School uniforms can give pupils a sense of identity and belonging to a community. But, for many families across the UK, buying school uniforms is a significant and unavoidable cost alongside the additional costs of childcare and entertainment during the summer holidays. So as a governing body or head of school, what things do you need to keep in mind when it comes to your school’s uniform policy?
At the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), we’ve been looking at the impact of school uniform policy over the years and have advocated for schools to ensure that their policies are not overly restrictive, limiting the choice of what parents and carers can buy. For example, some families are forced to buy what they consider to be unnecessarily branded items of school uniform, often from suppliers and retailers who have exclusivity agreements with particular schools.
It may come as a surprise to many schools and their governing bodies that they may in fact be breaking competition law if those policies are too restrictive.
Latest updates from government
Schools in England and Wales now have to take into consideration guidance from the government on the cost of school uniforms. You should therefore at least be thinking about cost as part of your considerations when setting a school uniform policy. The Scottish Government will shortly be introducing similar guidance while the Department of Education in Northern Ireland is currently consulting on revising its guidance. At the CMA, we’ve worked closely with the governments of all 4 nations to help shape their guidance.
What schools can do
The CMA isn’t asking schools to change their uniforms (and forcing parents and carers to buy a completely different new uniform). But you should consider whether your uniform policy is in the best interest of pupils and parents and think about where you can offer greater flexibility.
As school leadership teams change over time, we recommend that you familiarise yourself with the CMA’s open letter to head teachers, school governing boards and school uniform suppliers about their obligations to parents and carers and whether your policies might face scrutiny under competition law.
What schools need to think about
Here are some questions you should consider when it comes to your school’s uniform policy.
1. Do you have any exclusivity arrangements with retailers or manufacturers?
Schools and their governing bodies and academy trusts should consider how to use competitive tender processes to get the best results when awarding contracts. Contracts should be sufficiently short to keep suppliers on their toes, but not excessively so where items of uniform are especially distinctive (such as unique colour combinations or branded with a logo) and may need a minimum order size to be economically viable
2. Have you awarded a contract to a manufacturer for sale through third party retailers?
If so, are there any provisions that fix the minimum price that the uniform can be sold at? Such arrangements could be a breach of restrictions on resale price maintenance. Read the CMA’s advice on resale price maintenance to find out more.
3. How many items of uniform are branded or highly tailored to your school?
While less common colour combinations may give a greater sense of identity, does this reduce the number of suppliers who will choose to invest in a stock uniform that can only be sold to a small pool of customers?
4. Do you allow multiple suppliers to use your school crest or logo?
Consider making your logo freely available to different suppliers who may be able to offer better value choices to pupils’ families.
5. Do you offer a pre-loved uniform shop?
Whether it’s a swap-shop, a redistribution of unclaimed lost property, or sale of donated clothing, think about how to help extend the lifespan of uniform.
4 comments
Comment by Faye Bridges posted on
My daughter’s school is ridiculous to say I’m a single mum of three. You can only get the uniform in one shop and is £43.25 just for one skirt. Let alone the blazer tie all the p.e things that have to have crest on. Bag coat and shoes. How are we supposed to live aswell as buy these uniforms
Comment by David Lloyd posted on
My sons school is part of a County wide trust in the South West. We are forced to undertake online purchases from a company in Nottingham.
We have no alternative local supplier.
We cannot view , see the items before purchase.
The company only delivers to the school once a month, so home deliveries are £5 a time.
This is a monopoly that I cant escape, its distressing & very unfair.
Comment by Kat posted on
We are moving soon and my daughter will have to change schools. Her logoed jumper is of low quality and has ripped under the arms by the end of September (from brand new). I didn't want to spend money on another one, not knowing how much longer she'll be at this school, so I bought a standard purple cardigan from Asda, 2 for £10, which is a massive bargain compared to her logoed one. She has been told off at school for not wearing a uniform and been given a used jumper. I have always purchased my children's uniforms from M&S because I found them the best quality and most comfortable and no previous school ever raised any objections. Are they allowed to discriminate my daughter for not wearing a logoed jumper anymore? Especially if I cannot order it online but have to drive to the shop that's half an hour away to purchase it and it is more expensive and of much lower quality than a cheap Asda school cardigan of the same colour?
Comment by Jen posted on
And parents can not afford the enormous cost.
Uniform
Certain colour socks
Shoes
PE kit
Certain colours swim wear
Trainer of a certain type/colour for PE
Special shoes for astro truf
The list goes on.
And it's nit comfortable to learn in. Pupils can make a choice to go into a job that requires uniform but I think set colours and comfortable clothing with some rules, such as colours, no logos, no belly tops no short skirts/shorts and no see through leggings is OK.
What does it matter what colour their socks are
Or have colour at this age.
Education 1st.