30th January 2023
You can read the full report here.
We ran our survey in September 2022, with 813 responses from 30 local authority areas.
The purpose was to inform our response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on proposed statutory guidance to advise local authorities and schools when developing their school uniform policies. You can find our response here.
The survey findings suggest that parents and carers remain committed to the idea that school uniform has an important role to play in creating a positive ethos and culture within schools.
However, most respondents to the survey do not want to see children and young people punished (or worse, expelled) if they are not wearing a suitable uniform.
It is heartening to see that most respondents report that their schools are sensitive to the pressures of family budgets and the potential costs of school uniforms.
Based on the survey responses, we would urge schools to continue to work towards removing branding and logos from uniforms (which create extra cost or pressure, as branding can become a visible differentiation between families who can and can’t afford branded items).
We would also urge schools – where possible – to make sure that shoes and coats (and perhaps other items) could be worn outside of school i.e., they are not too restrictive in uniform policy.
It would also be a positive step if all schools consulted parents (beyond but including Parent Councils) and children/young people when reviewing the school uniform policy.