Back to school costs, how much has it cost you?

[Youmadorwhat]

Urrgh...I added it all up today and by the time I get school jumpers (m&s) I will have spent 300!! 😭 breaking my heart here!! And that’s for 1 child!

Just having a moan! What’s your number?

£90 for two sets of uniform each, for two dc, which includes some items for PE.
They didn't need new winter coats.

£40 so far on shoes for dD1. DD2 needed new ones last term.
Neither currently has a school place for September so can't buy anything else as don't now what they will need... But needed the shoes for a wedding next week.

I think just over £100 for dd going into p1. I used to be so pro uniform but as the message from experienced school mums seemed to be "it all gets covered in paint" I really don't see the point now! She already has clothes suitable for playing / painting in!
Not buying unnecessary clothes has been something we have been doing, but feels like I have just undone that. Unforms not a thing in DHs home country, he is baffled by the need for them here.

Throughout primary we spent around £50-£100 depending whether he needed new shoes/coat etc as sometimes these weren't needed every year.

I got a shock this year, first year at secondary so everything is needed new plus things he didn't need before like pencil case/stationary etc.

Spent £400 so far and still need a bag and stationary.

PE kit alone was £120

Also had to pay £30 locker rental up front and £30 for a trip second week back...... still need to top up his catering card for lunches too

School uniform x 2 £700
Shoes £50 (not yet bought!)
Trainers x 2 £100
Stationery £50
Sports sundries £20

300 is really easily done.

Logo jumpers x3 would he 42 quid alone here

Add on 20 ( and often more like 30) for a coat. 50 quid for a pair of shoes. And 50 quid for 2 pairs of trainers and you are almost there...

And that's not including skirts/trousers , bags, stationary, water bottles, replacement pe kits etc

I dont go mad. But I also have a child in secondary who needs blue shirts and that's gonna be 30 quid for 6. ( 2x3 pack)

And aot of it has to come from.an.online supplier so that's a fiver in postage and a further 5 to send everything that dont fit back

I am.envious of those who can can get everything including jumpers from.asda. that would be the dream.

Book bags at a tenner each are a rip off. Dds back pack has already paid for itself as it will last a second year where the book bags never did.

And as for getting away with supermarket shoes. Dd1 has nearly three miles to walk daily to school and dd2 would mash a pair of mary Jane's in a day. They just wouldnt cut it.

I spend over 200 quid on shoes alone usually. 2 sets of school shoes and 4 pairs of trainers. One for school one for Home.

Oh and still waiting for invoice for the bus, think it's £250 per term FML

@SarahTancredi yes very easily done. Especially here in Ireland where we pay for the books etc I spent 135 alone on books and stationary.

Starting state secondary
Blazer 30
Skirts 40
Trousers 40
Shirts 30
Tie 5

Pe kit 40
Trainers 15
Bag 20
Stationery and stuff 20.
240? Hope from now on it will Just be the odd replacement item.

It will be interesting to see if schools in England will start charging for things like they do in Ireland. I’m a finance governor for a group of schools and the budgets are horrendous. Due to the way the pupil numbers have fell this year the funding one school receives just about covers salary costs, so doesn’t cover heating, lighting, books, maintenance. Classes have been amalgamated as much as possible. It is depressing.

However, if you don’t pay council tax then the school costs don’t seem so bad.

What happens for low income families, are the costs means tested? I also assume you have to pay out quite a bit for childcare as aren’t the school hours shorter and the school holidays longer?

I’m amazed by the costs of some blazers on here. DS goes to private school and his is only about £35.

I dont know how people get buy with 1 of everything either.

I work.evenings I wouldn't have time to do multiple loads of washing ready for next day I'd I had to wait for kids to come back first.

Plus dd1s skirts and blazers have to be done separately as they cant be washed with softener . It's bad enough putting it on for 4 items. Blowed if I'd do it for just 2. They get hot and sweaty at school too. You Cant make them.last all week

@ineedaholidaynow there are back to school grants for lower income families, its an individual application process.

The schools don’t pay the teachers from their budget, that comes straight from the department of education.

