What's Your Problem ?

My son starts secondary school in September. It's a really good school but I'm worried because the uniform requirements are very strict. I'm a single parent on low wages and can't afford all the items on the uniform list. What can I do?

School uniforms can reduce the pressure on parents to buy expensive designer gear for children but only if dress codes are sensible, take into account affordability and financial help is available for families on low incomes. Children can, in the worst cases, be excluded for not having the right uniform. Many local education authorities (LEAs) provide help towards paying for uniforms in the form of school clothing grants. The amount available varies and is rarely enough to cover the full cost, with the average grant to children transferring schools less than £50. Eligibility is often restricted to families on certain benefits or cases of extreme hardship. First ask your council whether the LEA offer school clothing grants, and if so, what the conditions are. If they cannot help, or the help is limited, contact the head teacher at your son's school and explain the problem. The school may have its own ways of reducing the costs for parents, such as a discretionary hardship fund, sales of good quality second hand items of school clothing, or direct sales to parents of bulk-bought uniform clothing at cut rates or with spread payments. The school may accept substitute items in the same colour and similar style so you can shop around for the best value. If some of the items are not needed until later in the year you may not need to buy them all at once. You may need to remind the head that government guidance to school governors says they must give high priority to cost considerations when deciding on school uniform, and that no uniform should be so expensive as to leave pupils or their families feeling socially excluded or deterred from applying to that school. Schools are urged to set a uniform policy that allows clothing to be bought off the peg from a number of places, rather than insisting on expensive items that are only available from one supplier. If there's still a problem after talking to the school and / or LEA then contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau to find out about your other options, including charitable schemes which help with school uniform costs.

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