Schools Must Follow Government Uniform Rules

New DfE Guidance on School Uniforms

In November 2021, the DfE published new statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms and also updated its wider non-statutory advice on developing and implementing a school uniform policy. The guidance clarifies the government’s expectation for schools to think holistically about the cost of their school uniform and covers a range of issues including branded items, supplier arrangements, and second-hand uniform. Uniform provides a sense of identity for pupils as members of their school community, but some of the key drivers behind the revised government guidance are designed to:

  • Reverse the trend in the use of branded items and sole supply contracts;
  • Reduce the cost of uniform for parents; and
  • Support a reduction in pupil disciplinary and attendance issues relating to uniform.

Schools need to be compliant with much of this guidance by September 2022 and here Martin Cain offers a series of useful pointers to help them to meet their statutory obligations

Cost and quality

It is an essential requirement of the guidance that the cost of school uniforms is reasonable, affordable for all and that schools to ensure that parents get best value for money. Schools must make sure that the cost of uniform is not a barrier to parents when considering which school their child might attend and should:

  • Ensure that contracts with uniform suppliers are competitive in order to lower costs;
  • Avoid single supplier contracts;
  • Run tendering competitions at least every five years where more than one supplier can compete for the contract and best value secured; and
  • Alongside the cost, consider both the quality and durability of garments when choosing suppliers or styles.

Policy review

The implementation and impact of the policy should be reviewed annually as part of the established school self-review processes relating to pupil behaviour and discipline, although this should not necessarily mean that this will lead to further changes for some of the reasons described above. The review processes should include:

  • Further meaningful consultation with parents, pupils and staff.
  • Undertaking an equality impact assessment to allow the school to assess whether the policy has had any negative impact on specific pupil groups, for example those that are vulnerable, disadvantaged or who have special educational needs or a disability.
  • A commitment to review any aspect of the policy immediately should there be an event or incident in the school which makes this necessary, or of course any further change to government legislation or guidance; there should be a note to this effect in the policy itself.

Variations and alternatives

Too many and changes to uniform requirements creates both additional cost, time and compliance pressures for parents and also increases the possibility of pupil breaches. To mitigate this schools should consider:

  • How often there are variations in their uniform and avoid frequent changes or allow considerable transition periods between them.
  • Indicating high street alternatives and remove unnecessary branded items within the uniform policy, including PE kit.
  • Encouraging the use of second-hand uniform and offer a shop, exchange service or uniform sales at school.
  • Providing information about the availability of second-hand uniform that is clear to parents and available on the school's website. Implementing a gender neutral uniform or dress code as this helps to make life easier for parents and also further reduces the possibility of pupil breaches.

The uniform policy

Whether schools are introducing a brand new policy or making changes to an existing policy (be these minor or very significant) and examples of good practice include:

  • Undertaking a meaningful consultation exercise with parents in which they clearly lay out the reasons for the changes and its potential advantages; this could include writing to them and providing the opportunity for them to submit written responses, attend parental consultation meetings or participate in a working group.
  • Taking a similar approach with pupils by using their processes for gathering the pupil voice, for example through the school council; such processes provide good opportunities for the personal development of pupils and the development of leadership skills and qualities.
  • Ensuring that the uniform policy is published on the school's website, is clear and very accessible for parents and especially new parents. The policy control sheet should clearly state that it has been subject to consultation, its implementation date and the timescale for the next review.
Involve staff in any consultation process, bearing in mind that they are responsible for implementing the policy on a daily basis and will be well placed to offer helpful input.