New research from The Schoolwear Association, in partnership with Teacher Tapp, reveals that without school uniform, over half (59%) of all secondary school teachers believe bullying would increase and 66% believe children would demand designer clothing from parents.
This comes as the survey of around 9,000 head teachers and teachers demonstrates the importance of school uniform in creating a level playing field and reducing overall costs for families, with uniform removing the pressure of providing the latest, and most expensive designer clothing for kids who feel obliged to keep up with trends amongst friends.
The overwhelming majority of teachers surveyed (83%) said they believed that school uniform was vital to creating a level playing field, while over half (53%) said they believed it reduced the chances of bullying – particularly in secondary schools where 59% of teachers said they felt this was a primary benefit.
Many teachers (71%) believed that were school uniform to be removed, children would worry about what to wear each day. This was a particular concern among secondary school teachers where 77% believed this to be the case – and 66% believed children would demand branded designer clothing from parents instead of school uniform. In addition, 57% of secondary school teachers believed that behaviour would worsen if school uniform were removed.
Cost and durability proved to be two of the biggest factors teachers thought should be considered when deciding on a school uniform policy, with 83% of teachers citing cost and 64% citing durability. While cost was the most important factor among all demographics, it was mentioned by more teachers who serve disadvantaged communities.
The survey also showed that the recently introduced school uniform guidance* was already proving to have an impact, with 61% of Head Teachers saying they had already reviewed their uniform policy and made a variety of changes including reducing the number of branded items (39%) to help families struggling with school uniform costs. Other measures taken, according to Head Teachers, included making some branded items optional (23%), and introducing a swap shop or some level of second-hand uniform provision (42%). This was echoed by teachers, who said that for families struggling to meet the costs of school uniform, both swap shops and direct provision of free uniform items were the primary measures used to support families (63% and 39% respectively.)
Matthew Easter, Chair of the Schoolwear Association, said: “School uniforms foster a sense of community, equality, discipline, and professionalism, and contribute to a positive learning environment for pupils and students. It’s therefore vital that these concerns are listened to, and decision makers recognise the important role that uniforms play in creating a level playing field and reducing costs for families – provided that branded items are maintained at a reasonable and proportionate level.”