The end of August can bring about mixed emotions for many parents.
On one hand it is the end of expensive holiday clubs and organising hours of entertainment for their little ones, but on the other they have the dreaded back to school shop to get through.
Data compiled by consumer research company ValuePenguin shows that the affordability of school uniforms is a lottery depending on where you live.
On average, Redbridge parents have to work 10.1 hours to afford clothing for each child including PE kits but excluding blazers.
This contrasts with West Midlands residents who have to labour for 13.3 hours for the same clothing.
At the other end of the scale Oxfordshire mums and dads need to do 8.6 hours to cover costs.
“Between the PE kit, trainers, school shoes, and other basic school uniform items, it’s not unusual to fork out between £80 and £200 per child,” said a spokeswoman for ValuePenguin.
“More expensive private school uniforms can easily cost two to three times more for specialty items embroidered with the school logo.”
There is also a difference between the cost of girls’ and boys’ uniforms.
While it is more expensive to clothe girls, boys cost more when it comes to shoes.
“As your child grows, so do the costs of a school uniform and between the ages of four and 11 expect costs of basic clothing to rise by over 40 per cent,” she added.
“Uniform for a girl will cost a bit more and you’ll find skirts tend to cost a few pounds more than boys’ shorts.
“If your daughter wears a pinafore, expect to add a few more pounds to the uniform cost estimate.”
Across the UK, parents have to work for 11.5 hours on average to earn enough money to pay for the basket of back-to-school clothes.
Redbridge parents work 1.4 hours less than average to kit their children out for the new academic year.
ValuePenguin worked out the costing by analysing the average price of school wear, across six major retailers.
They estimate that the average junior school uniform costs around £150 per child.
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