Should school uniform be cheaper?

Mitcham based schoolwear business, School Uniform Direct, supports campaign to make quality school uniform easier to afford

Mitcham based schoolwear business, School Uniform Direct, will be backing The Schoolwear Association’s national campaign to make school uniform more affordable for hardworking families.

The Association, whose members clothe three quarters of Britain’s schoolchildren, wants the Government to introduce a scheme similar to childcare vouchers to make school uniform tax deductible.

School Uniform Direct is urging parents to sign their e petition to bring the idea to the attention of the Prime Minister.

Alex Gani, business development director of Mitcham-based schoolwear supplier School Uniform Direct and Vice Chairman of the Schoolwear Association said: “Studies show that children do better at school and are happier when they have good quality school uniform.

"We know for many families, purchasing school uniform can sometimes be a worry, we think the Government should help by providing for a tax-exempt voucher scheme along the lines of childcare vouchers. It’s good for education, good for children and good for hardworking families.”

If approved, the scheme would allow workers at participating employers to receive a small part of their salary each month as vouchers, redeemable at participating schoolwear suppliers in Surrey and beyond.

A precedent for the idea is the Cycle to Work scheme where employees are provided with a new bike, paid for with a small amount of tax-free money from their salary each month.

According to behavioural psychologist Jo Hemmings, a smart looking, hard wearing and well fitting uniform has a significant impact on children’s happiness at school. She says badged uniform that is specially made for the school is better than off the shelf “greywear” because it means children all wear exactly the same and have a sense of belonging.

A poll for the Schoolwear Association showed the average child wears his or her uniform for ten hours a day (1,500 hours a year), meaning they spend more time in the year wearing their uniform than school clothes.

Children get through on average four pieces of uniform a year. The Schoolwear Association campaigns to educate parents and teachers about the value of good quality, smart-looking, long-lasting uniform, rather than opting for the cheapest garments on the shelf.

schoolwearassociation.co.uk