The school holidays are now under way and national charity Citizens Advice issued a  warning  this week that there is an even bigger worry for parents this summer than how to keep their kids occupied for six weeks:  the escalating costs of sending them back to school in September.Despite the current supermarket price wars on uniform, with total uniform packages available for just £4.75, CAB evidence shows many parents are still struggling because their childrens’ schools insist on expensive uniform only available from exclusive stockists, rather than letting parents purchase these competitively priced generic items from the high street. On top of this parents can face numerous additional costs such as specialist equipment, school trips and ‘contributions’.A survey at the start of 2009 by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) echoed CAB evidence and showed that 65% of families on the lowest incomes said they were struggling to meet school costs David Harker, Chief Executive at Citizens Advice said:“With this being the first back to school season since the start of the recession, now, more than ever, parents need assurance that school costs won’t be a huge financial burden. Four years after an initial government study into school costs, very little progress has been made.“There is now Government guidance called the Schools Admissions Code which states that costs should be kept to a minimum but it’s meaningless unless schools follow it. The Government must also ensure it is better enforced.”In the past parents who were struggling could apply to their local council for a school uniform grant – the 1996 Education Act requires Councils to consider helping families who need help meeting the costs of school uniforms to ensure that their children are not disadvantaged. Yet, Citizens Advice research from 2007 revealed that 57% of local authorities do not offer school uniform grants. In December 2008, Rossendale CAB, with the help of solicitors from the Public Law Project, supported local Mum of two, Julie Walker, to challenge Lancashire Council’s withdrawal of the discretionary school uniform grant. They were successful and the grant was re-introduced.David Harker continued:”This successful challenge to Lancashire County Council on their refusal to offer school uniform grants could result in parents across the country challenging their local authorities to do the same.”As part of its ongoing Adding Up campaign on school costs, which aims to encourage schools to adopt the best practice initiatives on uniforms, specialist equipment and school trips as outlined in government guidance, the Citizens Advice has produced some new ‘Top Tips’ for parents who feel they are struggling to afford the costs involved in equipping their children for school and that their children’s education is being compromised as a result:
Parents are asked that If they feel their child’s school isn’t doing enough to keep costs down, to raise the issue with the school management team, draw their attention to the Schools Admissions Code, and keep copies of all correspondence.If unhappy with the response, parents are advised to approach the school’s governing body. They should have a complaints procedure in place which will deal with issues such as complaints about uniform policies. The issue can also be raised with the Schools Admissions Forum in the area. The local authority should be able to provide the necessary contact details.If the school has an exclusive contract with a uniform supplier which prevents parents from buying ‘off the peg’ items at a cheaper rate, parents can ask for this to be reviewed.If the school refuses to change this policy then they may be subject to enforcement action by the Office of Fair Trading. If parents are concerned that excessive school costs are affecting their decision to send your child to a particular school then they can raise an objection with the Schools Adjudicator: Suggestions that parents can make to your child’s school for how to keep costs fair and low could include:

• Making sure uniform is available from a range of outlets
• Providing sew-on or iron-on badges that can be put on plain clothing
• Encourage second hand uniform sales or swap schemes
• Providing budgets for the year in September so parents can plan ahead
• Being transparent about which contributions are voluntary

Parents who are really struggling with buying school uniform or PE kit for their children can also apply to your local authority for a School Uniform Grant.

The Local Citizens Advice Bureau can also help any parents who are experiencing difficulty.

R Lacey

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