School pencil cases.

[Xihha]

My mum is really hard up at the moment and will not accept help, she is really struggling to scrape together enough money for back to school stuff for my siblings, so knowing that she wont have saved enough up to start shopping for a couple of weeks yet i plan to go and buy bits before then (in the theory that once I've bought it she cant complain).

I've go their uniform lists and know sizes but I can't find a stationary list on their school websites anywhere, Can anyone tell me what stuff they would be likely to need in their pencil cases? its for a year 9 boy and year 11 girl both at grammar school.

Can't you ask them IME all schools have slightly different set of lists.

Ah do they? I was hoping not to have to ask them as its difficult to without my mum finding out what I'm up to. I was thinking if got the general stuff then even if i've missed 1 or 2 bits its saved her some money.

List do vary, but my DC only use the basics:

Pens, Pencils, Rubber, Sharpener, Geometry Set (inc ruler), Calculator.

Blue/black pens, rubber, pencils, pencil sharpeners, pencil case, if they don't have a calculator get a Casio fx 83/85, short ruler, or long fold in half one, geometry. An a4 pad of lined paper, a folder, some of those plastic wallets with the holes down the side.

To be honest I'd take the kids out for an afternoon and get them to choose. Sainsburys for example have buy one get one free on loads of back to school stationery, including the calculators I recommended!

Another way of helping would be to ask your siblings to tell you when the school asks for money for trips etc and you help out buy paying those bits of money if you do want to help, e.g the £5 needed for a visit to a whatever, or a lecture in school etc...

Also, if you have a sibling going into an exam year, for the exam season they will need a see through pencil case. It, maybe, that you would prefer them not to have that until they need it but thought I would let you know.

Also, it isn't always necessary to buy everything new each start of school year. For example, my son only needs 3 white shirts this year. I know that is rare to need so little but, most years, I don't have to buy everything new and I wouldn't like you to have spent money on stuff that isn't actually needed.

Xihha, that's really sweet of you. I second a trip to Sainsbury's with your siblings - the 2 for 1 offer is good. Ds was coveting some rather smart project books and ended up with a small haul of stationery goodness, despite having plenty left from last year

Sorry to be a kill joy but can't they just use what they had last year? We simply replace what is worn out as & when.

:) thank you for all the advice, will take the kids to sainsburys.

Kez100, good point about the clothes, I have younger kids so still have to buy new stuff each year as nothing fits/the knees have holes in, hadn't occurred to me that teenagers haven't out grown everything.

Eastpoint, they could use the stuff from last year but it all looks scruffy as its old so they want new stuff and they both do a lot for my kids so deserve a little bit of spoiling.