School uniforms can create a sense of identity and community for
a school and its pupils, reduce peer pressure for the latest
clothes and help children feel settled and prepared for lessons,
but they can be costly for parents.
No school uniform should
be so expensive that families and pupils feel unable to apply to,
or attend, a school of their choice.
Here’s what you need to know.
Who decides whether to have school uniform?
It’s up to individual schools to
set their own policies. The vast majority of schools in England
have uniforms – but whatever schools decide, their policy should
be fair for all.
We believe uniforms provide a sense of belonging for students.
They are helpful in creating a good learning environment and can
promote the ethos of a school.
What are you doing to ensure the cost of school uniform
remains affordable?
We’ve published legally-binding guidance on the cost
of school uniforms, which schools must take into account when
developing and implementing their own uniform policy.
Schools should prioritise thinking about how much it will cost
parents and carers when deciding on a uniform policy. This
includes the cost of providing extra clothing that pupils will
need to wear outside the classroom, such as a PE kit.
Schools should:
- Keep branded items to a minimum and limited to low cost or
long-lasting items
- Prioritise considering cost and value for money in their
supply arrangements
- Make second-hand uniform available and accessible for parents
and carers
- Publish their uniform policy on their website and ensure it
is easily understood
- Engage with parents and pupils on cost issues when they are
developing their uniform policy
How to access second-hand school uniforms?
Second-hand uniform can benefit all parents, particularly those
on low incomes, and is more sustainable by extending the life of
clothes.
Schools should make sure that parents are able to access
second-hand uniforms. It is up to individual schools to decide
how.
Your school may offer second hand clothing directly or via their
PTA (Parent Teacher Association), or they may advertise local,
established, second hand uniform schemes.
Whatever the method, schools should ensure that current and
prospective parents and carers know how they can get hold of it
by publishing details on the school’s website.
What financial help is available for parents to buy
school uniforms?
In England, some local authorities (LAs) provide discretionary
grants to help with buying school uniforms for those struggling
to meet the costs, providing they are eligible.
In some cases, individual schools or trusts may run their own
schemes to provide assistance, for example to support new intakes
of pupils or in the event of large changes to the existing
uniform. This will vary depending on the school.
What happens if a school doesn’t appear to be following
the rules?
We expect schools to comply with the guidance, which was
published in November 2021, and is rooted in law.
All schools should be fully compliant with the guidance by summer
2023, although we recognise that some schools might be tied into
existing contracts with suppliers so will become compliant after
this date.
If parents are concerned that their child's school is not
following the guidance, they should raise this with the school,
through the published complaints process.
Where parents have gone through their school’s complaints process
and feel the school has not adequately addressed their concerns,
they may raise this with the department.
