School uniforms: guidance for schools
How schools should develop their uniform policy and procure uniform supplies.
Updates to this page
- From:
-
- Department for Education
- Department for Education
PublishedPublished:- 16 September 2013
- Last
updatedupdated: -
6- 8
JulyOctober 2026—SeeShow all updates
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Added statement to the guidance on 'Procuring school uniform supplies' confirming that the guidance and the associated template documents are being reviewed to reflect the Procurement Act 2023.
-
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.
-
Updated 'Developing school uniform policy' to include new and revised information.
-
Added guidance on procuring uniform supplies, and accompanying template documents.
-
Added a link to the Equality and Human Rights Commission guidance on 'Preventing hair discrimination in schools'.
-
Updated to reflect the new statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms.
-
First published.
- 8
Applies to England
Documents
Procuring uniform supplies: template documents
ZIP, 214 KB
Details
This non-statutory guidance is for school:
- leaders
- staff
- governing boards
The templates support the guidance on procuring uniform supplies.
Schools and their governing boards must have regard to the Department for Education’s statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms.
Governing boards must also make sure uniform policies comply with the limit on branded items of school uniform and PE kit from 1 September 2026. The statutory guidance has more information on the limit.
Updates to this page
ThenewlimitonbrandeditemsofuniformandPEkitwillcomeintoforceon1September2026.Wehaveupdated‘Developingschooluniformpolicy’toreflectthis.Updated'Developingschooluniformpolicy'toincludenewandrevisedinformation.Addedguidanceonprocuringuniformsupplies,andaccompanyingtemplatedocuments.AddedalinktotheEqualityandHumanRightsCommissionguidanceon'Preventinghairdiscriminationinschools'.Updatedtoreflectthenewstatutoryguidanceonthecostofschooluniforms.Firstpublished.
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Update history
2026-10-08 13:56
Added statement to the guidance on ‘Procuring school uniform supplies’ confirming that the guidance and the associated template documents are being reviewed to reflect the Procurement Act 2023.
2026-07-06 09:30
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.
2025-11-07 10:00
Updated ‘Developing school uniform policy’ to include new and revised information.
2024-04-29 13:15
Added guidance on procuring uniform supplies, and accompanying template documents.
2023-06-02 14:49
Added a link to the Equality and Human Rights Commission guidance on ‘Preventing hair discrimination in schools’.