MSE guide: School uniform MoneySaving tips

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Get prepared for the next school term with the MSE Guide:

 👔 School uniform MoneySaving tips 👔

It includes cheap supermarket sets, Government grants, when to hit the sales, secondhand options and more.

Got any tips of your own to add? Please drop 'em below. Thank you.

blakhak

It is possible to win disputes with schools about the use of branded school uniform, but it's probably the school governors that you need to speak to, rather than the PTA.

I got my child's school to amend their policy on the use of branded items.  I thought it might be beneficial to others to write up how I got the school to change their stance. 

My case was on the use of "optional" branded jumpers and cardigans.  However, the arguments used will apply to other items of clothing.  There will be arguments against - for example, some branding can be a safeguarding measure (e.g. unique PE kit to be able to identify pupils on a publicly accessible playing field).  

The first step is to use the complaints process - all schools are obliged to have this.  I did this informally first, but once it became clear that I was not making headway, I took it down the formal path. 

Initial Complaint

I wrote a letter outling my complaint.  I broke this down into four parts.

• Scoping

Firstly I made clear the scope - a) I was a parent of a child at the school and b)  identified the elements of the uniform I complained about.  As part of that introduction I made it clear that the policy did not match the statutory guidance (www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms/cost-of-school-uniforms).

• The Statutory Guidance
  

I then identified the relevant parts of the guidance:

The principle of the statutory guidance is that “Schools need to ensure that their uniform is affordable”. 

The guidance has a number of key points:

1. "School governing boards should give high priority to considerations of cost for parent";
2. “...and they should be able to demonstrate how best value for money has been achieved...”;
3. "Schools will need to think about the total cost of their school uniform. It is not enough to consider everyday classroom wear"; and
4. "Schools should assess the overall cost implications of their school uniform policy for parents and be aware of how costs could mount up where multiple items of the same garment may be needed".

The guidance discusses generic uniform:

 "Generic items which are widely available (including from low-cost outlets) give parents choice and allows them to control the cost of school uniforms. As such, schools should keep branded items to a minimum and limit their use to low cost or long-lasting items". 

Branded items are defined: 

“The term ‘branded item’ is not just an item with a logo. It is used to describe an item of clothing with distinctive characteristics which make it unique to the school or trust.”

In providing examples, the guidance describes: 

"For instance... a sweatshirt with a specific coloured trim... would... be classed as branded items".

And goes on: 

“In comparison… a grey cardigan that can be bought from a variety of retailers would not be considered a branded item.” 

Regarding optional items, it states: 

"To ensure that school uniform acts as a social leveller, optional branded items should also be kept to a minimum." 

It is worth noting that deviation from statutory guidance is permitted only if very good reason is articulated for departing from it. (www.gov.uk/government/collections/statutory-guidance-schools)

• Comparison of the Policy versus the Statutory Guidance

In the next section, I compared the uniform policy to the guidance.  I argued that optional items were not truly optional if they were needed to be comfortable in education (e.g. needing a jumper on a cold day).  Since they were not optional, then the school needed to demonstrate consideration of the costs.

I also compared costs between the branded items and generic equivalents. I pointed out that this was not reasonably priced (3 times the price in my example); and consequently, that the uniform did not meet the principle of being affordable.  I also highlighted how the elements of uniform I was complaining about were not long lasting - I do not expect a jumper to last more than a year.  Finally I indicated that the need for multiple items stretched costs.

I summed up how this meant that the school was failing to meet the statutory guidance.

• Resolution

Finally, I proposed a resolution - an amendment to the policy. 

Second Stage

There was an initial pushback to my complaint.  This centred around the access to second-hand uniforms, and a view that their policy was a reasonable comprimise.  I responded back welcoming the fact that second-hand uniforms sales occurred, but they did not maximise the reduction of the total cost of ownership - ultimately parents across the community need to foot the bill for the new stock that replaces worn out items. I asked what the grounds for deviation from the Statutory Guidance were.   Concluding, I sought a meeting with the Chair of Governors and the Head to try and understand: a) what was achieved by use of branded items, and b) what the school's best value for money assessment of the policy was. 

At a meeting with the Head I was advised the policy was changed.