Dd1 started prep and the parent group outsourced the book list sales - so the local newsagent did it last year and the school got a cut - very small payment so we are looking at a different supplier - who will do it at a reasonable price and provide the school with an appropriate payment for referring parents there.
You have a choice though - you can do it through the supplier or you can go to the shops and do it yourself.
When it comes to next year - I will see what it works out to get it at the local equivalent of walmart etc or get it through the school supplier.
In that process - you make payment to school - school send massive cheque with list of names to supplier - a couple of weeks later - you go and pick up your plastic bag of supplies.
For Prep - 1st year compulsory mainstream schooling - 3 glue sticks, box of tissues, scrap book, display folder, box of tissues, ream of paper. Think that was all.
For special needs unit that dd1 attends - roll of paper towels
2 containers of liquid soap
packet of baby wipes
2 scrap books
2 glue sticks
It all then goes in a central pot and those resources are used for the class.
Here in Aus we have a school uniform - not totally compulsory but is iyswim. School policy is that students attending this school will wear the uniform - although dd1 wears pink trainers instead of the black - only ones that will fit her orthotics and she can wear.
THey have a few options - polo shirt with school crest, shorts, school blouse with skort, dress. WInter - jumper, track pants, tights if wearing dress.
So we bought school labelled things except for jumpers and track pants - just bought navy - why - dd1 needs five sets -t he jumpers are almost $30 dollars a piece ( school crest ones)
Her uniform costs are as follows:
shorts - $25, polo shirt - $25, dress - $50, skort $30, blouse $30.
As dd1 tends to get messy every day - we needed five uniforms. So she has three polo shirts and shorts, a dress, blouse and skort.
Thankfully I have three dds so some of it will get a wear second time round. But it is expensive.
Oh and we needed a library bag and a cushion for rest time. Thankfully cushion can be recycled for dd2 as well.
But it certainly gets expensive. We as a parent group are looking at getting school cloth badges made that parents can then attach to plain navy polo shirts - that way they can get cheap navy polo shirts and then just iron the badge on.
But for kindy that sounds huge califrau.
When the dds attended kindy - not compulsory and we pay fees - around $14 a day - either do 2 days a week, 3 days or a 5 day fortnight. You also pay a resource levy and that provides all the resources.