools.

“What matters most for me is the culture change and the change in sort of instinct around second-hand school clothes so that this becomes normal practice.”

Kingsbury High School in London, which has 2,000 pupils, is involved in the scheme.

Tara Randall, the school’s sustainability lead, says the initiative also takes away the stigma of asking for help with clothing your child and normalises swapping school clothes.

“There’s a certain street cred that kids like to follow, especially at secondary school. But this is done in a discreet way, so there’s no stigma.

“Parents can arrange their own drop-offs, pick-ups of uniforms, and, I guess the extra benefit on top of that is that you might find parents and carers from a community or connect in that kind of way, because it can feel very remote in secondary schools.”

Some families qualify for a grant in Wales, offering up to £200 per child to cover the cost of school equipment, although it is only available to families on a low income or children in local authority care.

In England, from September uniforms will be limited to three items with a school logo, such as a blazer, jumper or sportswear plus a tie for secondary schools, to help parents save money.