From NMPS School Council

Updates to the NMPS Student Dress Code Policy

North Melbourne Primary School’s School Council has approved an updated Student Dress Code Policy. The update follows consultation with our school community in late 2025, including family and student surveys, discussions with teaching staff and School Council, and consideration of the school’s operational needs.

School uniform is a topic on which members of our community hold a range of genuine views which were clearly reflected in the feedback. School Council values the feedback shared through the consultation process and notes that 315 responses were received in

the first consultation and 234 in the second. While this feedback provided important insight, School Council was also required to consider Department guidelines and its responsibility to make a decision in the best interests of the school as a whole. After considering all the information received, School Council has decided to proceed with

the implementation of required uniform items.

This decision has been made to support:

• a stronger sense of community and belonging across the school

• greater clarity for students and families

• the safe and practical day-to-day management of a large school operating across two campuses

What’s changing?

From 2028, North Melbourne Primary School’s required school uniform items are as follows:

• NMPS Top (summer / winter) or NMPS Dress

• NMPS Jumper or Jacket

• NMPS Logo Hat or generic navy-blue hat with full brim (during required times only)

What’s not changing?

Families and students will continue to have a choice about the colours and styles of clothing items worn below the waist. All items from previous school-branded NMPS and Errol Street Primary School uniforms will also continue to be accepted under the updated policy. This includes the new House t-shirts and Year 6 commemorative jumpers. Any of these may be worn instead of the required items listed above.

Students will be able to wear cultural or religious items, in line with human rights legislation, and reasonable adjustments will continue to be made for students with sensory, medical or health needs.

What do the new items look like?

Final designs are still being developed. School Council will consider suppliers and proposed item designs and will share further information in due course.

How are costs for families being managed?

To help keep costs manageable for families, only a small number of items will be required. Other items, such as a fleece jacket, will remain optional. A phased implementation timeline will also allow students to grow out of existing uniform items before families need to buy replacements.

All required below-the-waist items are not school-branded and can be purchased from a retailer of the family’s choice. This is a Department of Education requirement for all Victorian government schools and cannot be changed by the school.

Families can continue to use the 2025 School Saving Bonus until it has been fully used to purchase school uniform items. Additional uniform support is available through State Schools Relief, and the school can support families to access this assistance.

How has this decision been made?

As the school’s governing body, School Council is responsible for decisions about updates to the Student Dress Code Policy. In making these decisions, School Council considers Department guidelines together with feedback gathered through community consultation. The policy also explains how the school manages implementation, promotion and exemptions.

The revised Student Dress Code Policy aims to:

• foster a sense of community and belonging

• support North Melbourne Primary School’s commitment to ensuring students feel included and are dressed safely and appropriately for school activities

• reduce student competition on the basis of clothing

• enhance the profile and identity of the school and its students within the wider community

More information

The full NMPS Student Dress Code Policy, including details on the implementation timeline, financial support and the second-hand uniform store, is available on the

NMPS website.

https://www.northmelbourneps.vic.edu.au/index.php/other-policies/

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