A brand new law hits English school gates this term, and the government is promising it'll save parents a pretty penny. From now on, uniforms can only sport a school logo on three items - like a blazer, jumper, or sportswear - plus a tie for secondary schools. The Department for Education (DfE) estimates some families could save up to £50 per child. But school wear suppliers are rolling their eyes, arguing that parents might actually end up shelling out more in the long run as cheaper, generic items wear out faster.

We spoke to a Fareham mum, a second-hand uniform bank, and a Hampshire headteacher to see if the new rules really add up.

Kay Devonshire-Murphy, a mum of three from Fareham, is a savvy shopper who stockpiles uniforms from charity shops and second-hand sales all year round. Even with her bargain-hunting skills, she thinks three branded items is still three too many. "A PE top cost me £18 the other day and I had to buy three, that's massively expensive for a PE top," she lamented. "Only three items is fine, but they're still really expensive in the places they're being sold. This year I had to buy a new blazer for my son, that was £30, a new tie. Overall I spent £75 just for the branded stuff per child. That's a lot of money if you've got more than one child."

Councillor Gemma Furnivall set up a second-hand uniform bank in Fareham after watching her eight-year-old son outgrow his clothes at an alarming rate. "Sometimes it's hard for people to admit that they struggle with the cost of uniform," she said. "But I hear from a lot of parents who are moving to secondary school and really struggling with that long list of new uniform. The people who come to the bank, they go away with huge bags of stuff." She thinks the new law shows the government is "taking seriously that this is a pressure point for families," adding, "It's a big signal to schools to actually remember that that's a real problem, so that limit of branded items will make a difference."

At The Petersfield School in Hampshire, they've already got a policy of only four logoed items. Headteacher Mark Marande, however, believes some branding is still crucial. "We have thought very carefully about which items are to be branded - things like the blazer, the PE top with the house colours really helps them with their sense of belonging," he explained. "I think if you move away completely from branded, that would be damaging to the sense of belonging and pride the students have when coming to school." He also noted that on non-school uniform days, attendance can dip as students stress over having the right trainers or top, and uniform "completely eliminates all of that."

The Schoolwear Association, unsurprisingly, isn't thrilled. They argue the plans could lead to parents buying lower-quality generic garments that don't last as long, ultimately costing more. A spokesperson also claimed it could create division in schools, since branded uniforms help reduce inequality and improve behaviour.

According to the DfE, the average total cost for one child's school uniform in 2023/24 was just under £250, with PE kit alone setting parents back about £140. The government says it's supporting schools to take further steps to bring down individual item costs. So, will the new rules save parents money? The jury's still out, but at least the debate is now officially a school subject.