Uniform Policy

Co-op Academy Failsworth

• Date approved by Trust Board - 15 July 2026
• Applicable from - 1 September 2026
• Next review date - September 2027
• Policy owner - Head of Marketing and PR

Contents

1. Aims        2

2. Our school’s legal duties under the Equality Act 2010        2

3. Limiting the cost of school uniform        3

4. Expectations for school uniform        4

5. Expectations for our school community        5

6. Monitoring arrangements        7

7. Links to other policies        7

1. Aims

Co-op Academies Trust is committed to ensuring that school uniforms are affordable, simple and consistent for families across our academies. This approach enables the Trust to:

• Reduce costs for families through collective purchasing.
• Ensure consistency and quality across all academies.
• Simplify the purchasing process for parents and carers.
• Improve sustainability and efficiency across the Trust.

This policy aims to:

• Set out our approach to requiring a uniform that is of reasonable cost and offers the best value for money for all parents and carers
• Explain how we will avoid discrimination in line with our legal duties under the Equality Act 2010
• Clarify our expectations for school uniform

2. Our school’s legal duties under the Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 prohibits discrimination against an individual based on the protected characteristics, which include: age, sex, sexual orientation, disability, race, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity, and gender reassignment.

To avoid discrimination, our school will:

• Avoid listing uniform items based on sex, to give all pupils the opportunity to wear the uniform they feel most comfortable in
• Make sure that our uniform costs the same for all pupils
• Allow all pupils to have long hair, although we reserve the right to ask that long hair be tied back
• Allow all pupils to style their hair in a way that is appropriate for school, and makes them feel most comfortable
• Allow pupils to request changes to swimwear for religious reasons, or if they are experiencing discomfort
• Allow pupils to wear headscarves
• Allow pupils with sensory or physical needs to make reasonable adaptations to their uniform, depending on their specific needs
• Allow for reasonable adaptations to our policy on the grounds of equality by asking pupils or their parents/carers to get in touch with the Headteacher who can answer questions about the policy and respond to any requests. These will be considered on a case-by-case basis

3. Limiting the cost of school uniform

Our school has a duty to make sure that the uniform we require is affordable, in line with statutory guidance from the Department for Education (DfE) on the cost of school uniforms.

We understand that items with distinctive characteristics (such as branded items, or items that need to have a school logo attached or be in a unique fabric or style) cannot be purchased from a wide range of retailers, and that requiring many such items limits parents/carers’ ability to shop around for the best price.  

We will therefore make sure our uniform:

• Is available at a reasonable cost
• Provides the best value for money for parents and carers
• Simplifies purchasing options for parents and carers

We will do this by:

• Following the statutory limits for compulsory branded items of uniform and PE kit to a maximum of 4 or fewer, if one item is a tie.
• Carefully considering whether any items with distinctive characteristics are necessary, and limiting these items where possible.
• Limiting compulsory branded items to low-cost and/or long-lasting items.
• Avoiding specific requirements for items such as coats, bags and shoes/trainers that pupils could also wear on non-school days. See more information in section 4.1
• Avoiding different uniform requirements for different year/class/house groups (excluding ties, however each year group must keep the same year group tie colour throughout secondary school where this differentiation is being used)
• Avoiding different uniform requirements for extra-curricular activities including (but not limited to) sport, music and drama
• Considering alternative approaches, including loaning compulsory branded items such as sports kit for competitions
• Making sure that opportunities to acquire second-hand items in a timely manner are accessible to parents and carers of both current and prospective pupils
• Avoiding frequent changes to uniform specifications, and minimising the financial impact on parents/carers of any changes
• Where appropriate, consulting with parents/carers and pupils on any proposed significant changes to the uniform policy, and carefully considering any complaints about uniform in line with the school’s complaints policy
• Avoiding single-supplier for non-branded items, to make sure generic items can be purchased from a range of retailers
• Continuing to review this policy, to ensure the cost of our uniform is reasonable and provides the best value for money

4. Expectations for school uniform

4.1 Our school’s uniform

• For all Pupils

• Co-op Academy School Blazer
• Co-op Academy School Jumper
• Co-op Academy Failsworth Year Tie
• Plain White Shirt
• Plain Black tailored trousers – (no jeans, canvas, flares or linens)
• Plain ankle socks

• SHOES

• Plain black flat leather/leather like business type footwear – (not suede, nubuck, large logos, patterns or coloured markings).  
• No boots above the ankle, trainers or canvas pumps – pictures of suitable shoes are on the website.

• COATS

• Coats must be big enough to be worn over the blazer and need to be longer than the blazer. Coats cannot be worn in school except in periods of extreme cold when students will be informed of the change.
• Any other outer wear (sweatshirts/hooded tops, cardigans, jumpers) that is not part of school uniform should not be worn in school and will be confiscated and returned at the end of the day.
• No caps/hooded sweatshirts/hoodies at all anywhere in school, they will be confiscated

• The Academy PE kit

• Black Failsworth Polo Shirt
• Black Shorts
• Black Socks / Football style socks
• Trainers (please note no Converse, Toms, Vans, Keds or any other pumps or fashion trainer)

• Gum Shield (optional)
• Shin Pads (optional)

• Additional Kit Items (Optional)

• Plain black Tracksuit bottoms – available at Zutti
• Black tracksuit jacket – available at Zutti

Please be aware that if a child arrives at PE without the correct PE kit they will be provided with a school PE kit to wear or placed in Reflections if this occurs more than once.

