Whether you’ve had a lovely break with the children, or you’re dying to get them back into routine, the start of a new school year (or a new school entirely) is bound to give you plenty to think about. One of the most important things that’s more than likely on your mind is whether you have everything you need ready; after all, the last thing you want to do is send your child to school without something essential. But worry not, as we have put this school checklist together for you.
Below, you will find the ultimate primary school checklist and an extra secondary school list, ensuring nothing is forgotten about in the build-up to the return to school no matter what the age of your child or children.
PRIMARY SCHOOL CHECKLIST
1) UNIFORM + BAG
Firstly, you’ll need to get your child’s school bag out, wash it or wipe it over where needed, and get their uniform ready. Allowing plenty of time to wash and dry your child’s uniform is more important than ever before considering we live in a COVID-19 world.
In terms of uniform, there are a lot of different items that your child may need, so make sure you make a list from the following and tick it off as you go:
- Trousers/dresses/pinafores/skirts
- Polo shirts/blouses/shirts
- Pants/briefs/vests
- Tights or school socks
- School shoes
- Gloves, scarfs, hats
- Coat
- Blazer/cardigans or jumpers,
- Tie
- Summer dress or shorts
If you’re re-using last year’s uniform, whether as a hand-me-down or because it still fits, then removing some bobbles with the Bobble Off can make things look as good as new.
BONUS TIP: Iron all the clothes for the week during the weekend, so school mornings are less stressful.
2) P.E. KIT
You will also need to make sure that you get your child’s P.E. kit prepared. Contact sports are likely to be limited in a lot of schools due to the pandemic, yet sports lessons will still go ahead.
It is vital to make sure your child’s P.E. kit is clearly named and easy for them to put on. Some of the different items that may be required here include:
- Sports bag
- Swimming costume/trunks + cap
- Shorts/joggers
- Polo shirt/sweatshirt
- Trainers or school pumps – make sure these adhere to school uniform policy
Your school will probably have issued you a list, so work off that where available.
3) STATIONERY
You also need to make sure that your child has all the stationery required to complete their daily work. While in many primary schools, this is provided for the most part, it isn’t the case in all schools.
Examples of some of the stationery that might be needed (or just wanted by your child!) include:
- A pencil case
- Glue stick
- Pencils and pens (colour and black)
- Pencil sharpener
- Rubber
- Ruler
- Notebook
- Ring binder
4) LUNCH
We’ve all had that sinking feeling when we drop our children off at school and we come home to see the empty, unfilled lunchbox on the kitchen counter. Preparing lunch the night before is a great way to avoid this. You could store a week’s worth of snacks and sandwiches in the fridge to ensure a quick grab in the morning is all that’s needed. Just make sure your storage containers are airtight and easy to reseal.
5) EXTRAS
This year, there are going to be a few extras that your child may need to take to school that they have not required before. Again, we have COVID-19 to thank for this.
There are a number of other items that can help your child to be safer while at school in light of the current pandemic. Examples include:
- Hand sanitiser
- Hand wipes
- Antimicrobial desk pads
- A contactless door opener
- Face mask holder
- Face masks
Of course, face masks are no longer a requirement. However, some schools still allow them. Also, if your child uses school transport, you may want to think about giving them a face covering to wear while they are traveling.
6) FOR PARENTS: LABELS AND/OR FABRIC PEN
Last but not least, it is important to make sure that you label all of your children’s belongings and clothing. No one wants to have to go in and search through the lost property pile. Unlabelled items may also be lost forever if they’re taken home by someone else! You can stitch labels into their clothing, or you may simply want to use a fabric pen instead.
SECONDARY SCHOOL CHECKLIST
If your children are in secondary school, there are a few extra items that may need that aren’t on the primary school list.
Of course, all secondary school children will need to get their uniforms prepared – perhaps it’s time to teach them to iron it themselves too!) and the COVID-19 safety items we mentioned are relevant to secondary school children too.
Here are some other items that may be needed when secondary school children are preparing to return back to school:
ART AND TECHNOLOGY SUPPLIES
While secondary school students require stationery, they also need some extra items to accommodate the advanced subjects they do at this stage. Art and technology both fall into this area. You may need to purchase:
- 2B and 4B pencils
- Paint (acrylic, watercolour and/or oil)
- Pastels (wax or chalk)
- A USB stick for CAD
- A large folder for transporting large pieces of art
- Sketchbooks (if not provided)
MATHS AND SCIENCE SUPPLIES
Maths is another subject where your child may require specialist tools. Some of the different supplies needed include:
- A set square
- 360-degree protractor
- A compass
- A scientific calculator
Do keep in many that some schools want students to purchase a specific model, so do check this out before you purchase.
For science your child may also need
- Science overalls
FOREIGN LANGUAGE AND ENGLISH SUPPLIES
For English lessons, your child will likely need
- An English thesaurus and dictionary
- Any of the reading books that are on the list for English literature.
- Revision guides
In terms of foreign language studies:
- A dictionary for each foreign language
- Any revision guides suggested
Depending on the school your child attends, it may make more sense to wait for the term to begin before you purchase these. Schools can often have a preferred thesaurus and dictionary, and they may even offer them at discounted prices.
COMPUTER SUPPLIES
In addition to the points that we have mentioned so far, you also need to make sure your child has all the supplies needed for computer lessons. A memory stick is typically a must, and your child might even need some earphones as well.
OTHER ITEMS YOU MAY REQUIRE
We will end this list with a few of the other miscellaneous items your child may need.
- Emergency Contact List and Number in bag
- House key
- Locker key
- School planner/academic diary
- Timetable and classes list
If your child is going to be letting themselves into the home after school, make sure they do not forget or lose their keys. An easy way to prevent this is for them to wear their keys on a lanyard with their initials on.
We hope this back to school checklist for both primary school and secondary school students helps you prepare. Why not try and enlist the help of your children in preparing for the return to school, to give them a little more independence as they head into their next year of school? You might find they take some of the preparation off your shoulders!