School is getting so expensive

[GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat]

I genuinely don’t know how we can afford this.

We’ve just spent £600 kitting out the 3dc for the new school year. Fine. It can be pricy.

But now we’ve just had an email from school, due to COVID our boys need a school tracksuit to travel in on PE days. That £50 for two.

Now ds1 need Alevel text books at £180 and a recommended scientific calculator is £100.

We are reasonably lowish earners but not low enough to be eligible to claim anything.

How do others manage this? Nearly £1000 is just so much money.

How can they justify that for a five year old? At that age my kids barely even saw a book, apart from that Biff and Chip reading scheme.

nowait genuine question - what happens if you can't afford to purchase the books etc?

I hear you, its bloody shit
My eldest has just started secondary, its been around £500 on uniform (logo'd everything) another £100 on stationery, bags, masks etc etc and books as they can't share because of Covid. £100 on an iPhone for the homework app, which as it turns out is too old to download the app, so was a complete waste of money and at some point in the near future we need to replace it. As despite being told "its ok, you can log onto the website" you need to know at what time that particular teacher has decided to put it..

£100 a month on the school bus
£100 contribution to the school

@bookmum08 for those on low income there is a back to school allowance that they can claim from the benefits office.

@MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously by books I mean workbooks, textbooks etc

@nowaitaminute How much is the allowance. I'm assuming it doesn't allow for £600 worth of logo uniform! Completely ridiculous requiring parents to spend so much whether or not they could afford it.

It's 150ish per child

Mens shoes that are black & lace up £25. For the teen whose feet are still growing why pay more?
www.sportsdirect.com/kangol-glinton-lace-up-mens-shoes-112077#colcode=11207740