The latest national conversation about school uniform is about more than cost, branding or appearance. It is also about whether children can move easily, play freely and take part in the whole school day.

Recent recommendations from the Culture, Media and Sport Committee have called for school PE kit and uniform policies to prioritise comfort, inclusivity and dignity. The committee has also highlighted the importance of practical, activity-friendly uniforms, including sportswear or trainers as standard.

For OPAL, this matters because clothing has an impact on how children play. If we want children  to run, climb, roll, balance, dig, build, explore and play outside in all weathers, they need clothing that makes this possible.

That is why OPAL is a founding partner of the Active Uniform Alliance and the Made to Move campaign, which calls for every primary school to adopt an always active uniform.

A policy moment schools should not miss

School uniform has often been discussed through the lens of affordability. That remains important. From September 2026, schools in England will be required to limit the number of branded uniform items, helping reduce the financial burden on families.

But the current policy debate goes further. It also recognises that uniform can affect children’s daily movement, as well as their participation, confidence and inclusion.

The Department for Education’s school uniform guidance already asks schools to consider how comfortable a uniform will be. It also notes that some schools have adopted active uniforms that allow children to move freely and promote physical activity throughout the day. Schools are also encouraged to think about weather, walking and cycling when setting their uniform expectations.

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee’s recent report strengthens this direction of travel. It recommends that schools adopt PE kit and uniform policies that prioritise comfort, inclusivity and dignity, particularly for girls and children with protected characteristics. It also recommends promoting practical, activity-friendly uniforms, such as sportswear or trainers as standard.

This is a significant opportunity for primary schools. Uniform is not just a dress code. It shapes what children feel able to do.

Why uniform is a play issue

Children do not experience the school day in neat compartments. They move between classrooms, corridors, lunch halls, playgrounds, fields, sandpits, trees, loose parts, water, mud and imaginative worlds of their own making.

A uniform that looks smart in a photograph may not work for a child who wants to hang upside down, run across grass, push a tyre, carry planks, dig in soil or sit on the ground with friends.

If clothing restricts movement, makes children worry about getting dirty, creates anxiety about appearance or includes unsuitable footwear, it becomes a barrier to play.

High-quality play is active, social, creative and often messy. It asks children to use their whole bodies and their whole imaginations. It supports physical development, emotional regulation, friendships, language, confidence, problem-solving and wellbeing.

That is why OPAL encourages schools to think carefully about whether their clothing expectations match the kind of childhood they say they value.

Children are made to move

The Active Uniform Alliance’s Made to Move campaign is based on a simple idea: children should be dressed for the lives they actually lead.

An always active uniform is not about lowering standards. It is about choosing standards that fit childhood. It prioritises comfort, flexibility, affordability and practicality. It allows children to move, play and learn throughout the day without needing a separate change of clothes for every active moment.

This might include:

• Non-white tops that parents and children do not worry about getting stained
• Joggers, leggings or shorts that support running, climbing and sitting on the ground
• Sturdy trainers with grip and support
• Sweatshirts or fleeces that allow free movement
• Waterproof coats, hats, gloves and wellies for outdoor play in all seasons

The principle is simple. If a child cannot comfortably run, jump, climb, roll, balance, crawl or play in it, schools should ask whether it belongs in a primary school uniform policy.

A more inclusive approach to the school day

Uniform policy can affect children differently.

Girls may feel less confident climbing, running or going upside down in skirts, dresses or unsuitable shoes. Children with sensory needs may find stiff collars, tight waistbands or formal fabrics uncomfortable. Families under financial pressure may struggle with multiple branded items, separate PE kits, school shoes and trainers.

An active uniform can reduce these barriers. It can make the school day simpler, fairer and more inclusive.

It can also support children who are less confident about sport. Not every child sees themselves as sporty, but every child needs movement. Play offers a different route into physical activity because it is chosen, joyful, social and varied. When children are already dressed to move, spontaneous play becomes easier.

This is especially important at primary age, when daily habits, confidence and attitudes towards movement are still being formed.

What schools can do now

Schools do not need to wait for a complete policy overhaul to start asking better questions.

A useful first step is to look at the current uniform policy through a play lens:

Can every child run comfortably in this uniform?
Can every child climb, crawl, roll, balance and sit on the ground?
Does the footwear support active play in all seasons?
Will children or parents worry too much about dirt, paint, grass or mud?
Are expectations fair for girls, boys and children with additional needs?
Does the policy reduce costs for families wherever possible?
Does it support outdoor play, active travel and movement across the school day?

Schools can also involve children and families in the conversation. The Department for Education guidance encourages schools to engage with parents and children when developing uniform policy. That matters because the people most affected by the policy often understand its practical impact best.

Small changes can make a big difference. Allowing trainers every day, choosing darker colours, reducing branded items, removing ties, permitting leggings or joggers, and normalising outdoor clothing can all help children move more freely.

Changing clothing can help change culture

The Made to Move campaign is not only about uniform. It is about culture.

When a school chooses an always active uniform, it sends a clear message. It says movement matters. Play matters. Comfort matters. Children’s bodies are not an inconvenience to be managed, but a central part of how they learn, grow and thrive.

This aligns closely with OPAL’s vision that every child in every school should have an amazing hour of high-quality play every day, with no exceptions.

A school can invest in loose parts, playground development and staff training, but if children are worried about their shoes, skirts, shirts or coats, their play will still be limited. Clothing is part of the play offer.

The latest guidance and national policy discussion should give school leaders confidence to act. Uniform policies can be practical, affordable, inclusive and still feel connected to the identity of the school. Smartness and belonging do not need to come at the expense of movement, comfort and play.

Why you can trust OPAL

OPAL works with schools to improve the quality of playtimes through the OPAL Primary Programme. OPAL has seen how changes to culture, environment, adult roles and policy can transform children’s daily experience of school.

OPAL is also a founding partner of the Active Uniform Alliance, supporting the Made to Move campaign because clothing is one of the practical conditions that helps children engage in  freely chosen play.

This is not about fashion. It is about whether children can fully exercise their right to play  while they are at school.

Final reflection

The current shift in uniform guidance is a chance for schools to look again at what children need from their clothing.

A good primary school uniform should be affordable, inclusive and practical. It should help children move, play and learn. It should support the reality of childhood, not restrict it.

Children need space, time, permission and possibility. They also need clothes that let them get on with being children.