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Written question asked by Charlotte Nichols (Labour) on Wednesday, 24 June 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 29 June 2026. It was answered by Paul Waugh (Labour) on Tuesday, 4 August 2026 on behalf of the Department for Education.

Schools: Uniforms

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of school uniform requirements on pupil wellbeing during periods of extreme heat; and if she will update guidance to schools on relaxing uniform policies during heatwaves to ensure pupils are safe and comfortable.

Answer

The department published updated non-statutory guidance on school uniform last autumn, which encourages schools to ensure their policies are reasonable, inclusive and practical. This includes taking account of the needs and comfort of pupils, for example by allowing flexibility in uniform requirements during periods of very hot weather, particularly on occasions where the UK Health Security Agency has issued weather-health alerts. This could include allowing pupils to wear shorts or PE kit, or relaxing rules on blazers in very hot weather.

The guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform/school-uniforms.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
12806
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Schools Temperature Uniforms
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk