Silly questions about starting secondary school

My DD has shin pads on her uniform list.

We too are wondering about pen colour, as her Junior school would only let them use blue...

As for bags - she has a mile and half walk so she needs something practical (my wish) and fashionable (her wish). Is such a bag even made???

Fitted gum shields got lost, even a very expensive coloured one with a unique pattern, so we soon resorted to boil in the bag, which do not seem to have caused any problems. Only needed, in our case, for hockey. Can be ordered quickly so you can wait till asked.

With pens keep using what he is used to until told otherwise, and buy the minimum. Pencil cases get left in various classrooms, and if they reappear - which is not often - they come back stripped of key items.

Losing things is much worse in Yr 7 than other years, so hold onto the nice pencil case for now.

May well need acres of sticky back plastic!

Don't rely on getting a list. I didn't get one at DS's previous school.

My DD started last September and has used a variety of biros - don't go for expensive pens as they will be borrowed/lost.
She needed a more than a basic calulator but the school suggested the type and sold them at cost to us. The geometry set was required and has been used.
For boys the type of bag may not be important but for girls they have definite ideas of what they should have (and it's often not the most practical - see other threads re bags).
She doesn't wear a watch but uses her phone clock and the school day is run by bells.
A folder for odd sheets of homework as not everything will be in books. It would also be useful for letters home as not everything is sent out via e-mail.
One thing I noticed about the move to secondary is the lack of chasing from the admin staff - at primary when children didn't return permission slips then the office would chase parents but now if the form isn't returned then they won't go and will have to stay at school.
At home you'll need lots of plain A4 paper for homework and stock up on printer ink as she seems to have had to print off pictures etc as well as some work (the library at school only does black and white) !
He may need a water bottle for drinks during the day.

if I think of anything else I'll add to the list.

When DS started in Y7 I bought lots of very naice pens. Which were promptly 'borrowed' by all and sundry. Very soon, I just bought 17p ones, in bulk, from Wilkinsons...

Dcs use Mobiles for time, but my Ds has no sense of time and finds he needs a watch for tests or exams.
Pens - my dcs like the cheap pack of10 you get in Tesco.
Ds has never needed a gum shield
Dd decided to join the rugby team in year 9 so we got her one then.

Ds has never used his dictionary. What about a folder? Useful for the bits of paper which the teachers hand out (they call it homework I think). I'd send him with a berol and a cartridge pen, as well as a cheap mobile phone so he can call you if he's going to be late out of school. A pay as you go one will be OK.

Pens - I'm sure the handwriting ones will be fine. DS's school certainly don't require cartridge pens.

Gum shield - It really depends if he is going to be playing rugby! You can pick up fairly cheap gum shields which will do the job if he's just learning as part of his PE lesson. DS only wore his a couple of times.

Shin pads are pretty essential for any football (not an issue here, as DS is a football nut), but again, pick up a cheap pair in Sports Direct unless he is taking the sport further.

Watch - DS never wears one (just checks his phone), but if your DS is getting public transport it might be handy. Clocks and bells keep them in the right place at school.

Ds's school don't like them to use a biro, any other pen is fine. They also don't like felt tip pens.

He'll need a gum shield, and he'll need a watch. They should send you a list of what he needs.