VIEWS & OPINION Bill risks increasing uniform


costs for parents Comment by MATTHEW EASTER, co-chair of The Schoolwear Association


A proposed parliamentary bill, which is looking to mandate schools to follow aspects of the Department for Education guidelines on school uniform , has reached its report stage where it will be reviewed by the House of Commons. As an overriding principle, the


Schoolwear Association supports the intention to place school uniform guidance onto a statutory footing. The Private Members Bill introduced by Mike Amesbury MP earlier this year has the potential to increase standards and reinforce the universally accepted benefits a good uniform provides for schools and pupils. However, we do also have concerns about the potential for


unintended consequences and knock-on effects if the legislation is not implemented effectively. Cost is understandably an important consideration for parents,


and we agree that uniform should be affordable for families. However, we believe that without sensible legislation there is a risk that the wrong legislation could lead to costs actually increasing for more parents in the long run. Following a survey we conducted which covered over 390,000


secondary school pupils, we found that the actual average cost of school branded uniform and sportswear items is approximately £100 when a pupil starts school - but that the average annualised cost is only around £36 as specialist garments typically last well over a school year. Longer lasting garments also result in longer- term cost savings for families and also reduce their impact on the environment. We are worried that if there any further amendments to the


current guidance, the bill could actually increase costs for parents and lead to higher levels of bullying and inequality in schools, since uniform acts as a leveller between pupils, removing the pressures on families to keep up with the latest fashion brands. By ruling against ‘sole supply’ arrangements prices could actually rise, availability could decrease, it could eliminate local support for hardship cases and further impact the local high street with the loss of local businesses. We support strong competition, but when the ultimate


benefits of uniform are only realised when everyone is wearing the same, we would argue that this should take place at the point the provider is selected rather than when the garments are sold. Sole supply arrangements receive a lot of attention but actually deliver great benefits for schools and parents. If these agreements are regularly reviewed by schools, they help to guarantee the best possible value for money to parents, ensure year-round availability, and help to provide local support for those families most in need. This is something we have discussed in further detail in our


recent report, Schoolwear Association: Shining a spotlight on school uniform, within which we also detail a series of policy recommendations that will help avoid these unintended consequences. Schoolwear specialists are mostly local businesses who are


passionate about working in their communities, and the vast majority have hardship schemes in place to provide support to those who need it. Without the guarantees that are offered by sole supply, suppliers simply would not be able to support schools with affordability for those parents who genuinely struggle. Therefore, it is vital that any changes to government policy


must take into account and protect the demonstrable benefits that a school-specific uniform delivers for pupils, schools and parents.


October 2020


How schools can maximise technology to combat COVID-19


Comment by WILLIAM COPLEY, Founder and MD, Armstrong Bell


With new desk arrangements, increased hygiene measures and the creation of year-group or class bubbles, schools certainly had a lot to consider in re- opening their gates at the start of the 2020/21 academic year.


Now, with the percentage of schools sending groups of pupils home quadrupling in just a week, teachers have been presented with a whole new challenge of continuing to teach the pupils able to come to school, whilst providing remote learning to those in self-isolation.


Needless to say, 2019 – 2021 will be marked as a very challenging time in education. However, the resolve of schools to keep going, combined with the use of technology, has meant this is all possible as long as schools have the right infrastructure in place.


Lessons learnt


According to statistics, September 2020 would have been the first time in 6 months that millions of children across England and Wales had stepped inside their school. Whilst many children would have been able to benefit from tech-based remote learning during the initial lockdown, others completed weeks and weeks of home-based printouts without any form of engagement with their class teacher.


The latter, of course, proved incredibly challenging for children and parents alike, with charities like Childline reporting a 37% increase in inbound calls from children suffering with their mental health as a result of lockdown restrictions, combined with a lack of interaction with their peers.


Despite the Government now promising to prioritise education as they increase national restrictions, there is still the threat of a complete lockdown should the situation get out of control. So, what exactly should schools implement as a ‘minimum’ should they have to manage mass remote learning once more?


Video conferencing


Video conferencing tools like Zoom and Microsoft Teams have experienced exponential growth since March 2020, as organisations globally were forced to find new ways of operating effectively from remote environments.


With lack of interaction with their peers and teachers considered the main challenge, video conferencing is a vital tool for all school and educational establishments, and not only provides the opportunity for pupils in self- isolation to join their peers ‘live’ in the classroom, but also ensures they remain on track and engaged.


In addition, with further restrictions likely to be announced in the coming months, video conferencing creates more structure around learning, enabling pupils to still sit through actual lessons from the safety of their home, instead of relying on self-motivation and the guidance of parents to complete the workload.


The flexibility of VoIP


For years, VoIP or ‘Voice over Internet’ systems have provided businesses and organisations with simple but flexible telecoms solution that enable them to connect with and speak to anyone at any time from any place.


Managed and answerable through a laptop or alternative device, VoIP systems not only allow teachers, pupils and parents to communicate effectively from a remote environment, but also enable administrative staff to fulfil their roles from home, should a second lockdown arise.


Therefore, just as businesses have moulded into a virtual operation, with VoIP and video conferencing, schools can too; enabling them to deliver the same standards of teaching whilst maintaining communication at all times.


Ultimately, COVID-19 has presented a significant challenge for schools UK wide and is one that certainly isn’t underestimated. However, lessons learnt from the first peak of the pandemic, combined with advances in technology, mean schools can be more prepared than ever before.


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