Parents Victoria respectfully acknowledges the traditional owners, the Boon Wurrung and Woiwurrung (Wurundjeri) peoples of the Kulin Nation, on whose country we work. We pay our respect to their elders past, present and future.
Their ancestral ties to country have never been extinguished, and sovereignty never ceded.
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Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan and Education Minister, Ben Carroll jointly announced – along with Parents Victoria CEO Gail McHardy – new policy changes that will make school uniforms more affordable.
As from next year students at Victorian public schools will be allowed to wear non logoed below the waist uniform items e.g. shorts, pants, skirts, socks. Parents Victoria has been advocating on behalf of parents for some time about the high cost of school uniforms. We have suggested greater flexibility and a more ‘generic’ approach to uniforms, so that parents are not forced to buy a full set of expensive ‘branded’ items, often with no choice of supplier.
Full details are available in the Premier’s media release.
Media comment
The announcement was reported in the Age on 2 April, including comment from Parents Victoria CEO Gail McHardy: Parents Victoria has lobbied to reduce school uniform costs and ease the burden on families for some time. Chief executive Gail McHardy, who is also on the board of State Schools’ Relief, said school uniform policy must not impact on a student’s right to access a public education.
“We hear too many stories where students and the school workforce are impacted on enforcing unreasonable uniform policy expectations, like the wearing of logoed compulsory uniform items such as socks, shorts, pants and sportswear,” McHardy said.
She said providing school councils with clearer policy parameters would help them in choosing affordable and practical uniforms.
“These can have a direct impact on student learning and wellbeing and on the family budget. We welcome the changes and new guidance for schools.”
New policy
The new policy has been published in the Education Department’s
Policy and Advisory Library. This policy has been updated to reflect this announcement. Schools will be provided with a suite of resources in early Term 2 to support implementation of these changes which come into effect from 2026.
Photo: Parents Victoria CEO Gail McHardy, Education Minister Ben Carroll and students from Abbotsford Primary School, where the school uniform announcement was made on 2 April.
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