DD starts school in September. I'm getting it all wrong...

[StarlightMcKenzie]

So, Have started to look at the uniform stuff.

First question. Is there any rule about when she can wear summer dresses? She's a hot thing, and looking at the rest of the uniform, I can't really see her in anything else for most/all of the year.

Second question. It isn't clear whether she should have a jumper or cardigan. She has enough buttons on her dress so assuming she's going to stick with that, so can she wear a jumper, or are they only for boys. Not clear.

Next question. Letter says must have a standard size lunch box. WTF is a standard size?

Next question. Letter says must have ice-packs/cooler things in lunch box. REALLY? Why?

Next question. Must have clear water bottle with name on. I'm guessing we don't need to get branded water or does it have to be unopened so that they know it is just water and no juice added? That will be a bit expensive right? Can I just refill it each day and write her name on with permanent marker?

[Growlithe]

Our school sells water bottles. You can get lunchboxes everywhere, especially at the moment.

If your daughter gets hot she would be better with cardigans which she can wear open. Polo shirts are quite cool. I should imagine in the middle of winter she will be very cold in a summer dress, especially as in Reception especially they have a lot of access to outside and do a lot of activities there.

i don't understand what you mean about PE, but I should imagine they will require a PE kit of T Shirt, shorts and pumps in a pump bag. Hair tied back in soft bobbles is always a good idea, especially on PE day.

[SpinningSpider]

You need to plan for a clean dress everyday. She will make it filthy. You wash everyday, can you dry overnight? If so, then 2 summer dresses and 2 pinafores will be fine. You need cardigans because they will be better with the summer dresses in warmer weather.

In winter she won't be wearing summer dresses, not when everyone else is wearing normal school dresses. She will want to wear the same as everyone else.

Our school sends letters home in the cold weather reminding us to send in coats, hats, gloves and wellies. I can't imagine they would be very happy with you sending in your dd with a summer dress on.

I am a hot bodied creature but in freezing temps I wouldn't want to be running around the playground in a summer dress.

You also need long socks, short socks and possibly tights. I think vests are a must in winter buy you might not.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

I have a boy too, about to go into year 2. I have never bought a pair of willies in my life and we are frequent campers. What on EARTH do they need them for at school?

Getting more and more confused (not to mention worried about the expense). And also a tad anxious about the amount of stuff that will have to go back and forth from school. Is it all really necessary?

(Never do gloves or hats either as ds has ASD and says they are painful to wear and subsequently completely forgot their existence for dd though she's always boiling anyhow)

[Growlithe]

Nothing except lunch and water needs to go back and forth though (until she gets reading books). PE kit is kept in school and sent home for washing at the end of each half term.

They will tell you if they need wellies. Ours do stuff outside in all weathers and you don't want her sitting in wet school shoes for the rest of the day. Thet wouldn't be needed on day one though.

She won't necessarily need hats and gloves till it gets colder and they are very cheap in the supermarkets. She will definitely need a sunhat in summer.

They don't ask for stuff in our school that isn't necessary, because there is no room for any extra stuff. It's all common sense really.

[breatheslowly]

We went to see the school that DD will go to and the lunch boxes for KS1 were lined up on shelves in direct sunlight on a hot day. An icepack or other frozen item would be a good idea to stop your DD's lunch from cooking if the store them like that. Not storing lunch boxes in full sun would also be a good idea. Eating lunch with parents may be to persuade you that they are good quality and worth signing up for.

[Spottypurse]

@ buying a pair of willies.

[curlew]

Lunch box, book bag and water bottle backwards and forwards every day. PE kit and willies stay at school. Needing wellies is a Very Good Sign. It means the school expects them to be outside in all weathers. Many don't.

[Spottypurse]

Am proper laughing now. Willies stay at school?

[OOAOML]

Some schools have painting overalls, and last year my daughter took in a baggy tshirt for painting and craft.

We've sometimes had DD going to school in a gingham dress and tights in winter - depends on laundry situation. Pinafores are quite light material, or a polo shirt and skirt should be not too hot (unless your school specifies a thick kilt or similar). Or maybe a short sleeved cotton blouse rather than a polo shirt?

If you go to most supermarkets at this time of year they will have a display of lunchboxes and water bottles which gives a good idea of standard size. We have water bottles with a freezable bit to keep the water chilled, as warm tap water is really not the nicest to drink.

[CockyFox]

It is summer dresses for summer term only at our school. I always have three of everything one to wear one to wash and one for spare and definitely don't send child to school in clothes you clearly haven't washed ie with paint on them or food down them, that piece of advice was given by my father who was at the time a headteacher, he said dirty clothes and not dressed appropriately for the weather on a regular basis can be considered a flag for possible neglect, same goes for dirty uncut finger nails apparently which means I am scrubbing DS's nails almost constantly as he plays archaeologists and scrapes in the dirt.

[Gobbolinothewitchscat]

Agreed - plan for a clean uniform every day. And also agree that DD won't want to be in a summer dress if no one else is. I know that she doesn't get cold but think of queuing up for the bell in pouring rain etc. she needs a good coat with a hood and I would have a hat and gloves available if needs be for playing outside in the winter.

[lougle]

Hi Star

DD3 is starting in September as well.

Uniform: My girls tend to wear trousers or skirt in the winter months. DD2 gets really hot, so she prefers to wear a skirt in the winter and we debate over socks or tights. DD1 is a really skinny little thing, so I insist on trousers or skirt and tights.

