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September has a habit of sneaking up on you. One minute the kids are home for summer, the next you’re staring down at a growing list of school supplies, wondering where the holidays went.
The good news? Not everything needs replacing. Some of what you already have stashed away at home is probably fine for another year, which means you can focus your time (and your budget) on what genuinely needs sorting.
Before you start panicking and add lots of different items into your basket, it’s worth checking your child’s school requirements first, as policies vary and you don’t want to buy something that turns out to be unnecessary and ends up sitting at the back of a wardrobe for years.
If you’re not sure where to begin, here’s a quick rundown of the essentials to work through before the new term starts:
Top tip: double-check what your child already has from a previous school year before automatically replacing everything. If you have multiple kids, see if you can repurpose some hand-me-downs. You might be pleasantly surprised at how much is still perfectly usable!
Whether you’re the type to plan everything to a tee or you prefer to leave things until the last minute, there are a few items that are useful to get a hold of sooner rather than later. Popular sizes and styles tend to disappear fast, and nobody wants to spend the last weekend of the holidays in a panic, rushing around the shops.
School shoes top the list of early buys for good reason. Every child needs the right size and fit, and as September gets closer, the most popular sizes can be tricky to find in store. Blue Light Card members can save at Kickers and Clarks, so check for an offer before you start browsing.
A school bag is one of the most important items you’ll buy. It’ll carry a lot: books, a water bottle, packed lunch, maybe even a PE kit some days and whatever else your child manages to cram in. Look for something with a decent amount of room, padded straps for comfort and ideally some water resistance for those inevitable rainy mornings.
Most schools have specific requirements around PE kit and trainers, so it’s worth double-checking before you buy. If last year’s trainers still fit, great! No need to replace them. If not, Sports Direct is worth a look, as Blue Light Card members can get a discount there too.
If your kids take a packed lunch into school, a good lunch box makes life a lot easier. Easy to clean is the main thing to look for. A leak-proof water bottle is just as important, especially for younger children who need something they can open independently. Both are items where quality pays off, since a decent one will last for years.
For lunch boxes, M&S is a solid option and Chilly’s are great for a reusable bottle – both offer a Blue Light Card discount.
Pens go missing, get chewed or just mysteriously vanish, so stocking up at the start of the school year is never a bad idea. What your child actually needs will depend on their age and school, but here’s a rough guide.
Schools vary quite a bit at primary level, and many provide stationery themselves. Check with your school before buying, so you’re not left with four rubbers and three packs of pens that your kids will never need.
As your kids move through the school system, the kit list tends to grow. A well-stocked pencil case for secondary school might include:
If you’re looking to stock up on all things stationery, Blue Light Card members get a discount at Ryman, or you can use a Shopping Card to save on supermarket stationery runs.
Starting Year 7 is a big step for children and parents alike. The good news is that most schools send out an official kit list, so keep an eye out for that before you buy any specific items. In the meantime, here’s what most Year 7 students tend to need:
Before you buy anything new, it’s worth doing a quick audit (in other words, a rummage through the cupboards) of what you already have. Backpacks, pencil cases, lunch boxes, water bottles, waterproof coats and sports equipment often come through the school year in perfectly good nick.
When you do need to replace something, it can be worth spending a little more to get something that lasts. For older children, a better-quality coat, bag or water bottle bought once can be more cost-effective than buying a cheaper version every year. Granted, younger kids might outgrow their clothes quicker!
You’re trying to enjoy the school holidays, the nice weather and spending quality time with your kids. And we totally understand. You’ve got time.
Items like extra stationery, specialist equipment (especially anything that needs to be confirmed by the school first), and backup supplies are all things that can wait until a bit closer to the start of term. Focus on school shoes, a bag and any PE kit that needs replacing. The rest can follow.
With all this talk about school supplies, it’s worth mentioning that checking what school uniform you already have is useful. Have a look to see what still fits, double-check the school’s latest uniform policy and identify anything that genuinely needs replacing.
Read our full back-to-school uniform checklist to help you plan for those essentials.
A few things that can help keep the bill down:
Lots of different retailers stock back-to-school essentials, but these are the most common ones:
Lucky for you, all of these retailers have a Blue Light Card discount available to use – just head to our app or site to start saving
Most children need a school bag, pencil case, basic stationery, a lunch box, water bottle, school shoes, PE trainers and a PE bag. Older children might also need highlighters, coloured pencils, maths equipment and a calculator. Always check with your child’s school before buying.
Moving into Year 7 usually means a bigger bag, more stationery, maths equipment, a calculator, full PE kit and sometimes a laptop or tablet. Most secondary schools send out an official list before the start of term, so use that as your definitive guide.
For essentials, earlier is better. Popular sizes and styles can sell out quickly, so aim to get these sorted in August. For anything that’s more commonly found, you can wait until closer to the new term.
Start with school shoes and a bag, as these are the items most likely to sell out before September. PE trainers and kit are also worth sorting early. Stationery and anything school-specific can wait until you’ve had a chance to check the requirements.
Blue Light Card members can save at a range of retailers that stock back-to-school essentials. Browse through the website or app before shopping to see what’s available, and Shopping Cards can also help you save on supermarket purchases.
