Stationary for Y7 starters

[trumpetoftheswan]

What do they need for the first couple of days?

There hasn't been a list or anything from the school, so I'm guessing couple of pens, ruler, couple of pencils, rubber and sharpener?

Every couple of weeks we do a pencil case check - sharpen all the coloured pencils and replace anything missing and bin anything broken/run out.
I agree with this. Though I forget, and find that my child has been writing with an orange pencil that isn't even his. I think I will have to get him into the routine of a Monday morning pencil case check as he remembers his books for each day but forgets to restock pens when he gets home as the moment has passed.

quieter/well-prepared/more diligent students
Quieter?

Is DC's school the only one that sells basic stationery (at reasonable cost)? Worth finding out if your school does, OP - it will save you, for example, having to stockpile 10 protractors (I say protractors because the DC seem to go through them at a rate of knots and it's quite tricky to find a single protractor when you want one - thank goodness for school shop!)

Check what pens are allowed, we weren't allowed to use Biro, it had to be a real ink pen of some form.

red
Every school I've worked at has had a supplies shop or the ability to buy equipment at the library/student reception.

It's usually cheap and cheerful for when things run out or get broken. I probably wouldn't have bought the whole initial kit there though.

Thanks Maisy that's good to know. On threads like these it always seems to be highlighted that you should keep spares at home in case of items being lost/broken/stolen - so figured it was good for those with new secondary school children to be made aware that their school shop may also be able to plug this gap!

(At DC's school they actually sell an "initial kit" package - it was competitively priced i.e. the same as anywhere else, and certainly saved lots of angst over the "right sort" of pen/calculator etc - I hadn't realised until MN that this wasn't standard!).

Buy lots of spares. I have a stationery eater. Yes literally. He also takes calculators to pieces.

I just spend around £50 for stationery for DD. We made a deal which I hope makes her realising how much stuff costs and keep her more aware where her things are.

I pay once a year for items she likes. If she looses it or breaks it because she can’t be bothered to be careful she gets it replaced with the most boring items available, anything fancy needs to be paid by her.

This is now I survived secondary school, also the need for the 4th fountain pen was crushed when I realised I had to pay for them myself. DD loved the pens at Paperchase so I hope she is careful and won’t share (I know she hated that a boy on her table on Y6 always used her stuff).

I am just glad that I don’t have to buy books and workbooks. I am from Germany and we always got a list of books and workbooks to buy before school started, plus Any literacy books we discussed during the year which was easily around. £50-75 per year for books only.