We are ready for Reception... but what about stationery??

[kate2mum]

Hi, uniform; check, shoes; check, special keyrings for her book and gym bags; check (thanks for that MN, hadn't thought of it and she will know instantly which is her bag out of 30). Cashes name tags, check.

But do children in reception start with any stationery? There is none on the letters we received, but I expect some children might take some anyway? Do you think they would mind if she took a pencil case and her own pencils/colouring pencils, etc. Or is that a no-no?

Not an earth-shattering question, so feel free to take your time.

No, best not to take anything. It would get lost and cause hundreds of arguments of the 'he's using my pencil sharpener and I don't want him to' variety. The teachers will be much happier if they arrive with book bag, packed lunch (if applicable) and nothing else.

They don't need to take any stationery :)

she can take stuff if she wants but probably doesnt need it as the school will provide it for them.

I got these for dd and ds as they were cheap.

They had these ones last year (they were cheaper then too)

They discourage it at the schools

yes take nothing in. It will get lost. immediately.

we were never discouraged from it - it was never mentioned as a good or bad thing

Don't bother.

With dd they didn't comment one way or another but by the time ds started, they advised against it as the cause of too many disputes (who borrowed what, who broke what.. Etc).

They have all they need in class.

We prefer children not to bring in stationery from home as they can get upset if someone else takes it or breaks it. They don't need any unless the school requests it specifically.

Discouraged until at least KS2, generally speaking.

Thank you! No stationery. And, actually, the way you've put it brings visions of DD screaming blue murder if ANYONE touches her pencils. She loves any type of art and so would be quite important to her.

I'm thinking the reception teacher might not think this is a good thing and everyone would be better off without.

I suppose (now!) it kind of carries on from nursery, when all equipment is communal. Personal stuff can wait until later when they are better able to handle looking after it and having OTHER CHILDREN touch it..

Another important problem solved.

Our school provide all stationery even up to year 6.

I bought all three of mine a nice set of coloured pencils when they started school but they were for use at home.

Her Hee ! This is presumably your first school starter?

Once you have had a term of sensing them in to school and having them come out on a nearly daily basis missing at least three of: coat, blazer, scarf, jumper, water bottle, violin, sports shorts etc, you will look back on the thought of providing a pencil case with gusts of hollow laughter

I have a DS going into Y6 actually, but when he was in reception seems like a lifetime ago. He is still completely disassociated from all his personal items... despite everything being named. I had to venture into the boys games changing room at the end of last term to find cricket jumper, one shoe and tie. Is there possibly anywhere more fetid than the floor of a boys changing room at the end of term?? There were socks that I think where months old that had been wet/dried out/wet again/slowly moulding...some actually appeared to be stuck to the floor.

My DD, on the other hand is very aware of her stuff, a good thing I think. But a bad thing in reception because she will have a melt down if another small person takes her pencils. Oddly I feel optimistic about her not losing clothes; but that may be completely unfounded and the first term will be pretty chaotic anyway.