Black Country school providing free uniforms for every new pupil to help families
A Black Country secondary school is providing free uniforms for every new pupil to help families struggling during the cost of living crisis.
Last year, Perryfields Academy, in Oldbury, announced that new students who enrolled for the start of the next academic year would each receive not only a complete free uniform, but also a PE kit.
The decision resulted in a significant increase in enrolments at the school, which is part of the Broadleaf Partnership Trust, as parents took up the generous offer.
Now, the school has announced that it will be repeating the free uniform programme for all new students who join from September.
Headteacher Clare Harris said: “Perryfields is a school that is at the heart of the communities it serves, and we were blown away by the response to our free uniform offer last year.
“When children move up from their primary schools to ‘big’ school, the cost of a uniform can be a worry for many, and it’s clear that the current cost of living has made that even worse.
“That’s why we have taken the decision to repeat the offer from last year and provide free uniforms for every pupil who joins us in year seven from this September.
“It’s a simple and direct way that we, as a school, can support families in our community.
"It also helps us ensure that standards are maintained in the school, knowing that everyone can have a good quality new inform as they start their first year with us at Perryfields.”
Perryfields provides vouchers to parents whose children enrol at the school, which can then be used to purchase the new clothing from school uniform retailer Gogna, which has premises in Oldbury and Handsworth.
Footwear such as shoes and trainers are not included in the offer from the school, which draws students from Sandwell, Dudley, Halesowen and Oldbury.
Perryfields works proactively with more than 50 primaries across the area to help youngsters transition to secondary school, including organising a ‘flight day’ in June, where year five pupils can spread their wings and spend a day taking part in fun activities on at the Oldacre Road site.
