Uniform policy: what to publish on your school website
Your uniform policy: what's required, what needs a logo, where to buy it and where to find second-hand uniform.
Check this on my websiteWho it applies to
- Published on
- The school's own website
- School type
- Academies and maintained schools
- School stage
- All stages, from early years to sixth form
- Does not apply to
- No school types are excluded
When it's due
Keep it up to date
There's no fixed date. Update it whenever something changes.
What's needed
Publish your uniform policy on the parents or policies page on your website, saying which items are required or optional, which carry the logo, where to buy them and where to find second-hand uniform.
What it must contain
9 parts- Says where second-hand uniform is availableShould: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.
- Names who to contact for help with uniform costsGood practice: Recommended as good practice. Not required.
- Says, for each item, whether it is required or optionalShould: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.
- Says, for each item, whether it must carry the school logo or can be plainShould: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.
- Says where each item can be bought, and whether from one shop or more widelyShould: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.
- Says when an item used only in certain circumstances or at particular times of year is neededShould: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.
- Sets the standards plain items must meetShould: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.
- States the school's position on political badgesShould: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.
- Says how parents can complain about uniform costsMust: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.
What the official sources say
Set out in 2 official sources:
Cost of school uniforms (statutory guidance)
A school’s uniform policy should be: – published on its website – available for all parents, including parents of prospective pupils – easily understood, including clearly setting out which items are compulsory and which are optional
Should: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.§ Main points
Disputes about the cost of uniform should be resolved locally, in line with the school’s complaints policy. In law, governing boards must have a complaints procedure in place to deal with such issues.
Must: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.§ Complaints and pupil non-compliance – Complaints
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A school’s uniform policy should be: – published on the school’s website – available for all parents, including parents of prospective pupils – easily understood
Should: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.§ Providing information to parents
publish their revised uniform policy on the school’s website and ensure it is easily understood
Should: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.§ Actions for schools – Actions for the 2026 to 2027 school year (bullet)
Schools should ensure that opportunities to acquire second-hand uniforms are freely accessible to all parents. Information on second-hand uniforms should be clear and available to parents of both current and prospective pupils and be published on the school’s website.
Should: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.§ Main points
While it is up to schools to decide how they are going to make second-hand uniforms accessible to parents, they should ensure that the information about this is clear for parents of both current and prospective pupils, and is published on the school’s website. This information should clearly state where second-hand uniforms are freely available to purchase. It would not be acceptable, for example, for parents to have to access second-hand uniform via paid for events, such as school fairs.
Should: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.§ Making second-hand uniform accessible
ensure that all parents, especially those of new starters, are made aware of where second-hand uniforms can be purchased, and that they make this facility available to all parents before the start of the new academic year
Should: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.§ Actions for schools – Actions for the 2026 to 2027 school year (bullet)
The published uniform policy should clearly state whether each item is optional or required, including whether a branded item is required or whether a generic item is acceptable. If the item is only used in certain circumstances, or at particular times of the year, this should be made clear.
Should: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.§ Providing information to parents
Schools can require that generic items meet standards of modesty and are fit for purpose. Any such requirements should form part of the published uniform policy.
Should: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.§ Optional, loaned and gifted branded items
Schools should include sufficient information so that a parent is clear whether an item can only be purchased from a specific retailer or if it can be purchased more widely, including from second-hand retailers.
Should: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.§ Providing information to parents
Developing school uniform policy
Disputes about school uniforms should be resolved locally and pursued in accordance with the school’s complaints policy. In law, governing boards must have a complaints procedure in place to deal with issues such as a complaint about school uniform.
Must: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.§ Complaints and challenges to school uniform policy
Schools should consider whether to make their position on political impartiality clear in their uniform policy. This includes any rules around badges or other items supporting causes or organisations being fixed to uniform items.
Should: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.§ Other factors to consider
Show 1 more from this source
consider how they will support pupils who do not have the correct uniform, including which members of staff will be a point of contact for families and pupils who need support with uniform
Good practice: Recommended as good practice. Not required.§ Actions to help develop your school uniform policy (bullet list under 'we strongly recommend that they:')
Questions schools ask
Do schools have to publish a uniform policy?
For academies and maintained schools, it's recommended in official guidance, but isn't a legal requirement in itself.
What does a school uniform policy need to include?
Says where second-hand uniform is available; Names who to contact for help with uniform costs; Says, for each item, whether it is required or optional; Says, for each item, whether it must carry the school logo or can be plain; Says where each item can be bought, and whether from one shop or more widely; Says when an item used only in certain circumstances or at particular times of year is needed; and 3 more parts listed above.
When do we need to update our uniform policy?
Keep it up to date. There's no fixed date. Update it whenever something changes.
Where does the requirement for the school uniform policy come from?
It is set out in Cost of school uniforms (statutory guidance) and Developing school uniform policy.
Recent changes to the official guidance
Updates to the official sources that affect this requirement, newest first.
6 July 2026 · Developing school uniform policy
The new limit on branded items of uniform and PE kit will come into force on 1 September 2026. We have updated ‘Developing school uniform policy’ to reflect this.
6 July 2026 · Cost of school uniforms (statutory guidance)
Updated to reflect the new legal limit on compulsory branded school uniform items in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026.
23 October 2025 · Cost of school uniforms (statutory guidance)
Updated the guidance, which now includes draft statutory guidance relating to the proposed limit on the number of branded items of school uniform and PE kit that schools can require.
19 November 2021 · Cost of school uniforms (statutory guidance)
The DfE published statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms.
We last checked these sources on 21 September 2026.
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Official sources last checked 21 September 2026 · register version 1.0.4