A new law coming into force in September means parents in England should have to buy fewer branded items of school uniform, which the government says will save them money. From September, uniforms will be limited to three items with a school logo, like a blazer, jumper or sportswear – plus a tie for secondary schools. Schools are already advised to keep these items to a minimum, meaning many are already within the rules, but about a quarter of schools will need to make changes by the time the law comes into effect.
The government says the changes will save some families "up to £50 per child", but schoolwear suppliers say they now face uncertainty in demand for this year's uniforms. Co-op Academy Belle Vue, in Manchester, is planning to drop the number of its compulsory branded items from seven to three, plus a tie. It estimates the average cost of the branded parts of the uniform last year was £101.94 with a pinafore, and £83.95 without – but this year it will cost families an average of £53.97.
Next year, when the school switches to a new supplier, it says it will fall further. The school has decided to get rid of its branded blazer, the branded pinafore, branded shorts and PE jogging bottoms. The school's branded jumper currently has a coloured stripe, which is different for every year group, but this will switch to a plain one so parents will not have to buy a new jumper every year.
Parents must now buy a branded jumper, a tie, and two branded PE tops for summer and winter. Linda Ubawike, who has three children at the school, says her uniform bill has dropped by £70 this year. "It has honestly saved me so much," she says.
"I can now get more of the uniform in the local supermarket, and my son who is starting in September is getting the whole uniform for free – it works so much better." Because every school sets its own uniform policy, parents can still face very different expectations and costs. Lorraine, who lives in London, has two children in secondary schools and is frustrated that her school has not changed any of its uniform policy this year. She says several items are still compulsory, including the branded blazer, tie, branded polo shirt, branded shorts and two-toned PE socks.
Even the plain grey trousers or skirt have to be purchased from one of the school's suppliers, she says. Both her sons have been through a growth spurt this summer, so she is expecting to spend more than £200 on their branded items alone. "I'm just frustrated, for me it's not even about the money," she says.
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