MANY parents sending their children back to school this week may be unaware of several new rules.

These term-time changes could help families cut costs, with one expected to save as much as £50.

Students in a classroom, with several pupils raising their hands and a teacher at the front pointing at a whiteboard.A number of new school rules will come into force from September 1 this year Credit: PA

Rules on uniforms, dinners, mobile phones, safeguarding and more are all set to change when children return to school this week.

With so many rules taking effect, it is no surprise that have questions, and may need a quick refresher before the new school term begins.

English state schools will be given attendance targets to help improve rates

Group of School Children sitting in Assembly in a UK Primary SchoolAll English state schools will now have attendance targets that they have to hit Credit: Alamy

The will set all state schools in England an , as one in five pupils continue to miss at least 10 per cent of schooling.

Schools have also been encouraged to offer more activities on Fridays to improve attendance at the end of the week.

Pupils will not be punished if a school’s attendance misses its targets, but the Department for Education will contact the to make sure they are taking adequate action.

Parents, however, will still receive a penalty notice if a child accumulates 10 unauthorised absences during a rolling 10-school-week period, starting at £80 per parent.

All schools must follow statutory guidance to improve allergy safety

A boy using an Epipen in his thigh demonstrating what to do in the event of an anaphylactic shockAll schools must implement statutory allergy requirements as part of Benedict’s Law Credit: Alamy

From September, schools are expected to implement the statutory requirements of to improve allergy safety.

This includes the development and publication of a whole-school allergy policy, as well as comprehensive allergy and emergency response training for all staff.

Schools must also hold spare in-date and adrenaline devices on site and create individual action plans for all pupils with serious allergies.

Schools can only limit branded uniform items to a maximum of three pieces

Smiling students wearing blue school uniforms walking between bookshelves in librarySchools can only require parents to buy three branded uniform items from this term Credit: Getty

Parents will be able to cut costs on this year, as schools can only limit branded uniform items to a maximum of three pieces.

This will include jumpers, blazers, trousers and skirts, with the new rule hoping to improve affordability and reduce household costs.

Ties are not included in restrictions for secondary schools, meaning four branded items are permitted if one of these is a tie.

Under the new school rules, families are expected to be able to save around £50.

Free school meals is extended to even more children

School dinners fish chips and beans on a plateOver half a million more children are set to become eligible for Free School Meals Credit: Alamy

Announced by former Prime Minister Keir Starmer last year, all children in families who receive will now receive free school meals.

This is expected to lead to more than half a million more school pupils being entitled to free meals, saving families around £495 per year.

Research from Child Poverty Action Group, however, revealed that more than half of parents with newly eligible children may not realise their kids .

To check eligibility, parents can register online using the Government Free School Meals page, or through their local council.

Mobile phones will be completely banned in schools

Female high school friends looking at phone before school, students walking pastMobile phones will still be banned in schools from the start of term Credit: Getty

Following on from regulations that came into force at the end of June, UK schools must now be by law.

This means that children cannot access their phones during lessons, time between lessons, break times or lunchtimes.

Other smart technology that has similar functions, such as receiving notifications and the ability to send , will also be restricted.

Volunteers supervised by teachers will now require a full DBS check

dated 17/01/20 of parents walking their children to school in Hornchurch, Essex, past stationary cars, as eight out of 10 people who responded to a survey about car idling said they want it banned outside school gates.Anyone regularly volunteering with children will now need to get a full DBS check Credit: Alamy

Previously, if a parent or volunteer regularly helped out at a , they did not require a full criminal background check as long as a teacher was supervising them.

Now, if a volunteer helps regularly, they must also have a full background check.

This includes volunteers who teach, train, look after and supervise children overnight or more than three times a week over a four week period.