School Invests $150,000 to Help Low Income Parents, Buying New Uniforms and Laptops for Every Student

An English school has forked over $150,000 to buy all 270 incoming students a new blazer, tie, and laptop.

Located in one of the poorest parts of London, the aid comes off the back of sustained improvements in grades and higher education attainments at the school, proving that investing in students’ futures pays off.

The headteacher of Cumberland Community School in the London borough of Newham believes the uniforms help children feel “pride” in the institution, while removing fashion-focused distractions.

According to the Children’s Society, English parents spend on average £422, about $575 a year, on school supplies. Cumberland, however, serves one of the lowest income areas of London.

“For many families at our school the cost of uniform and computer equipment is an expense they can’t afford,” said the Headteacher, Ekhlas Rahman, according to Southwest News Service.

“I have had parents in my office telling me they just can’t afford certain items. As a school we felt like we had to act. We don’t want circumstance to be prohibitive to a good education, so we decided to foot the bill for the most expensive items.”

Under changes to the UK’s Education Act passed last year, schools in England are meant to be helping cut costs for parents. This could be by promoting cheaper second-hand uniform options, by removing unnecessary branded items from their uniform lists, or allowing generic substitutes.

Explaining his decision to stick with the uniforms even though families could rarely afford them, Rahman said “it gives a sense of pride to the school and the students.”

“By wearing the same outfit, students can focus more on their education and less on social pressures related to fashion.”

When he first took over, he reviewed the cost of the uniform and found it prohibitive, so in observance of the changes to the Education Act, Cumberland did away with the requirements on branded items.

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Additionally, for the 270 new students entering the 7th grade this scholastic year, their families were provided with a voucher for £400 ($460) for the purpose of buying uniforms and equipment.

“These are small things, but they do add up,” Rahman said. “We know families are struggling now and we want to do everything we can to help out. We are a school committed to investing in our students, so their ambitions and dreams can become a reality.”

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Cumberland Community School has been ranked as the most improved in the country over  a five-year period.

Grades are up for 70% of all students, and many of the 15 and 16-year-olds were also awarded scholarships facilitated through the school’s Prestigious Colleges Program.

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