1st day - what do they need?

[ASecretLemonadeDrinker]

I should have asked but I didn't think DS is starting school 7th sept but I have no idea what he needs. Do I send him with spare pants/trousers like nursery? Pencil case? School bag? I bought the school book bag, but does he need a rucksack or something? THanks :)

If he's having school dinners then he'll just need the book bag.

I'd put a spare pare of pants in his PE kit bag, probably, so that they'll be there if and when he needs them.

At our school they just need their book bags and pe bags.

hth

BIG HUGS

just the book and pe bag for now.. lunch bag if having a packed lunch obviously.. I also have a DD starting reception and this is just an exciting time !!!!!!!!

DD starts school two weeks today. On her first day she will take her book bag and pe bag. They get given fruit at snack time and will be given a water bottle as well.

She'll only be staying until 12pm the first week and then 1pm the next week when she'll take her lunchbox as well.

They don't need pens/pencils etc.

Although I need to buy her school shoes (and nearly year 2 DS). May wait until after pay day for that one

Oh Thank you for asking!

Littlemad starts 2 weeks today sob and I'm dreading having missed some odd secret note about a vital bit of kit they are supposed to have on the first day.

Good tip about the spare pants in the PE kit - do they take that EVERY day???

At DS's school they take the PE kit in at the start of each half term and it lives in school until the end of that half term when it gets a much-needed wash.

You can usually leave the pe kit in school for the week.....dont forget trainers or plimsoles!

Thanks - I shouldn't have started on this thread, I didn't realise how much I didn't know.

really PE kit getting washed every 5 weeks.

Poo need to buy a PE bag as well.

Our Pe kit has to be left in school til each half term, then it comes home for a wash. They frown on it being taken home at any other time, though I have smuggled DS'a outdoor kit home sometimes!

I have no idea what sort of lunch he is having, he goes 1/2 days for the first 2 or 3 days, hopefully we will be told then what to do (and how many have school/packed as I don't want him to end up eating alone ). Does he need socks for plimsoles? Good thinking about the P.E kit for pants - I don't want to be losing his school trousers by sending in spares. Ah, actually he only has shorts for P.E Shall I send in some plain black trackie bottoms too, or another pair of school trousers?

my goodness, P.E kit only home at half term?! I stupidly let DH buy the school uniform and the receptionist told him they only need 1 p.e top so changed my order - maybe this is why My D.S goes to church and manages to come out filthy!

It actually wasn't nearly as disgusting as I would have imagined when it came home at half term. His PE kit looked significantly better after a half term's use than his normal uniform does after a single day.

They spend very little time in their kit. Half the session is spent getting changed then into the gym/hall for a short session, then the rest of the time getting changed again.

I have two complete pe kits bar plimsoles (only one pair) one white t-shirt (came in pack of two) sports socks (came in pack of 3) and black shorts (bought two), and I rotate, them on a friday! Makes me feel happier

Oh thank you for this thread. I knew someone would have asked all this before

I can stop hunting for the Ben 10 pencil my friend bought ds for starting school. It seems unlikely, be we actually don't appear to have a single pencil in the whole house.

(First day of school tomorrow [wibble])

Is it half days starts?
If so - book bag and coat, sunhat if sunny.

PE bag will be needed at some point but unlikley to be 1st day.
Snack and drink might be needed, but some school provide, 1st day its not likely everyone will remember anyway so school will cope and cover.

Ooh thanks for this thread, made me feel a bit less panicky and stupid for not knowing what we're supposed to be doing!

Does the school have a website? They may have a uniform list which says about PE kits etc.

My DS2 starts on the 7th. He will have school lunches and will take:

1. a book bag (empty!), which the school will use for his reading book, reading record and any notes to be sent home. oh, i amy give him a water bottle.

1. PE kit in a school PE bag - for Reception this is shorts, T Shirt, Plimsoles (in Year 1 we moved to trainers and tracksuit bottoms, but Reception children seemed to do outdoor PE in normal uniform). This is left at school until half term.

The school have spare clothes if there are accidents, but they always have the PE kit for emergencies.

DS's school provide morning snack, but you can put a piece of fruit in bookbag for afternoon.

At some stage, they may ask for a pair of wellies to be kept at school.

If in doubt, phone the office. I found that they did expect me to know all sorts of things, eg the PE kit, and I had to ask parents with children in older years.

Enjoy - it is great fun. x

My DS1 (DC2) starts shortly also. He will do 2 days until 12, the following week until 1, and then full time.

He will take:

1. An empty school book bag. Our school like the children to hang a keyring or two of their choice on the handle - so the children can identify their bag quickly at home time.

1. A water bottle, clearly labelled with their name. (These sit in class and the children can drink anytime they wish)

1. PE kit in suitable draw-string PE bag - for Reception during the first term this is black or navy shorts and a white T-Shirt. They do not go outside for the first two terms so there is no need for plimsoles/trainers or outside kit.

The school have spare clothes if there are accidents, but they always have the PE kit for emergencies.

Obviously once he is in all day I will send a lunch box also. DS's school provide morning snack, they do not have a snack during the afternoon break.

At some stage, they may ask for a pair of wellies/a waterproof/suncream/a sun hat to be kept at school, they will let you know this in due course.

Oh this thread makes me long for simpler times like when my daughter started school in England. We're now overseas where I've already had to spend 89€ on ds's school bag and 50€+ on his jotters, pencils etc for him starting school in 3 weeks time. I've said to many times to dh this week "dd started school with only an empty book bag!!".

Has the school not told you?
Because I think it varies a lot between school to school.

You will definitely need bookbag
you might need

• lunchbag and lunch (if having packed lunches and staying for lunch)
• PE Bag and kit (DC's school don't get children to change until after Christmas and then they bring it home every week for washing)
• water bottle (some schools provide, others allow them optionally, others strongly encourage you to bring your own)
• raincoat/suitable outdoor wear/sun hat (depending on the weather)
• anything you've been asked to do over the summer to bring in as an "icebreaker" (at DC's school they had to draw a picture of their family)
• indoor shoes (if school requires)
• wellies (if school requires)
• spare clothes (although I would expect Reception to have spares and not require parents to bring them in unless their child had particular toileting concerns)
• snack (if school doesn't provide, or can't guarantee supplies at start of term)

I would start with the minimum and rely on school to tell you what you need :)

Do try to find out if they actually need plimsolls - DD's school don't take Yr R children outside for PE until late in the Spring term, so told us specifically not to send plimsolls, they won't get used but will get outgrown!

Crap, I spent £9 on Clarks plimsolls (they were on the general uniform list in the prospectus but no specific mention of which year groups need them) and now I bet he doesn't need them!

Thanks for all the info!