Student Dress Code

Implementing and enforcing student dress codes

Communicating the dress code

The student dress code, including any changes in dress requirements must be:

• communicated widely throughout the school community
• provided to all prospective students and parents and carers prior to enrolment at the school
• translated into community languages, if required
• communicated via a translator, if required, for example at an information night.

Important: Schools must ensure that students and parents and carers are aware that they can apply to the principal for an exemption to the dress code.

Support for families

Schools must investigate options for supporting families who may have difficulty meeting the cost of uniform items. Schools must include information about support options or strategies for supporting parents in these circumstances on their website, parent payments policy or in their dress code and ensure this information is communicated to the school community.

State Schools’ Relief also provide assistance with school clothing and footwear via school principals. Principals assess requests for assistance and can send an application to State Schools’ Relief when they believe there is a need to support a student whose family is facing difficulty in providing the appropriate uniform items for schools. State Schools Relief provides articles of clothing for students either directly to the family or through an authorisation to the school clothing shop or local supplier.

Enforcement

Schools may choose to include appropriate measures to enforce their dress code in their student engagement policy. The department’s Student Engagement policy and guidance supports schools to create a positive school culture, clearly articulating school-wide expectations and consistent processes to address areas of concern. Best practice includes responses that are proportionate and predicable and not arbitrary. Enforcement measures must not include checks that might unduly embarrass or humiliate students.

Schools are advised to treat non-compliance with student dress codes like any other inappropriate behaviour using the school’s standard policies and processes to determine how inappropriate behaviours will be addressed and how students will be supported to demonstrate appropriate behaviour in the future. Overly punitive responses, or responses that negatively impact a student’s wellbeing, may limit attendance and contribute to poor outcomes for students already at risk. For example, students should not normally be excluded from class or sent home for infringements of the student dress code as dress code infringements are not usually linked to interference with the rights of other students or the capacity of a teacher to teach a class. Exceptions to this might include issues of safety or where students are representing the school at external events.