School uniform rules must go further, charity says

Zia Lee stands in a black vest top with a denim cap on and black glasses and long blonde hair.  Behind her are green crates with school names and carefully folded uniforms in them.

A limit on the number branded items schools can force pupils to wear "are a start", but the government "needs to go further", a charity says.

From September, uniforms will be limited to three items requiring a school logo, like a blazer, jumper or sportswear – plus a tie for secondary schools.

In the run-up to the rules being introduced, Clothing Coventry have opened a three-week long school uniform pop-up, as some families saying uniforms are costing them hundreds of pounds.

Zia Lee, from the charity, says the law needs to go further: "To have three compulsory logo items I mean you're still looking at a lot of money, you know, one to two hundred pounds for one child."

A rail of school summer dresses with gingham patterns in green, red and blue.

Around 23% of secondary schools will have to change their uniform lists for September to comply with the new rules, according to the latest government data.

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.

Mum of three, Eniole Okwuosa, said secondary school uniform was particularly expensive: "Uniforms are usually over £200 because the blazers alone are about £40 or £45.

"Two of my girls, the schools they do go to, their clothes have to be logoed, the blazer and the jumpers. So, they can't really wear the regular ones.

However, she welcomed the limits on logoed items.

"It's a brilliant idea if it works," she added.

Angelica Jaros has long brown hair that fades to red at the ends.  She's wearing a pink ACDC t-shirt and is looking through school uniform with rails of dresses and other people looking at clothes behind her.

Angelica Jaros' son is starting school this year, on top of buying uniform for her six-year-old daughter too.

She said there was pressure to get new clothes, bags and shoes.

"It's about £300 per kid.... because you remember when you were a child, you wanted to go to school with brand new things, you want the same thing for your kids as well," Jaros explained.

Meme Horner, 21, volunteers at the charity and said it's a way of giving back.

"As a child I got hand-me-downs, my mum got quite a lot of help, so it's kind of like just giving back to the community in a way, I feel good doing it," she said.

Schools having three branded items is still too many, she added.

"The crisis of money nowadays, the inflation has gone up so dramatically, and parents are struggling to do the basic necessities, let alone get children three pairs of logoed clothing for school," she explained.

Seyedeh Naserinaki has dark brown hair tied back and wears glasses.  She stands with a smile on her face and a yellow lanyard around her neck.  She is pointing to a Clothing Coventry banner behind her.

Seyedeh Naseriniaki also volunteers at the uniform bank and says the cost of branded secondary school uniforms remains a problem for her family too.

"Last year we had to change twice", she said. "And going for a specific uniform cost a lot for us.

"With the help of charities we had a better chance, but we could choose the newer uniform if it was not logoed."

The education secretary has legal powers to direct schools to comply if they are not sticking to the new rules.

One head teachers' union, the Association of School and College Leaders, says the actual difference in cost is likely to be marginal for most families.

The Schoolwear Association says the plans could mean parents spend more on replacing lower-quality generic garments, which might not last as long as branded ones.

Clothing Coventry's school uniform pop-up is open by appointment only until 28 August.

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Original source School uniform rules must go further, charity says

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