Families are struggling with the cost of sports wear
Headteachers are being urged to relax the rules on pupils' gym kits to help ease the financial pressure on families struggling as a result of the recession.
The Local Government Association, which represents councils across England, says it costs parents an average of £130 to make sure one child has the right clothes for PE lessons. Some schools demand different outfits for each sport and want children to wear distinctive logos or patterns often available only in individual shops.
Boys' kits are even more expensive – an average £155. Parents also have to spend more than £200 on the rest of a child's school uniform.
The LGA calls the cost an "unnecessary burden" on struggling families and is calling on heads and governors to rethink their policies on PE. It advises schools to opt for plain kits that can be used for different sports and are available at cheaper shops, including supermarkets. It also suggests a central pool of kit for children competing in school teams, or school logos that are provided as sew-on patches.
Richard Kemp of the LGA said: "The most important thing is that children get involved in school sport and have fun, while keeping fit and healthy. The type of T-shirt they wear won't make any difference to how well they do on the pitch."
But Margaret Morrissey of campaign group Parents Outloud said she was concerned that too many schools had already opted for kits made of poor materials that were uncomfortable for pupils. "The kids look like something from Oliver Twist," she said about one school she had visited.