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School starts in September, and with a fresh new school year comes the feeling of anxiety amongst many parents. That is because it is usually the time when parents have one of the most significant financial outlays for their children, as it means buying new school uniforms, supplies, and school shoes.
I wanted to share with you the school uniform shopping checklist, which is the primary school edition, to help you stay on track, budget for school supplies, and have everything you need for your children to start their first day of term.
Shopping checklist for primary school uniforms
The uniform basics
First of all, let’s cover the basics of the school uniform and the things your child will need to wear daily. It might be that your primary school has a winter and summer uniform, or maybe they can wear the same thing throughout the school year. Here are a couple of reminders for some of the things that your primary school child might need:
Trousers and skirts
The majority of primary schools are fairly relaxed when it comes to school uniform. Whilst they may specific a particular colour (black, grey or navy), parents and children have a wide range of skirts, pinafores and trousers that they can choose from. All of which can be purchased from your local supermarket or high street store.
Usually, 2 or 3 pairs of trousers or a couple of skirts and/or pinafores are sufficient, however, if your child is a dirt magnet you might want to consider purchasing enough to get you through the week so you can do one big wash at the end of the week rather than worrying about getting things washed and dried throughout the week.
School jumper or cardigan
This might be a school jumper with their logo, which might need to be bought from specialist school uniform shops. But if the school simply requires a specific colour, you can pick up jumpers and cardigans in most supermarkets. It might be an idea to get 2-3 of these items as they tend to get messy/dirty throughout the week.
Check whether your school allows zip-up fleece jackets. These jackets generally need to be purchased from the school’s uniform supplier; however, they are versatile and can be worn instead of a jumper or cardigan.
Polo shirts, shirts and houses
Your school may require a shirt to be worn, or polo shirts and blouses might also be acceptable. These are usually a specific colour, and some schools may require the logo although I do believe that many primary schools are more relaxed with the shirt/polo shirt just being the particular colour. This means it opens up supermarket shops for you. It might be advisable to get 3-4 items.
School tie
If your primary school requires your child to wear a collared shirt, particularly as part of a winter uniform, now is your reminder to find the tie, or purchase a new one.
School shoes
Most schools have a policy where they require children to wear black school shoes, and we all know that children’s feet grow very quickly. You might want to leave this until a few weeks before they start back to ensure there is no rapid growth just before school starts.
Top tip: You can also beat the queues by measuring children’s feet at home rather than waiting in the store for someone to measure them for you.
Things to consider when purchasing school shoes for primary age children:
- Primary school children are generally more active in their school shoes than secondary school children (they tend to get changed into PE kits and trainers). Select a comfortable and durable style for your child to take on and off.
- If they need some additional ankle support, then take a look at the range of school boots from Start-rite—perfect for wearing with trousers, pinafores or gingham dresses.
- Look out for different features included within such as Air Rite technology which allows air to flow around the shoe, helping feet to regulate their temperature and reducing sweating.
Socks
Socks go missing, and you may be left with many odd school socks or feel your child has outgrown them. Pick up a new pack of grey or white socks to be ready.
Top tip: Buy each child slightly different sock styles to make pairing these up after washing more effortless for you, especially if they are different sizes.
PE Kit
Primary school PE kits are thankfully straightforward. Generally speaking, they consist of a pair of shorts and a polo shirt in your school’s chosen colour. However, it can be good to add a tracksuit to allow your child to wear trousers if they are outside, and similarly, add a jacket if it’s a little chilly.
In terms of footwear, a simple pair of trainers is needed; some schools will request a pair of plimsolls if they complete PE lessons in the school hall – but this varies from school to school, so be sure to double their uniform policy.
The accessories
Now that you have covered the basics it might be time to think about the accessories that your child may need for school. Most primary schools provide pencils and pens, workbooks and supplies, but here is a quick list to help you prepare your little ones for the first day of term:
- Rucksack or book bag – Your school may have different policies but check the current book bag and rucksack and replace them if needed.
- Lunchbox – If your child doesn’t have school meals it might be time to replace the lunchbox. You can pick up some great options at places like Amazon or eBay.
- Water bottle – Even if your little one has school meals, most children require a water bottle to have with them during the day and in class. It might be time to replace your little ones.
- Sharpie pens, stamps, name tags – The big issue parents face is losing school uniforms in those first few weeks. School jumpers get left, PE kits go missing, it happens to the best of us. However, give yourself a fighting chance to have these things returned by naming everything. You can pick up name stamps that make this easier to do but a good old sharpie will also do the trick.
- Stationery – Whilst the majority of primary-aged children will not need to take any stationery into school with them, it is good to have a supply of stationery items are home. This will enable them to continue their learning at home via homework, school projects or simply because they have been inspired by what they are currently learning. Getting items related to their interests such as unicorns etc, then the Mystical Dream range can also help encourage them to practice their spellings, create an art masterpiece or jot down what they have done at the weekend.
Preparing for winter
Winter is coming, so there are some other considerations that you need to make to get your child ready for the start of school. Here are some of the things to think about:
- A waterproof coat—Rain doesn’t stop play or the school run, so having a good waterproof coat will help keep little ones dry while they still enjoy the outdoors.
- Hat, scarf and gloves – Children will spend a proportion of their school day outside, whether it is playtime or completing forest school activities etc. Make sure that they have access to a hat, scarf and gloves to keep them warm.
Thinking ahead to summer
You might also want to think ahead for summer. You might find that things like boys’ school shorts and summer dresses are in the sale, so buy the next size up and put them away for the summer months. It pays to think ahead.
Final thoughts
The last thing to think about would be to get yourself a decent diary if you haven’t got one already. The start of school means fresh term dates and dates for the diary, so it helps to be organised – especially if you have more than one child at school as it can be hectic remembering school trips, show and share assemblies and school activities.
I hope this school uniform shopping checklist will help you to be prepared for when your child returns to primary school.
