Curbs on branded blazers to bring uniform bill down a size

IT HAS been a school uniform staple for hundreds of years but now the branded school blazer could be on its way out.

Officials at the Department for Education (DFE) have said that from next autumn state schools will be required to keep costs down by “taking steps to remove unnecessary branded items”.

Instead, head teachers must allow parents to buy more items of school uniform from supermarkets and other high-street shops, according to statutory guidance published today.

This means that schools will now have to consider whether blazers, ties or shirts that carry its motto or crest should be scrapped in favour of shops’ own-brand garments.

The DFE cited its own research that showed that parents can save almost £50 on average if they can buy all school uniform items from any store, compared with uniforms that have to be bought from a designated shop or school.

“Where a school decides that a branded item is required, they should consider how they can maintain the benefits of a branded item whilst keeping costs low,” the guidance says.

“This may involve using sew-on/ iron-on labels, or limiting the branded items to longer-lasting items such as ties rather than items that the parent may need to purchase more frequently or in larger quantities such as shirts.”

Schools will also be told to make sure second-hand uniforms are available, serving a dual purpose of cutting costs while reducing waste and emissions.

Nadhim Zahawi, the Education Secretary, said: “School uniform provides a sense of identity and community for children and young people, and should be a real source of pride. But it must never be a burden for parents or a barrier

‘School uniform … should be a real source of pride but it must never be a burden for parents or barrier to pupils’

to pupils accessing education.

“This new binding guidance will help to make uniforms far more affordable for families by driving costs down as we work hard to level up the country.”

Earlier this year, legislation was passed that makes guidance to schools about the cost of uniform policies legally binding.

Research by Income Tax UK, an online tax calculator, in September found that girls’ school uniforms were 12 per cent more expensive than boys’.