A proposed bill that might lead to calls for a reduction in the number of branded school uniform garments could cause ‘unintended consequences’ if not implemented appropriately, according to a national trade body.
The Schoolwear Association has found that the average cost of school-branded uniform and sportswear items in English state secondaries is approximately £100 when a pupil starts school. However, the average annualised cost is only around £36, as specialist garments typically last well over a school year.
The Association has warned that if there are amendments to the current guidance, the Education (Guidance about costs of school uniform) Bill introduced by Mike Amesbury MP could increase costs for parents and also lead to higher levels of bullying and inequality in schools.
Amesbury’s bill to accelerate making DfE uniform guidelines statutory passed its second reading in parliament on Friday 13 March.
Commenting is Matthew Easter, co-chair of The Schoolwear Association. “We support efforts to place uniform guidance for schools on a statutory footing to improve consistency across all schools. And, provided this remains unchanged from its current form, we welcome Mike Amesbury’s Private Members’ bill.
“However, the implementation of the bill is critical to ensure that unintended consequences do not mean that the many benefits of school uniform are lost from our schools.
“There is universal acceptance across government and educational bodies that school uniform helps to create a strong school identity, and ethos for learning encourages higher behavioural standards and reduces bullying; not to mention the positive impact on equality and social cohesiveness in our schools.”
The Schoolwear Association argues deregulating how uniform is sold will undermine the whole concept of uniform being ‘the same for all’; introducing peer pressure and also a greater likelihood of bullying.
Relaxing uniform requirements could create greater inequality in schools and add to pressure on pupils and parents.
Easter continues: “Specialist uniform retailers focus on providing durable and longer-lasting items. A downgrade in cost in the short term will actually increase cost over the time a pupil attends school as garments need to be replaced more often.
“Our research, which covers more than 400 state secondary schools and 390,000 students, shows that the average cost of compulsory school uniform and sportswear items is just over £100 per pupil. This represents excellent value.
“An effective uniform acts as a leveller between pupils. It removes the pressure on families to keep up with the latest fashions and brands, which are often much more expensive and less durably constructed than school-branded school uniform.
“We have now categorically proved that the cost of school-branded school uniform is far less than has been quoted from other sources historically and averages only £36 per year. Schoolwear specialists are mostly local businesses that are passionate about working in their communities and support schools with affordability for those parents who genuinely struggle.”
The largest survey of school uniform
The Schoolwear Association surveyed a range of retailers from across the country that supply 11.9% of all state secondary schools in England – representing 409 schools and approximately 390,000 students.
As part of the survey, the purchase history of what was actually sold each year for the schools was also analysed showing that, on average, the spend per pupil of compulsory items was only £36.24. This demonstrates the benefits of buying better quality, longer-lasting garments that don’t need to be replaced every year.
The basket cost is derived from the average cost for boys’ and girls’ compulsory school-specific uniform and sportswear – with an average of 6.1 garments being required for an average sized pupil starting secondary school.
Click here for further information on The Schoolwear Association.
