Shortly after publishing Diana Kimpton’s Letter to the Editor about the cost of new school uniforms at Cowes Enterprise College, we received a call from the College.
They were pleased to advise that letters had been sent to parents on Friday, explaining that the £17 embroidered blouse and shirt that Diana was unhappy about, had been scrapped and replaced with plain white items.
Jonathan Russell, Principal Designate said, “We’ve done everything we can to keep the cost as low as possible. We’ve listened to parents and responded as best we can.”
“Only major cost is the blazer”, says parent
One parent of children at the College, Melody West, told VB, “CEC parents (of which I’m one) received letters on Saturday saying that we won’t now have to buy the girls blouses with emblem which costs £17 for a pack of two.
“There are other concessions too. The only major cost is the blazer, which parents on low income can apply to the school where cases for subsidy will be taken into consideration.
“Ryde and Sandown are Academy Schools and if they choose to subsidise uniforms for all students for first year, rather than say, employ another teacher or provide more education materials, that’s their choice.
“I can’t really afford the uniform (I have four children attending) and won’t qualify for help but, accept that the school has a dress code and standards.
“However, I’m not happy about being tied to one supplier, particularly a mainland one and believe the colour of the blazer is very impractical (light grey!)”
For your convenience, we’ve embedded below the letter that was sent to parents.