All children have 15 hours childcare completely free from the age of 2years 8months for 2 years. My dcs school has an Afterschool service which is 4 per hour for 1 child or 6 per hour for 2dc. I’m a teacher so I am lucky as I have an equally short day. I collect my dc at half3 so I pay for 3 and half hours for youngest and one hour for eldest. I pay 16 per day childcare! I am incredibly lucky as normally yes childcare is RIDICULOUS here!

Its funny isn't how different countries so close together can be so different, the UK amazement that OP had to buy books, (i was going to ask as soon as i saw she had to buy books wether she was in ireland although i think you have to in other european countries too)
To OP's confusion about changing socks, although OP does your child not go swimming in PE? i know generally PE days are tracksuit days.

There will also be a difference in that generally for junior and senior infants (the first two years of primary) the uniform is just the school tracksuit and runners not the full polo/shirt/blouse/tie/skirt/dress/trousers.
Does your school not have book rental OP or was that just on copies?

I'm in Ireland too and have a child starting secondary this year.
So far I have spent €310 on uniform and PE kit but still have to get shoes and school jacket. That's another €120!
I've spent €285 on books but haven't got stationary yet.
She also needs a bag and a gym bag and we have to pay €200 to the school.
It's going to cost €1000 to kit her out.
I have dc in primary that need a few bits and pieces too.

It will be interesting to see if schools in England will start charging for things like they do in Ireland

I often wonder why they haven't, well i know why, i've seen the threads on here about the schools charging for things that parents have takenfor granted to be paid for by the school.
And i get it, i live on england, its just seen as something the school pay for but my god children went to school in ireland so i know the irish system too and every time i see the school are out of order for charging for this i just think yes ok, you come from a system where the school pays for books, exams, art matrials, photocopying an extra £10 for whatever isnt much.

Zero as I only have a niece and nephew

5 dc about to start year 9, year 7, year 4, year 2 and year 1.

£150 in the school uniform shop
£13 in the school uniform shop again when dc1 realised he'd grown out of his jumper
Everyone except Dc3 need new shoes
Dc2 needs new school bag, pe bag and stationery

Not sure what the final total will be but considering there are 5 of them we have got off lightly compared with some of you.

It would be interesting to see what funding Irish schools get per pupil compared to English schools, especially if salaries aren't expected to be paid out of this funding.

Many parents have no idea how tight budgets are, it was real eye opener for me when I became a governor. Costs going up every year but funding per pupil staying the same but we still have to balance the books. Salaries are the killer costs. The pension costs have just been increased massively by the Government (I'm not saying the teachers don't deserve this by the way). The government have funded this increase this year but no commitment yet for future years. Will probably end up having to get rid of some teachers just so we can pay others.

Some schools are even looking into ways of getting parents to sponsor a teacher just to help cover salary costs.

I’m not buying them new winter coats because theirs still fit and look great so no point.

Shoes are always the most expensive thing, they cost me £150 in total for all three.

Next biggest expense is school jumpers/cardigans. Cost me £100.

Trousers, polo shirts, dresses, socks and tights cost approx £100 all together.

Their PE kit stuff from last year is fine so using the same.

Had to buy DD a swim kit this year which was £25.

£375 in total.

Actually that’s a lie, I bought new school bags and lunchboxes too. I’m going to say £500. They’re going into year 3, 4 and 5.

Won’t be buying anything new apart from maybe 2 shirts as everything else fits.

I only replace if it’s worn out or out grown.

Actually I’ve not checked his pencil case so maybe stationary if we can’t find bits around the house.

£10 on a lunchbox! I buy slightly big so everything still fits, bags still in good condition. But I only have a 5 year old! His little brother will have all his old uniform. I don't understand the expense but maybe I will when they get to secondary

I've spent £10.

5 pack of shirts from asda and a tie.
I invested in really good shoes that still look new and thankfully still fit so she can wear them next year. Jumper still fits too.

Uniform gets more expensive the older and bigger they are. DS is now in adult sizes so pay VAT on clothes