Education Secretary, Kirsty Williams (Lib Dem, Brecon & Radnor), has launched a public consultation on new statutory guidance for school uniform.
See also: Counting the cost of school uniforms; Education Secretary: Schools should give parents enough time to buy new uniforms
Under the proposed guidance:
- School governors will be required to actively keep the cost of school uniforms down (such as banning exclusivity in sales and keeping uniforms simple).
- School logos may also only be included where absolutely necessary and either restricted to a single item of clothing or provided free-of-charge as an iron-on or sew-on.
- Governing bodies will be asked to consider the need for summer and winter uniforms.
- A recommendation that school uniforms be gender-neutral.
The Education Secretary said, “By putting in place statutory guidance, my expectation is that governing bodies will have a much more consistent approach to issues such as cost and also show a much greater degree of flexibility when it comes to very hot or very cold weather.”
The details of the public consultation are available here and responses need to be in by 21st February 2019.
