Is this NZ's priciest sport shirt?

Carolyn Bromhead with Oscar in his $62.50 shirt. Photo / Jason Dorday

Primary school’s T-shirts should be lined with real gold, say angry parents.

Furious parents in an upmarket city suburb are digging deep for what could be the country's most expensive school PE tops.

Sports T-shirts for the new school year at Parnell District School in Auckland cost $62.50 each.

Tops in other schools in the city are available from as little as $11.50.

Some Parnell parents were further angered when a rule was introduced last week saying the shirts can only be worn on the one day of a week when students have PE.

Students were previously allowed to wear them every day as part of their uniform, said mother-of-two Charmaine Williams, whose 9-year-old son Sid is in Year 5.

"I was shocked the PE shirts cost more than $60," she said. "I bought a similar top for Sid last year and he wore it to school all the time. I planned to get him a new one for this year, but not any more."

Carolyn Bromhead was fuming at having to fork out $62.50 for a top for her son Oscar, aged 9.

"Even for uppity Parnell this is a disgrace," she said.

Another parent, Julyan Lawry, paid $250 for four PE tops for her twin daughters, Emily and Alice, aged 6.

"I baulked at the cost but thought the girls could wear them every day so I took a big gulp and got them two each. I was really angry when parents were then told they can only be worn on PE days. Now I will have to buy other shirts, too.

"The sports tops are gold coloured but for that sort of money they should have real gold thread."

The screen-printed T-shirts for the decile 9 primary are solely available from the School Uniform Centre in Remuera. However, students with no sports uniform can wear a Parnell school polo on PE days instead.

Other sports T-shirts on sale from the School Uniform Centre include an $11.50 top for decile 7 Kaipara College in Helensville. Shirts for several other schools range from $26.50 to just over $50.

Elsewhere, a Calvin Klein Men's T-Shirt is available at Farmers for $35.95 (or $28.76 on sale), and a PE shirt for exclusive Auckland Grammar costs $60.

Gary Cain, Parnell District School principal, noted the shirts were "surprisingly expensive".

"The kids like the tops because they are very light and ideal for summer, but it seems they have leaped up in price," he said.

"I have contacted the suppliers asking for a breakdown in costs and will review the situation once I have received a reply."

Cain added second-hand sports shirts could be obtained from the school for as little as $5.

Maureen Little, manager of Presbyterian Support budgeting service in Auckland, said some parents cut back on essentials to pay for school uniforms.

"Because Parnell is a high decile school it is assumed everyone who sends kids there will be wealthy, which will not be the case."