By Bill Heaney
With schools starting to return for the new term, West Dunbartonshire and Argyll and Bute councils have been urged to adopt new school uniform guidance produced by the Scottish Greens with the aim of cutting costs for families.
The guidance was co-produced by the Scottish Greens during their time in Government and includes a series of recommendations put forward by MSP Ross Greer.
Key instructions for schools and councils include:
- Allow generic items which can be bought at low cost from a range of retailers
- Do not use branded items only available from specialist retailers at highest cost e.g. blazers with particular braiding designs
- Design uniform and clothing policies on the basis that the School Clothing Grant would cover the cost of all items needed for the school year, plus a reasonable number of spares or replacements
- No separate uniform rules for each gender
- Flexibility to account for religious clothing, jewellery and other elements of a student’s faith
- Promote, and support access to pre-loved uniforms and clothing and consider the overall environmental impact of uniform policies
Ross said: “Families across Scotland are really struggling with rising costs. Schools and councils can support them by adopting this official guidance and cutting the cost of school uniforms.
“I’m proud of the work that the Scottish Greens did to deliver these crucial changes, particularly the ban on unnecessary branded items which can only be bought from a single supplier, often at ridiculous cost.
“I know these changes would be welcomed by parents across the country, which is why I’m urging every council to adopt the guidance.
“Far too many schools still have outdated and unnecessary rules about their uniforms, including exclusive deals with specific suppliers. This just causes anxiety for pupils and punishes parents on more limited incomes.
“The classic example is a blazer with specific braiding, which can often cost more than the rest of a uniform combined and is now mandatory in many high schools.
“Taken alongside our delivery of free bus travel for young people, scrapping peak rail fares, expanding free school meals to record levels and cancelling all school meal debt, this shows that the Scottish Greens are supporting families and cutting the cost of living.”