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The Ultimate Back-to-School Checklist

Anna Allan

With the UK schools’ summer holiday in full flow (noting that Scotland’s is coming to an end), there are two types of parents that can be highlighted.  


One set of parents will have nothing organised yet for the new academic year and they don’t mind ‘winging’ it by leaving things until the end of the summer holiday.  Their motto might sound like: “Let’s not ruin our time off.”

 

The other group of parents will have had a list for at least a month which has been added to and amended, with purchases being made along the way, with them  claiming: “It makes good budgeting sense.”

 

Whichever category we fall into, the fact is that our children return to school in September in England (or mid-August in Scotland) and there is often something that is forgotten until the last moment regardless of how organised we feel. 

 

In an attempt to get organised sooner, the checklist below might just keep us on the right track.  

 

This year, let’s aim to be those ‘cool as a cucumber’ parents that have it sussed before the last Bank Holiday weekend in August instead of running around the shops, tearing our hair out because our children seem to be the same size as every other child in the UK as everything is seemingly out of stock!

 

Dinner Money

 

Those starting secondary school who have access to the school canteen with fingerprint access will no doubt enjoy the novelty of choosing those own nutritional

content!

 

I always thought there was a spending cap on this but be warned, I don’t think children ever get turned away!  Pizza rolls and pastries are often recorded on the itemised billing that we access. 

 

To avoid your child being left waiting at the side because their account needs ‘topping up’, it is wise to keep a regular eye on it to make sure enough money is in the account (which also rewards you when a packed lunch has been forgotten!)


 Packed Lunches 

 

A good, insulated lunch box will help the pocket a little and having a variety of lunch ideas up your sleeve will be helpful when the boredom of the norm sets in.  


From sandwiches and wraps to soups, pastas and salads, there is an opportunity of a leftover supper being put to good use as the next day’s lunch. 

The key is making it easy - to prepare, to pack and to eat.


There tends to be less time at lunch breaks for secondary school children and so a packed lunch can be more attractive than the school dinner line!

 

More food

 

To keep a check on the lack of nutrition any child gets from school, a break-time snack can be packed for mid-morning as well. 

 

Hydration 

 

A couple of drinking bottles that won’t crack when dropped on numerous occasions will stop you needing to take shares out in several companies.  Buying something half decent will save the pain in throwing away leaking and broken bottles. 

 

Clothing 

 

Buying uniform can be a daunting prospect, especially when it’s being bought for the first time. 

 

Sizes are often wrong, many returns may be made and if you are anything like me, I can get so fed up that I occasionally keep the bigger size in some cases for when she grows into them!  (The rate at which children grow is remarkable!)

 

Socks can often be forgotten so buying them in advance might be easier.  As the sizes come in a range, their growth don’t be so much of a problem. 

 

I do not recommend going shoe shopping at the last minute from experience. Buying them at least midway through the summer holiday allows enough growth to happen as well as breaking the shoes in slowly indoors before walking in them in for longer.  

 

PE kit is often supplied by a specialist shop so giving enough time to order whatever is compulsory (the optional kit often remains wrapped up in the wardrobe) makes life easier.  There are occasional discounts and sales to look out for as well. 

 

Other essential items like a Science lab coat and Home Economics apron will appear on the inventory list as well. 

 

A raincoat (in the required colour, of course) will be needed but it is probably worth waiting to buy a winter coat when the weather turns colder). 


School bag

 

The school bag, whilst being the right colour, should be big enough to carry everything but small enough so it’s not too bulky.  

 

It should be light, waterproof and most of all, will undoubtedly need to ‘fit in’ with other people’s school bags so it doesn’t stand out.  A trickier feat than you might think!

 

Pencil case

 

The all important trip to a stationary shop requires a little patience. 


The stationary listed as requirements might include the usual items: coloured pencils and pens, pencils, sharpener, rubber, glue stick (these seem to be consumed at a high rate!), ruler, highlighters and notebooks. 

 

On top of that, a scientific calculator

geometry set (yes, they still use set squares!) and a reading book will have to be taken to and from school every day.  

 


I am not sure if plastic book covers are a nationwide thing but my daughter has to cover every exercise book with one after decorating her book!

 

Other handy items for the school bag (if it hasn’t burst already!) include: hand sanitiser / wipes, tissues, plasters 

(to go with the new shoes!), umbrella, hair bubbles and a sanitary pack for girls. 

 

Depending on the child, they might need house keys so, if they do, it is worth checking if an extra set needs to be cut in advance. 

 

Having a purse or wallet with a small amount of money, or even a bank card, in case there is a bake sale, raffle or something at school is being sold might be useful. 

 

Carrying student ID and a travel card might also be in order depending on how they get to and from school. 

 

Electronic Equipment  


It is more than likely that children in the latter years of primary school or going to secondary school already have a phone. 

 

It might be worthwhile providing them with access to ApplePay or a credit card in case of an emergency. 

 

I have spoken with so many parents who, like me, did not believe that a Year 7 student would really need a laptop in their first term (at least!) of school. 

 

We were wrong!  In my daughter’s case, homework was set pretty much at the beginning of her secondary school experience and I would estimate that 90% of it has required a laptop (not even a phone would be sufficient enough to use for this!)

 

Appointments

 

Getting a hair cut booked is a good idea now as the weeks fly by and before you know it, the next holiday will become just as busy. 

 

Any dental or medical appointments would be better done now so it eases the stress from you to squeeze them in at the beginning or end of a school day and disrupting more of your working week. 


 Calendars


Diarising all the term dates and any events already confirmed will allow you to plan more easily. 


Any inset or staff development days will need to be covered with childcare and the important event dates that you want to attend will require days booked off for working parents. 

 

Having everything in the diary now is really helpful as it avoids the feeling of chasing your tail when something crops up. 

 


Post insight note:

 

I am clearly not alone.

 

Having written this article, it has obviously been considered by others, as found in The Mirror article: parents will only get three quarters of their 'back to school' list done


 

 

I had forgotten all the stuff that was needed for school and how organised we had to be before the new academic year started.  

 

Having lived abroad when I was younger, and going to a UK boarding school, the addition challenge came with living in countries that didn’t have all the brands that we take for granted in the UK. 

 

It was always best to get everything I needed for at least three months (if there was room in the suitcase) because I would find it difficult otherwise, not having the chance to go shopping when I was younger.  

 

I came across our  traditional boarding school’s  ‘Trunk Inventory’ which still makes me smile… 



Who said organising children for a new academic year at school could be complicated?

 

 

If you believe you are a parent of school children and need an extra pair of hands to get you organised before the academic year, please get in touch

  

 

Anna

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