Dear All,
I urge everyone to please write to your local MP asking them to support MP Mike Amesbury who will introduce a bill in parliament to see a law introduced by spring to stop the single sale of uniforms. This will support the campaign to ensure school uniforms are accessible to all by being affordable. Whilst I appreciate some schools have flexible school uniform policies the truth is that most do not. There are far too many schools that have strict uniform policies which restrict parents from shopping elsewhere. There are far too many schools that have policies that say you can only wear uniforms with a logo on it, and therefore can only buy it from their supplier.
A law needs to be passed to ensure schools draw up a totally inclusive uniforms policy. Thank you to MP Mike Amesbury for raising this bill in parliament. Let us help him by asking our local MP’s to support his bill.
Below is a template letter you can send to your MP: Please insert your local MP’s name, your details, your reasons and experiences and sign and send this via e-mail.
Find out who your MP is and their contact details here: https://members.parliament.uk/members/Commons
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Date:
Subject: MP Mike Amesbury, bill in parliament to see a law introduced by spring to stop the single sale of uniforms.
Dear <<MP name>>,
My name is << insert name here>> and I’m writing to you today about the affordability of school uniforms and in particular about the bill which is going to be introduced by MP Mike Amesbury to see a law introduced by spring to stop the single sale of uniforms.
According to the Children's Society families spend on average £340 a year on secondary school uniform and £255 on primary. It also said previously revealed that in a survey of 1,000 parents, nearly one in six families blamed school uniform costs for having to cut back on food and other basic essentials.
Previous advice has stated that by the Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has said "It is for the governing body of a school (or the academy trust, in the case of academies) to decide whether there should be a school uniform policy, and if so, what it should be." This is not common practice in many schools. Mr Williamson said that the government announced a plan to put the school uniform guidance on a "statutory footing" and will do so when a suitable opportunity arises. The opportunity is now here which is why I am writing to you asking you as a local constituent to support this bill.
This issue is extremely important to me because <<reasons/your experiences>>.
I would like you to:
· Write back to me advising me on your position regarding this matter.
· Ask you to support MP Mike Amesbury who will introduce a bill in parliament to see a law introduced by spring to stop the single sale of uniforms
Please respond to my letter and outline the steps you intend to take to address my concerns. If applicable, please escalate my letter to the relevant parliamentarian or department and keep me informed of any progress.
I look forward to hearing your response in due course.
Yours sincerely,
<<name>>
<<Full address including postcode>>