From the start of the new school term in September 2026, UK schools will be required to implement a series of significant policy changes covering uniforms, mobile phones, allergy safety, relationships and sex education, and Ofsted inspections. These changes aim to reduce costs for families, improve student focus and safety, and modernise the curriculum.
New Cap on Branded Uniform Items
Under new government guidance, schools will be legally required to limit compulsory branded uniform items to no more than three. This includes jumpers, blazers, trousers, skirts, and PE kit. Ties are excluded from the cap for secondary school students. Schools must review and update their uniform policies before the start of the autumn term and publish them on their websites, clearly marking compulsory and optional items. The guidance applies to academy schools, maintained schools, and non-maintained special schools.
Expansion of Free Breakfast Clubs
From September, an additional 1,400 schools will offer free breakfast clubs, bringing the total to over 2,700 clubs across the country. This means more than 680,000 children will have access to free breakfasts when they return to school. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: "No parent should have to choose between a summer day out to the beach and kitting their child out for school. From September, families will feel the difference at the school gates: free breakfast clubs at 1,400 more schools, an end to expensive lists of branded uniform, and more free lunches for those who need them."
Mobile Phone Ban Throughout the School Day
Under new legislation, schools must ensure pupils do not have access to mobile phones or similar smart devices during the entire school day, including breaks and between lessons. The guidance became statutory last month, and schools should enforce the ban from September 1. Pupils may be prohibited from bringing phones to school or required to hand them in at the start of the day. Phillipson added: "We have been clear that mobile phones have no place in our schools but now we’re going further through tougher guidance and stronger enforcement. Mobile phones have no place in schools. No ifs, no buts."
Mandatory Allergy Safety Measures
From September, all schools in England must stock adrenaline auto-injectors under new guidance known as 'Benedict's Law', named after Benedict Blythe, who died from an allergic reaction to cow's milk at his primary school in December 2021. Schools must also maintain clear allergy policies and healthcare plans, and teachers will receive mandatory allergy training. Education minister Olivia Bailey said: "Every child deserves to feel safe and included, but too many families have had to fight for basic protections that should simply be there." Helen Blythe, Benedict's mother and co-founder of the Benedict Blythe Foundation, called it "a historic turning point for children with allergies and their families".
Updates to Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE)
Schools will be legally required to update their RSHE curriculum from September to reflect modern challenges. For primary pupils, changes include a stronger focus on online safety, accurate terminology for body parts, and personal safety around water, roads, and railways. For secondary students, new content will cover AI literacy, knife crime, conflict resolution, tackling misogyny and incel culture, the impact of pornography, and menstrual and gynaecological health.
Changes to Ofsted Inspections
Ofsted will update its inspection framework from September, introducing a new statistical model developed with the Department for Education that groups similar schools together. This will help inspectors compare student performance more accurately across schools with similar contexts.
