Mum-of-seven praises Derbyshire school for ‘kind gesture’ as primary set to provide free uniforms to all pupils in a bid to support struggling parents

Charity The Children’s Society revealed that parents spend, on average, £287 on uniform a year, so Barrow Hill Academy – part of the Cavendish Learning Trust of schools – decided to gift all 94 pupils two branded jumpers or cardigans, two polo shirts featuring the school logo, a couple of pairs of trousers or skirts, a PE kit consisting of top, shorts and bag, a book bag and several iron-on labels featuring the name of each child, to help families feeling the pinch.

The school has funded the uniform using government-funded PE premium and pupil premium.

Headteacher Rebecca Vodden-Page said the free uniform will make a huge difference to those families in one of the most deprived areas in the county.

“We are proud of the relationship that we have with the families of our pupils and understand that the cost of school uniform can be a source of worry and anxiety every year.

“That is why we are doing everything we can to ease the pressure. We want our pupils to look smart, and the uniform also needs to be practical so that they can enjoy playing on our new outdoor equipment without worrying about tearing trousers or ruining a good jumper! There are also studies that show wearing a school uniform makes pupils feel proud and can help promote good behaviour.”

Jaylene Pritchard, a working mum-of-seven, said: “Our family spends around £700 a year on school uniforms so this will go a long way towards helping us financially. Everyone – whether you’re a family who relies on pupil premium or a working family – is feeling the pinch right now and we appreciate this kind gesture from Barrow Hill Academy.”

Alison Payne, school liaison officer for uniform company Gogna, said: “We appreciate that families are struggling to afford the cost of sending their children to school in the right uniform, and we are constantly reviewing our prices to make sure that parents are getting quality, ethical uniform for a reasonable price.

“We have worked closely with Barrow Hill to create a competitively-priced package and think that their idea to provide every child with free uniform is a brilliant idea.”