PARENTS have complained they are being forced to pay higher prices for compulsory school skirts when they could buy them much cheaper from the supermarket. 

The parents of girls starting at Christopher Whitehead Language College in Worcester in September must buy school skirts from two shops which they say are more expensive than competitors - and argue they could get cheaper skirts from Asda, M&S or New Look.

For example, an Asda skirt can be bought for £5 - more than three times cheaper than the skirts parents have to buy for girls attending the school in Bromwich Road, St John's.

Worcester News: School skirts can be bought much cheaper than the ones parents have to buy their children at Christopher Whitehead including at Asda and Marks & Spencer School skirts can be bought much cheaper than the ones parents have to buy their children at Christopher Whitehead including at Asda and Marks & Spencer (Image: Google)

Parents have been told they 'must' buy the skirts from one of two shops - Monkhouse (formerly Schooltogs) at 31A New Street, Worcester or KITZ UK, 128a Worcester Road, Malvern Link.

A message to parents on the school website reads: "It is important for all students - and parents/carers - to know that our uniform is exactly that: uniform. It does not include fashion or designer items, which are not acceptable at CWLC."

Worcester News: The skirt at the Christopher Whitehead Shop is more expensive than skirts at Asda, Marks & Spencer and other shops but the school says skirts from Monkhouse and KITZ are better quality and more durableThe skirt at the Christopher Whitehead Shop is more expensive than skirts at Asda, Marks & Spencer and other shops but the school says skirts from Monkhouse and KITZ are better quality and more durable (Image: Christopher Whitehead Language College)

 

A parent, who did not wish to be identified, said: "The school sent out a letter stating the skirts must now have the logo. Last year when year 7 was about to start, the head Mr Morris told all the parents at the school show he was happy for just the blazers to display the logo to help with uniform costs.

"When the current year 7s started the children were being told off for not have clothing items displaying the logo.

"The cost of kits and Monkhouse compared to a uniform from say Asda or Sainsbury's is a big difference. Last year we paid nearly £300 in uniform for two children."

The CWLC shop is selling junior skirts for £14.50 and senior skirts for £17. 

However, David Farmer, pastoral lead at the school, said: "Our uniform is the cheapest in the city if you look at the whole package."

Similar school skirts can be bought much cheaper from other stores such as ones New Look (£6.99) and Asda (George) which sells them for £5.

Mr Farmer said the school had 'very few branded items' and that many parents supported 'uniformity in the uniform'.

He said: "Yes, you can probably buy a skirt from Asda more cheaply. But it's a false economy. They're not designed for school daily wear and tear. It's a false economy to buy a £5 skirt which will last half a term."

Mr Farmer also said the skirt was not 'branded' but a cheaper, plain skirt and was 'better quality' and would 'last longer' than others.

He added that the school has an extensive second-hand shop to help parents and they had made the uniform cheap and affordable.