School pupils could be banned from wearing blazers and ties to help stop the spread of coronavirus.
The ban would start in September when more children are set to return to school, meaning larger class sizes.
Earlier this month, some pupils returned to school for the first time in weeks with students and staff advised to wear fully-clean clothes everyday.
One school near Bradford has already said pupils will not be allowed to wear blazers, shirts and ties from September amid fears these items of clothing could spread Covid-19.
The chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Independent Education, Conservative Member of Parliament Andrew Lewer, says traditional school uniforms are “at risk of dying out”.
He told The Daily Telegraph : “Covid-19 has already gravely disrupted the schooling of children right across the country.
“The last thing we want to see is it now striking at one of the great traditions of British schools, distinctive uniforms worn with pride by pupils at 90 per cent of our schools.
“As health experts such as Professor Linda Bauld have pointed out, the coronavirus risk from a school blazer or tie is minimal.”
A bill is currently going through parliament to change school uniforms, which could also see tops with school badges on them also removed.
It calls for pupils to wear only unbranded clothing such as plain white shirts and grey trousers or skirts to keep the costs down for parents.
Beckfoot Oakbank School in Keighley, West Yorkshire, informed parents that their children would not be required to wear blazers, ties and shirts in September.
Headteacher Tina Smith said unbranded polo t-shirts and jumpers would be encouraged to “keep costs down” and because of coronavirus, The Sun reports.
In a letter to parents, she wrote: “DfE guidance (which we have followed throughout) states that blazers and ties are not encouraged as it is recommended that students and staff come to school each day in full clean clothes in the interest of safety for all.
“Washing a blazer or a tie, or even washing and ironing a clean shirt daily is not realistic.”
Northwold School in Clapton asked parents to send their little ones into school wearing comfortable clothes such as t-shirts, hoodies and tracksuit bottoms when it reopened earlier this month.
CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK
Studies found that coronavirus can live on surfaces like clothing or towels for up to 72 hours, so parents are being asked to wash any clothes that kids have worn to school daily.
The NHS website states: “Clothes should be washed at 60C (140F) or at 40C (104F) with a bleach-based laundry product.”
It also urges people not to leave laundry in the washing machine, saying that “any remaining germs can multiply rapidly” and advised people to wash their hands thoroughly after handling dirty laundry.