So what do I need which the school HAVEN'T told us about?

[LunarSea]

Ds starts reception in a couple of weeks. But the list the school have given us of what he needs is literally "sweatshirts, poloshirts, trousers, t-shirt and shorts for PE". There has to be more to it than that, surely?
Plimsoles presumably? And trainers for outdoor sports? What else should I be getting that the school have just assumed is obvious (but isn't to me)?

My school doesn't require anything for PE - bare feet and pants is how they do it! - so I wouldn't worry.

They do have a special book bag however - does he need a bag of some sort?

For our school the plimsoles are for outdoor games and bare feet for indoor, you need lunch box, flask, book bag, ummmm thats it I think.

Little ones may well use plimsolls outside and barefeet inside depending on what they are doing. Wait and ask on the first day they probably won't do PE much for the first week or so anyway. Some sort of coat, in basic school colour perhaps, but again it won't be needed to begin with.

pimsoles, yes but you don't need anything else bar a PE bag and a book bag. Coat, obviously.

Everything else is provided by the school.

Some schools do PE barefoot - 4-7 yr-olds usually do PE entirely indoors, so check with another parent or the school before buying plimmies; and almost certainly won't need trainers.

Make sure you name everything. Ds2 once had a supply teacher* on a PE day in reception, and all the kids came home in each other's clothes!

If he's having packed lunches make sure he has a lunchbox with a secure closing mechanism (so that it doesn't spill all over the floor), but that he can manage to open himself.
Dinner money if he's having school meals.

Make sure he has a coat he can manage easily himself (and always send him in it as they often play outside even when it's damp).

Make sure he has shoes he can do himself.

That's all I can think of atm.

*That isn't a dig at supply teachers, just that their regular teacher had a strict routine. "Everyone take off your sweatshirt and hang it over the back of your chair ... Right, now everyone take off your shoes and put them under your chair ... etc.!"

Our school sells bookbags (£1.50?) fro once they start taking books home.

Most schools sell their own book bags and will probably tell you about this in th efirst few weeks.

PE - usually reception only do indoors PE for a term or two so don't need them. Indoors PE is usually barefoot.

At our school they get given the bags free
And they are lovely satchel-type bags too with several pockets and the school motto and emblem on them.

DS started school in reception last week - all he needed was what is on your list, plus rucksack, old shirt for painting in, plimsoles + t-shirt for PE, and two pencils (which kind of means a pencil case too!). Since started I have also discovered that he needs a play piece and water bottle/drink for break time. Duh. In my defence - it wasn't on the flippin' list!!!!

I know what you mean though - tbh I'm finding it all a bit more bewildering than ds. It doesn't help that the communications from school verge towards the enigmatic which for us first timers is a bit alarming. Having said that - what's the worst that can happen if you forget something? Your Ds will soon put you right! In a few weeks time we will be old hands and wondering what we were worried about....