Make-Up

Make-up, false nails or painted nails are not allowed in the Academy. Pupils found to be wearing makeup will be made to remove it immediately.

Pupils who repeatedly wear make- up will face sanctions for repeatedly refusing to follow the Academy Uniform expectations.

Nail Varnish (including acrylic and other nail decoration/accessories).

Pupils will have to immediately remove any nail varnish.

Pupils who have nails that require specialist removal, will be in internal isolation until they have been removed.

Hair

Hair should be tidy.  Pupils must not have patterns or logos shaved into their hair and it should not be of a colour which could be described as unnatural.  No. 1 or 0 haircuts are strictly banned.  Any pupils with an extreme haircut/colour may be referred to internal isolation until rectified.

In some practical lessons, long hair may have to be tied back for reasons of safety or hygiene. It is an expectation that hair will be tied back for PE lessons.

Jewellery

Pupils may wear a watch and a single pair of stud earrings but no other items of jewellery. Ear piercing should be done at the beginning of the summer holidays. Plasters over new studs are not acceptable. No studs or any body piercing are allowed in school for Health and Safety reasons.

In the case of jewellery and other accessories which infringe this policy, a member of staff will ask the pupils to remove the item. It will be taken to the Pastoral Office and may be collected at the end of the school day or at a convenient time.

Sunglasses are not permitted to be worn in the Academy.

5. Expectations for our school community

5.1 Pupils

Pupils are expected to wear the correct uniform at all times (other than specified non-school uniform days) while:

• On the school premises
• Travelling to and from school
• At out-of-school events or on trips that are organised by the school, or where they are representing the school (if required)

Pupils are also expected to contact the Headteacher if they want to request an amendment to the uniform policy in relation to their protected characteristics.

5.2 Parents and carers

Parents and carers are expected to make sure their child has the correct uniform and PE kit, and that every item is:

• Clean
• Clearly labelled with the child’s name
• In good condition  

Parents/carers are also expected to contact the Headteacher if they want to request an amendment to the uniform policy in relation to:

• Their child’s protected characteristics
• The cost of the uniform

Parents/carers are expected to lodge any complaints or objections relating to the school uniform in a timely and reasonable manner in accordance with the school’s complaints policy.

Disputes about the cost of the school uniform will be:

• Resolved locally
• Dealt with in accordance with our school’s complaints policy

The school will work closely with parents/carers to arrive at a mutually acceptable outcome.

Uniform Exchange

Good quality school uniform is going to waste when it could be shared – so we’ve set up a uniform exchange.

We want people to recycle preloved school uniform, rather than put them in the bin. Donating unused and unneeded clothing plays an important part in sustaining our planet’s natural resources, looking after the environment is important to us.

A uniform exchange makes it easy for families to pass on school uniform that’s no longer needed and, instead of buying new, find items of school uniform for free.

Year 11 pupils are encouraged to donate items of uniform when they leave, so we have a supply of items of uniform we can give to pupils if required. In exceptional circumstances, parents/carers may be supported by our Hardship Fund to purchase items of School Uniform.

The uniform exchange will be open at publicised times throughout the year.

5.3 Staff

Staff will closely monitor pupils to make sure they are in correct uniform. They will give any pupils and families breaching the uniform policy the opportunity to comply, but will follow up with the headteacher if the situation doesn’t improve.

Ongoing breaches of our uniform policy will be dealt with in line with the school positive behaviour policy  

In cases where it is suspected that financial hardship has resulted in a pupil not complying with this uniform policy, staff will take a mindful and considerate approach to resolving the situation and the pupil will not miss classroom teaching because of a sanction. This is in line with the statutory guidance.

5.4 Trust Senior Leadership Team

The Trust Senior Leadership Team will review this policy and make sure that it:

• Is appropriate for our Trust’s context
• Is implemented fairly across the Trust
• Takes into account the views of parents/carers, and pupils
• Offers a uniform that is appropriate, practical and safe for all pupils

5.5 Trust Board

The Trust Board is responsible for approving this policy. The Trust Board will also make sure that the school’s uniform supplier arrangements give the highest priority to cost and value for money, for example by avoiding single-supplier contracts and by re-tendering contracts at least every 5 years.

6. Monitoring arrangements

This policy will be reviewed at least once every three years by the Trust’s Senior Leadership Team, and then approved by the Trust Board. At every review, it will be approved by the Trust Board.

7. Links to other policies

This policy is linked to our:

• Behaviour policy
• Equality information and objectives statement
• Anti-bullying policy
• Complaints policy
• Charges and Remissions policy