Dont schools provide basic stationery any more? Pencils, rubber, sharpener on list of 'required items' for when DD starts reception in Sept. Anyone else having to do this?

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The list also states that the following are also compulsory:

book bag
plimsoll bag
water bottle
ruler

folder for letters is optional though, how gracious!

Anyone else fork out for such basics?

I've only ever had to provide a PE bag, uniform and water bottle - not pencils etc (although both dds ended up taking their own in yrs 5&6 because it was 'the done thing').

If it means their finances are being spent on better things like more books and ed resources then I think it is fair enough but unusual.

pencils, rulers and rubbers are provided.

we had to buy a book bag, pe bag and water bottle.

( school is state primary)

Book bag, pe kit bag yes. Water bottle - only if your child isn't having milk at break time - otherwise only a drink for lunch.

Nothing else. In fact when my excited DS#2 took his new pencil case into school I was asked very politely to take it home by the teacher.

just book bag,pe bag here

is it a state school?

DD goes to private school and she has to take all this stuff in. So, pencil case with pencils, pencil crayons, ruler, eraser and sharpener.

However they do provide them at shool as well, plus other things like pens and felt tips, etc.

They say the pencil case and equipment is on the list to encourage the child into the habit of being equipped ready for later on in theri schooling.

And believe me, having been a secondary school teacher for 9 years, I was often stunned at how many children came to school without even a pen on them let alone the whole range of stuff they might need!

DD also has to take in her own PE bag, art apron, lunch tabard, satchel, colouring book and water bottle. The letter folder is provided

Yes it's a state school.

The compulsory items must be purchased from the school - as they have the school logo on. If you want them personalised that costs extra. That means I cant buy DD a pack of 24 pencils from the pound shop instead. The pencilcase is an optional purchase.

In addition to school uniforms, monthly tithe, dinner money etc etc I see this adding up quickly.

:shock: at having to bought from a certain place! Especially for a state school - are they even allowed too? I don't think state primaries can even insist on uniform can they? Let alone all this other stuff.

We can provide Dd with whatever stationery stuff that we/she wants!

Mine are at a state school - we only provide PE kit and book bag.

PE bag, book bag needed here, can take a water bottle in if you want, no stationery needed (Infants)

DS is now at the Juniors, and pencil case with pencil, pencil crayons, ruler, sharpener etc., were suggested, but not compulsory.

While im here, can I also ask whether anyone has a 'home-school agreement'?

yes we have agreement

pe bag and book bag we buy

water bottle we buy

everything else provided until year 3 when they can have their own pencil case and god its fun buyign all teh little bits and piecse I loev it

I've never heard of that in a state school before and I've worked in a few. Certainly not in the infants anyway. Even when I taught yr3, yr4 I would politely ask that pencil cases be taken home as school provided everything and the hassle that 'She's got my pen.' 'I'm not letting him borrow my rubber', caused it just wasn't worth it. Also some children had 'better' equipment than other and they knew this. (Pencil cases from £1 shops, children do know where stuff comes from and look down their noses at 'cheap' stuff. They do this earlier and earlier these days)

Also they were really into these gel pens and insisted on trying to colour in with them Once all the pencil cases went home we could then get on with the process of learning....

My son goes to private school and we haven't been asked to provide writing equipment yet though he is still in nursery

Home school agreement very common these days.

Enid - DD loves going shopping for all his bits and pieces for her pncil case in the September just before term starts. At the start of the year I let her have free rein to chose what pencil case, etc she wants. During the year - pencil case comes home weekly - I top up with cheaper bits.

At DD's school pens and felt tips not allowed, other than those provided by school.

Thanks for all your replies. Shall I also assume that its also usual to recive various 'out-of-school' activity flyers eg. for ballet, theatre schools, music, rainbows and sports organisations amid all the bumf. I just feel under so much pressure with all this, especially from such an early age.

chuck em

youll only get them at the beginning or end of term

Hi

At our state school, when the children start at the school they are given the following free of charge:
Book bag
PE bag
Water bottle.

If they are lost then you pay for them,which is fair enough. All children in recpt, Yrs 1 and2 are discouraged to bring in own pencil cases.

I would be most upset at having to buy pens from school as most youngsters will lose them within a few weeks.

Yes, we have home school agreement (state)

We have a home school agreement. I think I read it ...once Also made me that the pupil had to sign it ...at 4 mine struggled a little.

Dd is at private school and just has to have the chool book bag (logo) and pump bag (plain red with name on).

Pens, water bottles etc etc are all provided until they get into juniors.

I am almopst certain that basic equipment eg pencils HAVE to be provided. Most don't like you bringing your own as they like to use triangular pencils which help them to write better or handwriting pens when they are a bit older. Normal pencitls are not easy for the children to learn to develop a goodpencil grip with.

We just had to provide book bag, PE bag (and kit) and all the lunchbox stuff as they don't do school meals.

I think you'd be within your rights to say 'no thanks' to the idea that you have to buy pencils with the school logo on, tbh - even uniform isn't a legal requirement, they can't possibly force you to buy their pencils! And ask them where exactly the money they raise from this goes - what extra it buys that other schools don't have. I mean, if other schools manage to provide stationery, why is this school doing things differently, and what's the benefit to the children?

DD1 started yesterday - all we needed was uniform, PE kit and bag and a water bottle. She'll get a book bag from school in the next couple of weeks.
We've also had the home-school agreement thingy but havn't had any out of school bumf (yet!). TBH, I think reception is a bit early for organised out of school activities. I think dd will be shattered by Friday!

I am pretty sure that a state school cannot legally expect you to purchase their own logo'd stationery - they could insist on a certain colour and plain stuff etc instead of a 'named' item just to avoid the inevitable 'borrowing' squabbles.

Wasn't there an item in the paper this week about state schools 'weeding' out low income families by insisting on a very expensive uniform? Seems to be a similar issue to me.

I would ask for an explanation from the head personally.
It annoys me that schools have to stick to a rigid curriculum regardless of ability of the children in the class at such a low age yet it seems are allowed to introduce such rigid and financially limiting arrangements on items to be brought to school and uniforms.

dd gets book bag free. All stationary too.
We provide uniform, water bottle and pe bag (though that could be any bag you fancy - doesn't have to be logoed or anything).
Also suggested we might like to provide a painting apron, but that could be fashioned from an old shirt.