Do they need a backpack for recepion or is a bookbag enough? And do they have snacks at morning break?

[swingsandbitches]

That's it really.

Can't get through to the school so just wondering if I should buy an actual backpack and snack bag/box for morning break. I've bought two drawstring bags for spare uniform and PE kit and I'm getting her a book bag with the school logo if a backpack isn't necessary.

The trick with a coat is to get a patterned one, then the dirt doesn't show as much .
I prefer colourful patterned ones, easier to spot, especially if you normally walk to school.

Thank you BluePitchFork! That means DD gets her pink coat so happy days!

I've been able to buy everything in one day so thank you everyone for your replies.

Sorry, only refreshed the first page so didn't see the last two replies.

I'll go for a dark yet bright colour (if that makes sense) with a pattern all over instead of the light pink

I'm wondering about skipping book bags this time around. They're not compulsory at our school. Ds used to shove jumpers and water bottles in his and ended up with squashed up and on occasion soggy books. Rucksack has separate compartments. And books can go in a plastic folder inside.

I wouldn't start by sending in spare uniform. In reception they are used to accidents and have spares of everything which parents then wash and return.

I hate bookbags which always seem to fall apart and hold very little of use but they are usually compulsory in reception and key stage 1 I thought?

My DC only take a back pack if they are having a packed lunch.
Book bags go in on Tuesday and come back on a Friday.
School provide water bottles, snack is £1.50 a week (needs to be in an envelope).
PE kit lives in school only brought home for holidays.
Mine younger ones have one jumper that fits and one in the next size up, two pairs of bottoms, three polo shirts, shoes and thinish waterproof coat.

Teacher here...

Please don't put books and water bottles in the same bag! I don't care whether you carry them in sacks or suitcases... but please keep school books away from water bottles.

Thank you!

Well quite Dull. Except DS' previous school had compulsory book bags, no other bags allowed! I even sewed a loop on so we could attach the water bottle outside, but everything still came home inside. Not to mention the fun of having 30 reception kids and 30 identical bags to sort out. Just why??

I rather have wet books ocassionally than posture damage due to book bags.

Eh? It's the book bags that tend to cause wet books because they don't have separate compartments. Though even with a water bottle I really don't think they have anything heavy enough to carry around that it would damage their posture, not in reception. Except maybe the week DS chose the encyclopedia as his library book. We kept that at home till the next library day.

With my children itvwas just a book AG & separate PE drawstring bag in reception. There was nowhere to store backpacks.

Water bottles were kept in school & morning break fruit/milk provided (in fact it wasn't allowed to take own snacks in)

Posture damage??

In reception the most a book bag will contain is a thin reading book, possibly a library sheets & an A4 homework worksheet/spellings list.

Maybe it's from the weight of advertising literature that gets stuffed in there balletgirl? ;)

Haha!

The first head did give out lots but the new head banned it but did put flyers for holiday clubs etc in the reception area.

If you find you don't need the backpack on a daily basis, it will still be useful for school trips (and home trips too of course).

A bright coloured coat will also mean you can spot her more easily on the playground, even if it does have to be washed now and again!

In reception the most a book bag will contain is a thin reading book, possibly a library sheets & an A4 homework worksheet/spellings list.

and lunch bag (if on packed lunch), pe kit, jacket/jumper etc no way is my dc carrying 2/3 different things (and forgetting half of it) if all can fit easily and posture friendly in a backpack.

Check the school website or on fb groups. Our school don't allow backpacks (no space) and bookbags go in the drawers. Don't panic about having everything for the first day, you can always buy something you need in the first week. Ours aren't allowed to bring snacks for playtime except for fruit (often provided free for reception). I ended up buying several water bottles and a million cardis as these are the things that mine lose!
You sound so organised, you've almost motivated me to make a list :)

In reception PE kits usually sits in school & are sent home to be washed every half term. (They don't really do enough to get sweaty)

Admittedly no one had packed lunch at my children's school.

Check with the school. The school my children attended and the two I have worked in state NO rucksacks due to space constraints. Lunch bags go on a lunch trolley and book bags either go in the individual's tray or (as in my current school) in one crate where the staff can check reading books etc.

At the dc's school all the storage is set up around each child having 1 book bag and 1 PE bag + lunch box if necessary (v high uptake of school dinners though).

Also with coats, check with the school. My children had to have plain black or navy (yes even in reception) but where I work there are no rules about coats.

Teacher here:

You'll just need a book bag and PE bag. Generally a back-pack is too bulky for the little ones and there very often just isn't the space for them in a Reception classroom.

You may also want to provide a water bottle.

I'd also advise putting a spare pair of knickers and socks in the bag.

Even children who haven't had an accident out of the house in years can end up having one in Reception. It's nothing to worry about, but they feel a lot happier in their own pants and socks than in borrowed ones.

My Dts start reception in September and they just need book bag and bag of spare clothes. No P.E. kit needed as uniform is sweatpants and sweatshirt so they just do it in that.
Book bags go in trays, spare clothes on peg in cloakroom/toilets with coats. (reception kids all have their own toilets just outside their classroom). Backpacks are only required from KS2 i think.
Water bottles are taken in on the first day and kept in school.
Our school does snack as self serve so they have fruit and milk/water out for about half an hour and kids can eat if hungry and if not then no problem.

As a teacher, backpacks are an absolute pest and we strongly discourage them. The cloakrooms are just not big enough to house them.

Sorry I'm Hijacking a bit here! Quick question do they need 2 different bottles, one for lunch box and one for during the day? I ordered a small book bag as stated by dds school so where do I store the day water bottle?! Its all such a minefield, nursery was much more simple!