School Uniform for reception starters.....When? Where from? How many of trousers/shirts etc ?

[herbgarden]

DS is my first to go off to school.

So,

(1) When do you buy uniform - DS will be just 4 in July and is quite little (and skinny). Don't want to be the mum joining the queues in late August or hunting for stuff like small sizes which is sold out.

(2) Where is your preferred place to buy in terms of wash/wearability ?

(3) How many of shirts/trousers do you buy. DS is a scruffy urchin so I don't expect him to be that clean at the end of the day...

(4) Do they have to have proper school shoes?

(5) Do you buy them a "school" coat??

Advice pleasse !
Thank you !

(1) june, buy a size too big.

(2) M&S 3for2 or Tesco for price, Next for wearability

(3) dd is incredibly messy so i bought her a uniform per day (shirt, tights/socks, pinafore/skirt/pants and jumper/cardigan) plus a set out PE uniform.

(4) No you don't have to but if you buy them a good pair of shoes just for school they do last, look neat and mean that you can let them wear their non-school shoes messing around outside without having to worry about them having clean shoes for school the next day

(5) I did, it's freezing round here and we walk plus it's very muddy meaning that if they play out they invariably get covered so i like them to have a coat that's clean for school and a grungy one for messing around in after school.

I would be careful about school schools and would wait until July/ August to buy them as I find both my children tend to go up a shoe size over the summer holidays.

I get my dd school shoes from Clarkes or startrite as they will last her all year. My ds goes through a pair of shoes at least once a term. So I have him measured at Clarkes and then buy him leather upper shoes from Marks or John Lewis or somewhere like that. Last school year my son did 5 pairs of school shoes.

I buy 3 pairs of trousers/ pinafores, 3 school logo polo shirts and 3 plain polo shirts, 10 pairs of socks/ tights and 3 school jumpers and a school fleece. I buy the uniform from M&S and from the school.

Also dont forget to get PE kits. Mine have 1 pair of black shorts, 1 plain white t-shirt, 1 black tracksuit, 1 pair of trainers, 1 pair of plimsolls.

My children also need Wellies once a month.

I bought both of my childrens school coats from Next and they have a waterproof coat (Mac) which I bought from Millets that they keep at school through the summer.