Pencil cases & calculators

[DontEatTheVolesKids]

Is it assumed that all pupils in English state secondary schools need them, need to bring from home? I am foreign so don't know if this is just one of those things that "everyone" knows (English DH useless).
I've been scrutinising the paperwork but nothing about it, nor on the website, BUT one of the lads in DS's yr group told us yesterday that they were must-have items (can get detention without).

Will try to remember to phone the school to confirm in September...

[DontEatTheVolesKids]

and if they are must-have items, how many, do they need own pencil sharpener, what sort of calculator, etc.?

[EdithWeston]

It is annoying if the school does not send out an equipment list if it has a punishment regime for nit having the required items.

That said, pupils forget things all the time, so perhaps the school punishes only repeat offenders; and it would be pretty harsh to penalise new joiners in their first coulpe of weeks.

I suggest you get a pencil case and equip it with pencils (H, HB and B), sharpener, a few coloured pencils, biro/rollerball/other ink pens in both black and blue, a couple of highlighter pens, a 15cm ruler, a bendy 30cm ruler, rubber; possibly glue stick, Tippex (if permitted). Also a geometry set.

Ask the school before getting a calculator; they probably will have recommended types or some other specification.

[Kez100]

My daughter carried the lot, every day. My son carries one pen, one pencil and a calculator in his bag which he takes to Maths. Both have always been described as well organised! Doesn't give me much room for manoeuvre in trying to improve his equipment list! I would say carry the stuff as advised in previous post. Even if they don't always take it, it will come in handy one day (if not lost by then!)

For exams they need a see through pencil case with no writing on at all but we just bought a cheap one in year 10 and used it just for exams. In the earlier years my daughter had a pencil case which she chose from the local store. Son puts his pen and pencil in his blazer inside pocket.

[DontEatTheVolesKids]

Yesterday lad said that he just keeps 2 or 3 items in his blazer pocket, so I guess we'll go with that, to start.
My experience with DS in y7 (another school*) was that he couldn't be asked to take his pencil set, or he lost items. So less is better, iyswim.

*They didn't tell us either that he needed to bring in own items, even in primary.

[eatyourveg]

our school send an equipment list but only for those starting in Y7 or Y9. It stipulates HB 2H and 3B pencils, the rest is standard. ds1 finished school without ever having used the set squares in his geometry set so a protractor, compass and ruler would be sufficient. For the calculator it just says scientific calculator but in the supermarkets they usually have gcse suitable written on the packet. Colouring pencils are usually included for drawing geographical stuff or pictures in history etc.

[Iwantacampervan]

My DD's school in the first couple of weeks there suggested a type of calculator and we could order them from the school at cost although they can use other scientific ones.

[DontEatTheVolesKids]

yeah, EYV, I suspect this is another one of the pitfalls of transferring into a school at an odd time. Yet more missing snippets of info.