Every school and college will be able to supply free sanitary products from this week.
Pupils in every primary and secondary school in England, as well as every college, will have access to the free period products.
The Department for Education announced the fully funded scheme on Saturday and is urging schools and colleges to order their products from Monday, January 20.
Its aim is to break down stigmas and ensure no young person’s education is disrupted by their period.
Millions of period products are being prepared by phs Direct, part of hygiene and washroom services provider phs Group, in a newly refurbished, dedicated warehouse ready to be dispatched.
Schools and colleges will receive an activation email giving them access to a purpose-built portal where they can order everything from pads and tampons to environmentally-friendly pads and reusable products.
David Taylor-Smith, CEO of phs Group, said: “We have been busy preparing for the launch of this scheme and we are ready for the first wave of demand.
"We encourage schools and colleges to look out for their activation email and make their first order so they can start offering free products as soon as possible.
“Period products are a necessity, not a luxury, and we believe providing free products for young people will be a catalyst for change in creating period equality. We are proud to be the supplier for such a worthy scheme.”
The move follows the government’s commitment last year to fully fund period products for all state-funded primary schools, secondary schools and colleges, and to support campaigns to break the stigma around periods and raise awareness of menstruation.
Children and Families Minister Michelle Donelan said: “Periods are a normal part of everyday life and we do not want young people missing out on lessons because of them.
“We know that it is not easy for everyone to access period products where and when they need them. This scheme will deal with those problems so young people can go about their daily lives without getting caught out if they have come on their period unexpectedly, forgotten to bring products with them or if they can’t afford the products they need.”
The scheme has been welcomed by school leaders' union National Association of Head Teachers, where general secretary Paul Whiteman said: "It is excellent news that period products will be available in schools and colleges for free. The government is to be commended for listening to experts and extending the provision of free period products to primary as well as secondary schools.
“Too many children miss out on vital education each month as a lack of access to period products forces them to miss school. Even those pupils who do not suffer period poverty will benefit from free access to period products, breaking down stigma and ensuring no child is without protection during what can be a vulnerable time.
“We’d urge the government to monitor the new scheme closely, so that if take-up numbers are low initially, then more can be done to advertise the service, and to guarantee that every pupil can access a period product that meets their needs.”
For support, schools and colleges can get in touch with phs Direct by emailing periodproducts@phsdirect.co.uk or calling the helpline on 01827 255500.
