With the new school year just around the corner, parents across the UK are beginning the annual task of ensuring their little ones are fully equipped.
However, the prospect of paying hundreds of pounds for school uniforms and new equipment is likely to be giving many parents sleepless nights, especially with the average cost of compulsory secondary school uniform in England in 2024 standing at £92.35 per pupil, according to the Schoolwear Association.
While new laws around schools helping parents clothe their kids for less should help cut some of the cost, there are other ways to keep the expense of buying uniforms manageable. These include:
Shopping at supermarkets
Most supermarkets have good-sized clothing sections these days and many of them do an excellent line in school uniforms. So long as your child’s school allows generic clothing, plain coloured items with no badges or branding can be picked up at massively reduced prices.
If your child does require clothing with a logo, it may be possible to buy a generic item of clothing and iron or sew a badge on yourself.
Hit the sales
Retailers like Sainsburys and Marks & Spencer offer clothing discounts across their entire ranges a few times a year. Check out what offers are currently available online and, if you get your timing right, you could get as much as 25% off the cost of a school uniform.
Buy second-hand uniforms from your child’s school
If you’re lucky, your child’s school will host second-hand uniform sales a few times a year, enabling you to pick up everything they’ll need for the next 12 months at a fraction of the first-hand price.
School or council support
Some councils and schools offer financial support, so use the Government’s postcode checker tool to see if your local council can help, or contact your children’s school directly.
When it comes to equipment, your little one’s needs will vary depending on whether they attend primary or secondary school but the items of equipment most commonly required are:
Stationery
Although plenty of schoolwork is done on computers and laptops these days, schoolchildren are still expected to carry an extensive list of stationery items with them.
The good news is that stationery is both relatively inexpensive and long-lasting, with many retailers offering sales or multi-buy offers on back-to-school essentials at this time of year, so keep an eye on their websites and take advantage of any bargains to keep your costs down.
It’s also worth asking family and friends with kids who have left school if they have any kit left over that you could buy used or just take off their hands.
Electronics and accessories
If you need to buy your child a laptop, you’ll want to get one that’s light enough for them to carry around, small enough to be easily transportable and that holds enough charge to get them through a school day.
If the cost of buying a new laptop is prohibitive, don’t worry – refurbished laptops are easily available in shops and online and offer an affordable way to purchase a high specification laptop at a reduced price.
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