Will new uniform rules save parents money?

Will new uniform regulations result in cost savings for parents?

Kay Devonshire-Murphy, a mother of three, described the expense of purchasing uniforms for her children as "massively expensive."

A new law, effective this school term in England, aims to reduce the number of branded uniform items parents are required to buy, a measure the government anticipates will save them money. This term, uniforms will be restricted to three items bearing a school logo, such as a blazer, jumper, or sportswear, in addition to a tie for secondary schools. The government projects that some families could save up to £50 per child, though school wear suppliers contend that this could, in the long run, lead to increased spending for parents.

We engaged with a Fareham mother, a second-hand uniform bank, and a Hampshire headteacher to discuss these changes.

Kay Devonshire-Murphy, a mother of three from Fareham, stated that she accumulates uniforms throughout the year from charity shops and second-hand sales. She believes that being required to purchase three branded items is still excessive. "A PE top cost me £18 the other day and I had to buy three, that's massively expensive for a PE top," she explained. "Only three items is fine, but they're still really expensive in the places they're being sold. This year I had to buy a new blazer for my son, that was £30, a new tie. Overall I spent £75 just for the branded stuff per child. That's a lot of money if you've got more than one child."

Councillor Gemma Furnivall operates a second-hand shop.

Councillor Gemma Furnivall established a second-hand uniform bank in Fareham after observing how quickly her eight-year-old son outgrew his clothes. "Sometimes it's hard for people to admit that they struggle with the cost of uniform," she noted. "But I hear from a lot of parents who are moving to secondary school and really struggling with that long list of new uniform. The people who come to the bank, they go away with huge bags of stuff." She believes the new law indicates that the government is "taking seriously that this is a pressure point for families." She added, "And it's a big signal to schools to actually remember that that's a real problem, so that limit of branded items will make a difference."

Mark Marande, headteacher of The Petersfield School, emphasized the continued importance of some branded uniform items.

The Petersfield School in Hampshire already has a uniform policy limiting logoed items to four. However, headteacher Mark Marande expressed his belief that some branded items remain crucial. "We have thought very carefully about which items are to be branded things like the blazer, the PE top with the house colours really helps them with their sense of belonging," he stated. "I think if you move away completely from branded, that would be damaging to the sense of belonging and pride the students have when coming to school." He also noted, "We also recognise that on non-school uniform days attendance can dip as it can put quite a lot of pressure on students to have a particular set of trainers or a particular top or whatever that might be and uniform completely eliminates all of that."

The Schoolwear Association suggested that these plans could lead to parents spending more on replacing lower-quality, generic garments that may not be as durable as branded ones. A spokesperson informed the BBC that it could also foster division within schools, as branded uniforms contribute to reducing inequality and improving behavior.

According to the Department for Education (DfE), the average total cost for one child's school uniform was just under £250, based on items required for the 2023/24 school year, with PE kit costing approximately £140. A spokesperson affirmed that the government is assisting schools in implementing further measures to reduce the cost of individual items.