With the challenges of the cost-of-living crisis The Star contacted secondary schools across the city to find out how schools were helping parents with the costs of school uniforms.
Some schools offered secondhand sales in the lead up to the new school year.
Bayfield High School and King’s High School held secondhand uniform sales on Saturday and a secondhand uniform sale took place last week at Otago Boys High School.
Another option for families was visiting groups on social media including Facebook groups Dunedin School Uniform Buy/Sell/Swap and Uniforms for Dunedin Schools which provided opportunities for families to list items or find second hand uniforms.
Trinity Catholic College principal Kate Nicholson said it had an arrangement with their uniform shop for parents to pay off new uniforms throughout the year via school accounts if that was required.
"We also have secondhand uniforms that are donated back to the school to pass on to those who need extra help, and we hold a secondhand uniform sale a few times a year as well.
"We are very conscious of the cost of uniforms, and do our best to provide different opportunities for purchasing uniforms as much as we can."
Everyone beginning the year on an equal footing and having pride in what they were wearing helped foster a real sense of belonging and unity, she said.
Logan Park High School co-principals Kristan Mouat and Peter Hills said the school worked with families to support them.
The uniform was kept to a minimum with the school avoiding multiple requirements and there were funding supports in place.
Families and whanau donated uniform for those that needed it , many purchased secondhand and the school facilitated recycling, they said.
Pasifika prefect Adeleah Nukanuka said the school had a uniform library which was a convenient way to access items if pupils had forgotten them.
Blazers, shoes, trousers and shirts and more could all be borrowed without having to take a trip home. It was also useful for unexpected changes, for example she had once borrowed a polar fleece top when the day turned colder than anticipated.
Columba College principal Pauline Duthie said uniform costs were mitigated by having an effective secondhand uniform shop which was run by the parents association.
