is this bag childish for year 7

My son doesn't care about brands - now y10, has used a plain black Puma since y7. Always chooses the one where the Puma is embossed and doesn't stand out ie no white print. They need a big bag, that can take considerable weight.
Is there nothing helpful in the Uniform guide to refer to? Might suggest black bag - or there may be a school logo bag.

Thinking about shirt buttons, are they allowed to wear short sleeved shirts under a blazer? DS only ever unbuttons enough buttons to get his shirt over his head. Probably top 3 buttons.
It's really annoying when you come to wash them. 😁

So we got a big ish Nike black rucksack. It has a small pocket on the front which his lunch goes in and 2 separate sections for books/folders etc. there is at least one inside pocket and an external bottle pocket.

I really do think you need to put your foot down with this. Those kids rucksacks will attract the wrong attention potentially for the next 5 years.

lie to him if you have to

Please don’t get him either of them bags .. I have two children in secondary and other kids can be cruel. The best thing for him is to just fit in so I would deffo go with a sports brand bag for a boy - doesn’t need to be a boring colour but will be better being a brand like Nike or Adidas.

My two just fit everything they need in one bag my eldest has a handbag as she’s going into year 11 but my youngest who is going into year 8 has a Nike bag.

His options are to childish and not school friendly. A plain black Nike bag or any bag is recommended it also needs to be bigger

PE Kit came home about once a month. At the level at which DS did PE it didn't really need more (he was not sporty). Books, art projects etc stayed at school (by insistence of the school who were sick of children forgetting them at home or losing them, not DS's choice).

They also weren't allowed to have bags in corridors due to congestion, so minimising what you brought in made logistical sense. Like I said - all schools are different.

This exactly.

OP - I have ND children, one who's just finished year 7.

I would present it as "this is your school bag". He doesn't need options to choose from, there's far too many and it's overwhelming.

He needs a big bag, that fits all his things in - that isn't up for debate and that can be a good, practical way to approach things with ND children. I got my son the North Face vault. It's just about big enough for all of his books and lunch box.

A separate PE bag from Adidas.

Practice buttons and changing with him every couple of days during the holidays. He needs to be prepared.

Have you spoken to the SENCO at the secondary? What have they said about the support for him? He doesn't need an EHCP to still get their help and support.

I think this is sad. There is a child in my family with autism and fortunately he is liked by the other pupils.

Definitely don’t get the Jurassic park one - all the kids will be shouting ‘ruuunnnnnn’ at him.

Can he have the sonic one for PE at all with a plainer one for day to day?

I want to start by saying well done for reaching out. Mine are heading into year 7 too this year. Il be brutally honest. Don’t give him a choice I have a friend with SEN and she had to do everything then in the morning pack him off with a plain black rucksake. She would rather had the tantrum with him at home rather than extra stress for him at school, I’d say don’t give him the choice your doing what’s best for him and kids will pick up on difference’s. Don’t allow him to stand out IMO. Plain black rucksack.

If you have a year 10 boy you know exactly what sort of bags the kids use at the school, how is a bunch of randoms on the internet going to know what is the "in thing" at the school he's going to? If your y10 has a plain black branded one, just buy one of those. My 8 year old has had a similar sonic bag for 2 years now, he said last week he wants something else now as he's grown out of it.

Ah this post is heart breaking.

I would be utterly furious and devastated if any of my children had posted paracetamol through someone's door like this.

I wonder how these people feel about their actions now they are adults. I couldn't live with myself if I'd carried on so cruelly.

Ours are oy allowed ain black, no named bags like Nike etc. At least it stops this consternation and targeting.

OP if you're worried then I'd go plain, Sonic is a funny age span, as in lots of them will like the movies etc but the branding is probably a bit younger

I think it's absolutely fine for Year 7.

Erm…no, children with autism are like catnip to a certain kind of mean-spirited child. Trusting, easy targets.

Source: was a child with autism

Well the vast majority of kids wouldn't care but there will always be a couple of nasty ones around looking for someone to pick on. It's shit but it happens.

My sons school had a specific school bag so it saved on any angst.

If it hadn’t have been the trainers, it would have been something else unfortunately. I turned up on my first day with the same stuff as everyone else but I was still bullied.

Secondary school kids can be cunts to each other unfortunately 😞 They sense something in others and pile in.

My child is about to go into year 7. He doesn't care about fashion or what's cool at all. He will wear his sister's unicorn hoodie if he's cold and he still likes his dinosaur rucksack from year 3 - which is lovely and I think it makes him even more endearing. However, kids can be awful to each other, so unfortunately I feel like I have to guide him a little. I don't want him to have to worry about anything else apart from getting used to secondary school. For various reasons, he is a little vulnerable and I don't want him to be picked on, so he's got a plain navy blue Adidas rucksack to start with. He's welcome to chose his own style when he has the lay of the land.

You could be me 😥the world can be a very cruel place for a quirky 12 year old can’t it?

@dinosaursroars your DS needs to uunderstand that having a large, plain bag is a non-negotiable social rule. He can secretly think it’s a stupid rule (I do!) but he needs to learn the social conventions before he can flout them if he so chooses.

Re The Velcro, that may be ok, my child is year 10 and it’s having a big comeback as “cool” at our school!
I feel a bit mean now pointing out the colourful bags he likes won’t go down well ☹️
Could he keep a nice rucksack of his choice for private days out and holidays? That’s what mine did.
As for PE kit, most kids at our secondary carry it all in a plastic carrier bag from JD sports!

The bag is too small for secondary school. In my opinion yes the bag is too young. I understand that your son is SEN, and he may behave younger than his years, but this bag will make him stand out for all the wrong reasons.

Yes it is too young. And it’s too small. They all have plain rucksacks which are mainly Nike at the mainstream state both my children are at. Just advise him he needs something larger to carry the many a4 books he will need.

My heart has just broken for you. I am so sorry you experienced that. You deserved so much better.

Please do not send him to school with that - and as everyone else has said, as well as be babyish its far too small.

He needs something bigger and sturdier. Think 5 A4 text books a day with additional booklets, resources. Pencil case, scientific calculator, drink bottle, lunch box etc.

If it was me, I would create a fake letter with school logo etc and put something about looking forward to welcoming you into school and then go into school bags and they need to be plain black or navy and put some dimensions in. I would then post it!

My autistic would have believed it but yours might not but worth a go.