A BOROUGH charity has praised legally-binding guidance on making school uniforms affordable for families — but says more can be done.
The Government has published new advice on the subject, with suggestions including keeping branded uniform to a minimum and encouraging high street options.
It also states that all schools need to have second-hand uniform available, as an affordable option that also helps the environment.
The Department for Education (DfE) guidance means schools in England must ensure that school uniform costs are reasonable, and parents get the best value for money.
The changes come into effect next autumn.
Emma Cantrell, founder of First Days Children’s Charity welcomed the move.
She said it is a good first step, and looks forward to working with schools on implementing the new guidance.
Ms Cantrell added: “Every step towards affordable school uniform is a step in the right direction, however, the requirements for set out in this guidance do not go far enough for the families we support.
“A lot of work still needs to be done to make the requirements a reality and the wording of this bill leaves a lot of room for schools avoid the changes that are really needed to make uniforms truly affordable. The truth is, even with these recommendations school uniform is still a cost that many household budgets cannot stretch to.”
Mark Russell, chief executive of The Children’s Society, said some parents have had to cut back on essentials, including food and heating, to afford school uniforms.
“For too many years the cost of school uniform has been a heavy financial burden on many families, causing money worries and even debt,” he said. “These new guidelines to make sure school uniforms are affordable are extremely welcome.
“We hope schools are able to start working with the guidance, which should ultimately make it much easier for families to kit out their children for school without breaking the bank.”
Ms Cantrell said uniforms should make children feel equal to their peers, well equipped and comfortable.
“Schools need a uniform that encourages a good learning environment, and parents need to not be expected to spend, as is true for those with the lowest income, over three weeks full income on school uniform alone,” she said.
Her charity’s school uniform project will continue to make second hand uniform and equipment available to those who most need it.
Ms Cantrell hopes to de-stigmatise a culture of second hand uniform recycling, and empower families to make the most of the resources in the community.
Research from the DfE in 2015 showed that parents can save almost £50 if they can buy all school uniform items from any store, as opposed to a designated shop or school.
In the UK, an estimated 350,000 tonnes of clothes end up in landfill every year. The DfE hopes that encouraging families to use second-hand uniform will reduce waste and bring down emissions from manufacturing new garments.
The new guidance also requires schools to use competitive and transparent contracts with suppliers. Should schools need to tender to secure a new contract. They have until December 2022 to do this.
Matt Easter, co-chair of the Schoolwear Association, said he welcomes the guidance.
“It takes a balanced and proportionate approach towards ensuring parents get good value for money from uniforms, without creating unreasonable burdens on schools or uniform suppliers,” he said. “Importantly, it reinforces that the majority of schools are already doing the right thing and, in most cases, will already be fully, or almost, compliant.
“We are committed helping schools understand the implications of the guidance for their uniform policies, and will continue to work with them to ensure the process of choosing a uniform supplier remains as robust, competitive, and easy as possible.”
