Logos on school uniforms in Wales could be scrapped in bid to help lower costs

• The Education Minister said he has limited the time of the consultation due to “significant” pressures on schools and families.

Logos on school uniforms could be scrapped as part of Welsh Government plans to help lower costs for families.

Education Minister Jeremy Miles said he has launched a consultation in an attempt to make school uniforms more affordable for thousands of families.

Parents, carers, pupils, governors, teachers and uniform suppliers will be asked to consider various options, like whether schools should have no logo at all or use iron on logos available free of charge.

This would allow families the option of buying a uniform from a retailer of their choice, at a cheaper price.

The average cost of uniform for parents is £337 per secondary school child and £315 for a primary school aged pupil, according to The Children’s Society.

Students in Wales can apply for the Pupil Development Grant, which helps with the cost of uniforms and school items. Nearly 100,000 children are eligible for this grant.

During a briefing on Tuesday morning, Jeremy Miles said the consultation process will be shortened due to "significant" pressures being felt on families.

"It seemed to me that the pressure on school is significant and on families are significant.

"So, the consultation will be briefer than perhaps it sometimes is. But there’s a real opportunity for people to contribute now and then we will be issuing new guidance in light of what we’re told."

The Minister added, "I know that a lot of schools work hard to keep the cost of their uniforms to a minimum. However, there are still too many instances where families are being expected to spend eye-watering amounts just to send their children to school.

“We are launching this consultation so that we can take further action in order to support families.”

The consultation will run until the end of November.