Reception newbie: where do I buy everything, please?

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DS1 starts in Reception in September, and I've told him we can go shopping together to get some of his school bits. So, to avoid dragging endlessly round the shops, I want some tips on the best places to go for:

Uniform - grey trousers, pref elasticated or very easy fastening, and black shoes (Clarks?) - I think the rest comes through the school.
Lunchbox and drinks bottle - I'm thinking nice funky colours but not branded characters
Schoolbag/rucksack (ditto)
Anything else? Do they need pencil cases and stuff?

Please don't recommend Tesco, as I hate Tesco we don't have one nearby. Thinking of a trip to Bluewater, so maybe M&S, JL etc?? Help please!

At least 5 shirts and be prepared to buy more throughout the term. No amount of Vanish or Persil will shift the sort of dirt a child picks up happily at school.

I found my son went through jumpers quickly for the same reason, so at least 3 and do a wash on Wednesday night. :)

By the summer term he needed two sets of PE kit as they did games outside twice a week and each time he would come home filthy.

Goodbyn lunch boxes are unusual but will help you avoid the Lunch Box Packaging Police. They also last forever (character lunch boxes break very easily).

Blimey, really?! I have a toddler as well, so I do washing at least every other day, so surely I could get away with four shirts [pleads]? And I should be ok with one PE kit because it only gets sent home once every half term [bleeuurrgghh emoticon]. We do have to get quite a lot of stuff through the school. And on swimming day they go to school in their tracksuit, which is all very nice and laid back, but it's one more damned thing I have to buy (plus it means I'll have to buy trainers as well as PE plimsolls - sigh...). It's looking like an expensive summer.

Does the school allow polo shirts? Or do you have to have proper shirt and tie?If polo shirts are allowed, then they are dirt cheap in the supermarkets. I buy 2 packs of 3. Sainsbury's had packs priced at £2 last summer, so really not expensive. Also, you could ask the school if they have a second hand shop - always worth a look. Ours does, and they sell stuff priced from 50p.

Yes, they have polo shirts, but they have to be logo ones, bought through the school. I did ask about second hand, but they said they just didn't have any at the moment.

State primary schools can't insist on uniform, it's supposed to be optional! Try telling that to the teacher. Our school had logoed polo shirts, but in the winter all you can see is the collar so no-one buys them after Reception. They are so cheap in supermarkets or M & S. I prefer the Debenhams ones. For socks, allow for massive shrinkage if you tumble dry them. I usually get a size too big and wash and dry them twice before they wear them.

Also make sure you label everything, including socks, pe clothes swimming trunks etc.

When they have swimming days try to use the same towel and pants so your child can recognise which are his.

Personally, I prefer to buy new socks than to label them!

Fair point Ellen just in my experience some parents have come and moaned that their child has lost their socks and could I find them!! ( Am a TA BTW)