Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps to help increase awareness of school schemes that facilitate parents purchasing uniforms from other parents; and if she will make a statement.

In November 2021, the Department published statutory guidance to ensure that the cost of school uniform is reasonable and secures best value for money for parents. Schools and their governing boards must have regard to this guidance when developing and implementing their school and trust uniform policies. It is available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms.

The guidance states that schools should ensure that second hand uniform is available for parents to acquire, and to make these arrangements clear on their website.

The Department has sought to raise parental awareness of this requirement through the Education Hub, which can be found at: https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2022/09/01/back-to-school-week-school-uniform-what-you-need-to-know/.