Year 7 secondary school essentials checklist for starting in September

How do they do geometry construction? Does the school provide?

Ours aren't allowed pencil sharpeners, scissors, compass so it's worth checking first, either on the school fb page or sending her without the first say and calling up.

School gave us a list and we stuck to it.

At least 100 hair bands and six pairs of spare tights. And a spare key to their locker padlock!

Make them clear out their bag weekly. We were in London, so a spare Oyster with a tenner on it in the inside pocket of their blazer in case they lost their season ticket.

Can't remember any more but I went through dd's study desk the other day and don't think we will ever have to buy another pen, pencil, highlighter, lined notebook or rubber for the rest of our lives. She's 28!

The stretchy key hain thing is a good idea, but ours attached theirs to the inside pocket of their blazer, rather than to their bag, which was more easily forgotten on the bus.

One of the best recommendations from
MN when my DS started secondary was to buy packs of multicoloured plastic A4 wallets, which you can label for each subject they have.
These live in 5 magazine box files on the shelf, one for each day, and a copy of the timetable alongside, so that books / papers relevant to each subject stay together, and are ready to be pulled off the shelf each evening to be packed for the next day.
I’ll be doing the same with DD who is starting Y7 this year!

I agree that my DD was deffo using her blazer as a pencil case by about year 9. And some of the boys in my form, in year 10 or so, when asked if they had a pen, would produce a chewed-up inner of a Bic from a pocket! but lots of YP IME still like a pencil case.

I agree tho those enormous Smiggle ones with multiple layers are a bit much. When it takes 10 mins to set out your desk at the start of a lesson you need to scale back.

Door key on one of those stretchy loop things so it can stay attached to her school bag whilst she unlocks the front door if she’s going to have to let herself in
An emergency £5/£10 (DD has just finished Yr11 and never used hers; DS has just finished Yr9 and used his in Yr8 when he went back to a friend’s after school, we’d assumed the mum would collect them from school but they got the bus and DS had to pay for his ticket… he then spent the change on sweets!)

I admire the optimism that they'll actually USE a pencil case - give it a fortnight and they're carting all their worldly goods around in blazer pockets around here.

A good tip, often mentioned on MN, is to have separate supplies at home so that pencil cases don't need to be taken out of their bags to do homework, running the risk of DC forgetting to repack their pencil cases.

We keep a couple of large mugs near the kitchen table with a supply of pens, pencils and a couple of rulers, ready for homework

I also have a hidden stash of new pens, pencils etc which I top up when I see bargains. I've just bought a 20-piece set of Bic 2 x 4-colour pens, 4 x highlighters, 3 x pencils, 3 x fineliners and 8 x cristal pens from The Works for £8.

Your daughter will need a calculator, school PE kit. The school website should cover the Year 7 requirements and a good local shop to buy them. Good luck 😊

I forgot to add pencil sharpener. Even better if it is one that doesn’t include a trip to the bin so collects the sharpenings.

I’ve just tried to find a copy of the list for the school I work at so if I find it I’ll come back later and add to this.
Black pens (always have spares)
Green pen
Highlighters
Ruler (ideally 30cm)
Eraser
Pencil
Maths set including compass, set square, protractor etc.
Calculator - they can order the one advised by maths department through the school
Colouring pencils (pens as well if they want but definitely pencils)
lots of the girls also have lots of other pen colours by choice
Art book - ordered from school
Glue stick

Do some dummy runs of her route going to school, especially if she has to catch a bus. Have strategies in place in case the bus is late etc . (Obviously not needed if it’s a five minute walk to the school).

For science, DT and PE a good supply of hair elastics is essential!
Check for any items specific to PE. Gumshield and shin pads for hockey etc. However, I would suggest that if there is no written list I’d hold fire and try to find out for certain rather than just guess, because every school have different requirements. Do you know any parents with older children at the school.

I think I love her.
Makes a change from at least 8 of them without a pen.
I bet her presentation is beautiful 🧡

DD has 4-colour Bic pens and a separate purple one, mechanical pencils, ruler, highlighters, coloured pencils, geometry set in a tin, calculator and a glue stick. All stored in a pencil case. These are the required items for the school she is starting in September. If she had ordinary pencils she would also need an eraser and a pencil sharpener.

In addition, she has a huge selection of Legami items, fineliners and various bits and bobs she's bought in gift and stationery shops. I think, as soon as she has to start carrying books around, she will take some of the surplus items out of her pencil case as it's extremely heavy!

It's fine if they're those blunt children's scissors.

Good thinking.

My DD has a little zip bag with sanitary towels and a spare pair of knickers - she hasn’t started her periods yet but there in case

Also a small pair of round tipped scissors was useful but I can imagine that being contraband in some schools.

Glue sticks, highlighter pens, and coloured pencils seemed to be ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL here. They do need a scientific calculator but not til a bit later I think.

A black backpack...no other colour!!! Just black! Also a plain black coat!

Hang fire on the calculator as I know my kids' school the Maths department tend to request one of a specific few models as it makes it easier for them to teach to a few consistent models. Label that as well - I have no idea where the hell the calculators go but we've lost a depressing number.

Pens - mine need a few different colours of biros for different tasks - so a "writing" one in black or blue, then they need a green one for one particular task, and I think a purple one school provide, and then at least one highlighter. Although according to DD1 - they need the entire contents of the stationery aisle particularly the "aesthetic vibes" stuff...

There is usually a list on the school website of everything they need.

Protractor, long and short rulers, coloured pens, compass, calculator (a certain one) pens, pencils, rubbers, pencil sharpener, tipex, highlighters