If your school has a uniform, you must have a policy
A school uniform policy is included in the list of statutory policies in the governance guides for maintained schools and academy trusts. The Department for Education (DfE) clarified for us that this is only a requirement if your school has a uniform or dress code.
This is a new requirement, as school uniform policies were not included in the DfE's previous guidance on statutory policies (which was withdrawn in March 2024 and replaced by the governance guides linked above).
What this policy needs to do
It should reflect:
- The DfE's statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms – get up to speed with our summary
- The Equality Act 2010
- The Human Rights Act 1998
It's not your job to cross-reference your policy with this guidance, but you should expect your school leaders to have done so.
How your school will: Make sure