Does you primary school charge parents for stationary?

[ILoveMyMonkey]

I’m wondering how many other primaries are expecting parents to pay the school for stationary. So, just out of interest and to gauge how common this is does your children’s primary school still supply stationary?

At my DS school the expectation is that you buy a filled school pencil case and then pay for top ups every year at, what I think, is a massively overinflated price. Needless to say I have refused and bought him stationary that matches what the school supply at a far cheaper cost - except now I’m getting demand emails

No. Mine both have their own stationary
Do you have to buy the school stuff?
Seems a bit Ott of the school, I wouldn’t be able to afford pricey school stationary do they not realise people don’t always have the same budgets etc

The school supplies in in eyfs and ks1 and ks2 you biy ypur own but school has stuff available too.

Out of interest how much is the filled pencil case?

That’s interesting.
@Etonmessisyum
The expectation is that yes you have to buy the school pencil case - which I haven’t and won’t be doing.

@Elephantsparade
The filled case is £12 and you get a writing pencil, ruler, whiteboard pen, glue stick, 6 colouring pencils and the case. Refills are £6.

Ouch - that is expensive

@Elephantsparade that’s what I think.
I don’t really have a problem supplying stationary - I know how tight school budgets are but I really have a problem being dictated to that I have to spend that much on buying school supplies when you can get cheaper elsewhere.

Not to mention the fact that if you have multiply children - let’s say 3 that’s £18 in too you payments and they might only need a couple of whiteboard pens and a glue stick through the year which isn’t going to cost anywhere near £18 - just feels like a rip off to me.

*top up payments not too you payments

We don't but the school is 'officially broke', that's what the teacher is telling dts so I wouldn't be surprised if it was introduced.

They can't afford to buy the usual exercise books, they've had to go to ones with thinner paper so can't use fountain pens and the younger kids are struggling with pencils. It's like the old fashioned shiny toilet paper.

Photocopying has been suspended.

It's a disgrace.

Schools are in financial trouble but it doesnt sound the best way to encourage donations.

@idontlikealdi
You’re right it is a disgrace, schools should have ample budget to cover everything they need.
I’m surprised the school I work in hasn’t suspended photocopying the amount of paper we get through - it really irritates me how we glue a photocopied sheet onto another sheet of paper just so it’s in the book - but that’s a whole other thread .

@Elephantsparade it really doesn’t, i totally get them needing parents to supply stationary due to tight budgets but really begrudge being told I have to buy from them.

Its interesting to see what other schools are doing though.

Ours doesn't charge, but I'd pay if asked. I'd imagine what their trying to do is make everyone equal, so insted of some of the kids having fancy stationery and some having nothing, they badger the people they think can afford it into overpaying, to subsidise those who can't.

Overall I see the good intention, but would much prefer them to just say "please donate what you can so we can buy some class stationery"

I'm in Ireland, these threads always amaze me. I have to send in my own pack of tissues, all stationary, including play doh and coloring books. Every copy book, all school books.
Teachers often have to buy their own art supplies as there is no budget for it.
It cost over a thousand euro to send all three DS to school in September.

No, I've never heard of that before. Dd2 is primary 1 I could afford to pay but not everyone can.
When I had Dd1 I was a teenage single parent there is no way I could have spent that money on stationary. It took me all year to save for her uniform.

No - DD's primary don't even want us sending them in with any stationary. When she started reception I got all excited & bought her a pencil case & pens etc, sent it in only to be told all stationary was provided & it wasn't needed.
She's in Yr2 now & still the same. Be interested to see if it changes when she moves into KS2.

I'm in an EU country and we have to buy everything. We get a list and it costs a bomb.
All exercise books, fully stocked pencil case, fountain pen and cartridges, highlighters, fineliners, scissors, paints, colouring pencils, sketch pad.
I was really shocked as my two had been in a UK primary before where I didn't have to send in a thing.
Costs an arm and a leg.

e is for envelope

@Cheeeeislifenow and @MartyHart - it’s interesting that you have to supply everything in the EU. I guess I begrudge being made to buy from the school as it’s not the norm and they didn’t introduce it until a couple of years ago, this is the first year I’ve been email nagged to pay up.

We don't need to provide any stationery for primary. Never have.

We provided for ks2, got a list and sourced wherever we liked, school asked for donations of supplies so they can give to families who can't afford it. They also asked for donations of glue sticks, card, boxes of tissues etc to help stretch school budgets. Ks3 and up we provided exercise books, paper and folders

My DDs school used to have a station e ry shop. Like a tuck shop but for pencils.

@gogohm see that seems like a much better way of doing things.

Ours were provided with everything in their first year. We have to replace things when needed and have a list that they bring home at the end of each term saying what they need to have. They get one day to bring in a replacement if they've lost something, so I've learnt to have a copy of everything at home.

Everything is supplied in DD primary school until about Y5 I think, when they can bring their own pencil case and things. I expect school would still supply for those who need it. All books and art/craft supplies are provided, but sometimes they ask for donations of say, empty boxes, loo roll tubes etc for making stuff.

I'd just write back and say "thank you for your reminder but I've sourced adequate supplies for DC myself as it's cheaper". Bad enough being forced to pay overinflated prices for polo shirts but if they start demanding stationery it will only encourage them to find more ways for you to fund the school.

I'm skeptical of the schools claiming to be broke. My colleague worked at a school a few years ago when it changed to an academy. The first thing the head teacher did was give himself a 30% pay rise. I've asked my DSIL how her school budget is in conversation before (she's a head teacher) and she said it was fine. There's always something they could buy to improve things if money were no object but they have more than enough for the essentials and for upgrades. Just perhaps not the all singing all dancing super new technology that ends up being a nuisance anyway.

@MilduraS that was pretty much my reply email - great minds .

State schools cannot charge for necessary stationery. They can ask for voluntary donations if they want. Personally, I think they shouldn't.