In Conversation with...

In conversation with...

Howard Wilder - Wholesale Sales Director Dean Plant - Group Marketing Director

As the Education (Guidance about Costs of School Uniforms) Act came into force in November, we asked two directors at Banner for their views on how the changes will play out, and whether schoolwear retailers should be concerned.

There’s been a lot of coverage of the Education Bill, much of it suggesting that school uniform is too expensive. How should retailers and schools respond?

Howard — It’s inevitable that the press will look for shock stories, and suggestions that school uniforms cost over £300 per child are not helpful. But looked at differently, it’s so far from the reality that it actually helps to show what good value school uniform is. Schools and retailers need to look carefully at the guidance and not knee jerk to newspaper headlines.

Dean — I agree, but I think it’s important that we help schools and retailers to get over the message that we are all conscious of cost and value. It’s more important than ever that we promote the benefits of uniform for parents, schools and students.

So what are the most important actions we need to take as an industry?

Dean— Communication is key. We need to help schools present their uniform policies in a positive light, explaining why some items are compulsory and other can be more generic. Carefully considered uniform packages are hugely beneficial to schools, parents and students—that’s the message we all need to get across.

Howard — If we step back a little, one of the overriding purposes of the bill is to give parents a voice in the decisions their schools make. Most parents support the idea of uniforms, so considering their views and keeping costs reasonable is helpful to keeping them on board.

So is there a need for schools to involve parents more in the decisions they make?

Howard — Many schools already involve parents and governors, but if the new guidelines lead to more consultation, I think it can only be a good thing. Our industry has a great proposition; our products are made for the job and are backed by retailers who give excellent service. When schools and parents reflect on this it leads to better decisions.

Dean — I think it’s important to be sensitive to sentiment and perceptions. If parents feel that a uniform policy is too expensive or too restrictive then it’s right that schools involve them in the discussion. As Howard says, I’m confident we have a great offer and enough options to cater for every school’s needs.

The guidance says that schools must encourage the availability of second hand uniform. Is this something retailers and suppliers should assist with?

Dean — Absolutely. It’s vital that schoolwear retailers are part of their communities and I’d encourage them all to get involved in recycling and ‘circular’ selling of quality pre used items. There are many great community schemes they can link to, or perhaps they can start their own, helping to strengthen their relationships with parents and schools

Howard — And we as suppliers must play our part too. It’s not just about cost and availability, it links to our sustainability goals too. At Banner we will be trialling several initiatives to understand how we can best help schools and retailers meet these requirements.

Summing up recent events, is the new guidance something we should welcome rather than feared?

Howard — I’m in the positive camp. The guidance requires us all to think again, but over time I believe that the quality and commitment of our industry will come through. The clear benefits of well-considered uniform polices are not going away—and from value to service and sustainability we have good story to tell.

Dean — I agree we should see the guidance as opportunity rather than threat. Only last week I was looking at some of our new sportswear lines: we have some truly innovative products that the discounters can’t match and students will want to wear. If we and our retailers stay true to offering ‘service, support and sustainability’ then we won’t go far wrong.