In the summer they wear summer dresses. I prefer to have 3, so they can wash one, wear one and have a spare in case they suddenly drop something down it as we are leaving the house. Sainsburys, tesco, etc., all tend to do summer dresses at 2 for £6 or similar.

Polo shirts are very breathable and DD2 has seemed fine. Again, supermarkets do them cheaply. Paint does not come out well, I find.

DD1 wears a jumper - most children do at her school. DD2 prefers a cardigan. She gets hot, so she's rarely worn it during the day.

Wellies: EYFS is very big on outdoors. DD3's school do a 'whatever the weather Wednesday wellie walk' each week, so have asked for a pair of wellies that can stay at school. Tesco sells them very cheaply.

Lunchbox - Schools don't have cool storage areas. Sandwiches get manky. Water bottle doesn't matter as long as it is see-through, clean and won't leak. They won't want your DD to have a bottle with an unscrew lid - they get knocked over too easily. It really needs to be one with a sucky valve.

They will want you to supply hat/gloves/scarf in the winter and a summer hat (at the right times). Supermarkets sell sets for around £5.

Organisation wise, some people buy a hat/glove/scarf that stays at school, and bring another set for their child to put on at the end of the day to go home. I have a 9 hole storage unit in my porch. The girls' bags go along the top, shoes along the bottom and then in the middle I have a box which their hats/gloves/scarves/summer hats go in. That way I know where it is for the morning.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

That's such a great idea Lougle, though easier if we had a porch.

DD painted at nursery EVERY SINGLE DAY. I think the second hand shop does items really cheaply so that is probably the answer to that, but not our tiny house that has no storage for 5 dresses plus skirts etc.. The 3 children share a very small double wardrobe and currently our towels and bedsheets are all on various piles in our bedroom - hmm.

Thinking of home-schooling................

btw, did all of you have new uniform every day? Me and My brothers only had one bottom, one top each, and I never had a school jumper as my mum put patches on the elbows which made people laugh at me.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

so no screw-top bottles but disposable sports bottles are okay minus the sugary drink.

(actually confused about this too, what are the waterbottles FOR? There is a fountain in the playground, as there was when I went to school).

[StarlightMcKenzie]

Sorry, I know this looks like I am being obtuse but it is safer to sort it all out in my head here than in rl.

[Gobbolinothewitchscat]

What about storing uniform etc in clear storage boxes under the bed? Or on hangers on a hook on the back of the door? Is there nothing of the children's/yours that can be recycled etc to make a bit of room? If not, id probably resort to storing stuff in the boot of the car to make a little bit of room, if you have one?

I really think clean uniform and a proper range is necessary. I'd prefer to find the storage rather than be incessantly washing which you'd have to do if you can only store one set

[StarlightMcKenzie]

The kids sleep in a bunk bed with a trundle for the baby. Our bed has the photo albums, and files and files of paperwork on ds under it.

Doors wouldn't open if they had hooks on back. it really is a tiny house. Boot of car has the buggy and scooters, balls, extra pairs of shoes etc already.

We're thinking of building shelving above head height in some of the rooms to put plastic boxes on though, so that might help.

[Growlithe]

But surely you would need physical resources for homeschooling which would need storage too. And the DCs would still need to be clothed.

[CockyFox]

We did have clean uniform everyday, but as mum stayed at home only two sets one to wash one yo wear.

Water bottles so they have a drink throughout the day.

[lougle]

Not every day, Star. Generally I inspect the uniform as it comes off - visible dirt/food stains, wash. Visibly clean, rewear the next day.

When I was young, we used to have knitted jumpers but they often ended up frayed, etc.

You don't have to store lots of clothes if you're willing to wash them all the time. Just bear in mind that in reception there is a lot of water play and in winter she'll splash through the mud.

[NarkyNamechanger]

You are making this all way to difficult for yourself.

Water bottles are fir drinking water out of. They aren't in the playground all day, and I'm sure there's not time for 150 children to queue up or a quick sip.

[caughtcatnapping]

A clean uniform every morning is essential imo, not necessarily freshly laundered, but they do get awfully messy in reception. My dc re-wear uniform, but only if it has no marks on it - and tbh that's relatively rare.

Can you sort out their existing clothes to make more room in the wardrobe? When they're wearing uniform 5 days a week, they need fewer 'out of school' clothes.

[lougle]

Narky I don't think Star is making it difficult for herself. She's just asking for some guidance on something new to her. Special Schools are different set-ups, so if your first born goes to Special School, no matter how old they are, your second born is your first to 'start school'.

[littleducks]

I wouldn't worry too much. Though my kids do have tonnes to take to and from school.

A normal packed lunch box as sold in all the shops will do. I would consider one with a strap so she can carry it herself (unless you still use a buggy for another child and can chuck it all on that) and space for the non lunch waterbottle inside for the journeys to and from school. We use small bottles in winter but I do send them with 500ml bottles in summer as classrooms do get hot.

I'm sure she won't be too hot in a skirt/thin trousers (all girls uniform trousers are thinner material than boys) and short sleeved shirt (not polo actual shirt, teach her to unbutton two/three buttons then pull over her head) with a jumper cardigan about to fufill rules but not to wear if genuinely hot.

She will need a decent winter coat, if she doesn't get cold it doesn't need to be really thick but certainly waterproof.