September is an expensive month for many families.
New shoes, uniform and the return of the everyday school routine can all arrive at once.
Two changes introduced in England this term are designed to reduce some of those costs.
New limits on branded school uniform
From 1 September 2026, schools are legally required to limit the number of compulsory branded uniform and PE-kit items.
For primary schools, the maximum is three compulsory branded items.
Middle and secondary schools can require up to four where one of those items is a tie.
A branded item does not only mean something with a school logo. The rules can also apply where an item has distinctive characteristics that mean it can only realistically be bought from a particular supplier.
Schools can still specify colours and styles for generic items, but they should not require parents to buy more branded pieces than the legal limit.
Schools are also expected to make second-hand uniform accessible and publish information explaining how parents can obtain it.
So if your child’s uniform list still seems unusually restrictive, it is worth checking the school’s latest published policy.
More schools now offer free breakfast clubs
The second change affects the start of the school day.
Around 1,400 additional schools joined the government’s free breakfast club programme from September, taking the total to more than 2,700 schools and reaching over 680,000 children.
The clubs are part of a national rollout for state-funded schools with primary-aged pupils in England. The Department for Education updated its programme guidance again on 15 September 2026.
However, this does not yet mean every primary school has one.
The government publishes a list of participating schools, with further schools expected to be added as the programme continues.
What can parents do?
The practical step is simply to check.
Look at your school’s current uniform policy before buying replacements and ask the school whether it is participating in the free breakfast club programme.
Neither change removes all the costs of the school year, but both are worth knowing about before paying for something you may no longer need to buy.
