Here’s whether your child’s school can enforce uniform rules in a heatwave as the baking weather continues

The current hot spell continues across the UK, with temperatures having topped the 30C mark for a week, following a decidedly mixed summer.

While temperatures are set to fall during the coming days, it’s still very warm indeed for September, the balmy conditions coinciding with the start of the new school year.

And that means kids across the country are having to brave the heat in their school uniforms – with blazers, ties and other items of clothing which may not be the most conducive to the hot conditions.

But can your child’s school enforce uniform rules when it’s this baking? Here’s what you need to know…

What are the rules around school uniform in the UK?

A school is entitled to have rules requiring its students to wear a uniform, which in general are decided by its governing board.

According to the Government’s website, it is for the governors to decide the rollowing:

• rules around appearance
• whether there should be a school uniform policy and if so, what that should be
• how the uniform should be sourced

These duties are placed upon all governing boards by law in a bid to promote discipline and good behaviour among students.

Although a uniform is not mandatory it is strongly encouraged, with the website saying it can play a key role in promoting the ethos of a school, providing a sense of belonging and identity and setting the tone for education within the school.

The governors should engage with parents and studens when it comes to designing the uniform policy or making any significant changes to it – and they should also take such factors as cost, practicality, and how the uniform might affect groups represented within the school.

Many schools will have an agreement where parents and students must comply with its uniform policy, although if someone has a reasonable request to alter something – for medical reasons for example – they are required to consider it.

Schools also reserve the right to discipline students for not following uniform policy – they can take measures such as sending the student home to correct any breaches, although factors such as the age of the child and whether their parents are available will be taken into account in this instance.

Can schools enforce uniform policy during a heatwave?

The Government guidance says that schools should ‘take a sensible approach to allow for exceptions to be made during extreme weather’ – for example allowing pupils to wear shorts during hot spells or allowing trousers to be worn instead of skirts when it’s freezing.

However, any alteration to the uniform in very hot weather – such as being allowed to remove blazers, ties or sweaters – is down to individual schools to decide, depending on their uniform policy.

So technically yes, they can enforce full uniform in baking temperatures – but this will vary from one place to the next.

Some schools may have a separate summer uniform they implement in warmer weather, while others across the country have allowed students to wear their PE kit to school until the temperatures cool down.

If you’re unsure what your child’s policy is regarding the wearing of uniform in the current weather conditions, you should check on their website or contact the school directly for advice.

MORE : Dermot O’Leary forced to change outfit on This Morning over scorching UK heatwave

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