Welsh schools expected to cut school uniform costs under new guidelines

Schools in Wales will be expected to make school uniforms more affordable under new guidance published by the Welsh Government.

The statutory guidance, which comes into force in September, advises schools to consider ways to keep the cost of uniforms down. Previous guidance was non-statutory, meaning schools were not legally required to follow it.

The new guidance recommends that uniforms should be available from more than one outlet. Schools will be expected to consider whether school logos are necessary in order to facilitate this. In future, school logos could be offered free of charge in order to be sewed onto items of clothing.

• Parents asked to give their views on the cost of school uniforms

School uniforms will also be expected to be gender-neutral under the new guidelines. It states that items of clothing should not be gender specific, for example trousers would not be described as a ''boy's item.''