How much did it cost to kit out your Yr7 for state secondary?

[YogaDrone]

DS is year 6 and moving to secondary in September. We are very lucky that we were offered our first choice (and closest) school.

I'm doing a quick add up of how much it's going to cost and it's coming in at almost £1000 I'm not complaining - I knew it would be expensive - but with uniform plus PE kit coming in at £300, plus shoes, football & rugby boots, winter coat, compulsory iPad (£400), locker fee, iPad apps, text books, set reading texts plus Rumsfeldian known unknowns it's all adding up quickly. I'm very glad DS can cycle to school and doesn't need a £300 a term bus pass.

AIBU to ask how much it cost to get your child all of the kit and caboodle they needed to start year 7?

And, do you think this is a reasonable amount to spend for a state school?

Wow that's a lot! I don't know exactly, but probably similar to everyone else. About £300.
We didn't need extra football boots because he plays anyway.
The most expensive item was his specialist gumshield which he doesn't use any more and probably won't fit by the time he next needs it anyway (grrr) it was £65. He complained so much about the DIY one we got from Sports Direct though we caved.

Uniform was about £220 which includes both branded and unbranded stuff. Don't count his stationary - we had all that gubbins anyway. And we bought him a calculator (Which he's never used) which was about £12. We bought a dictionary and thesaurus too. We don't buy text books. The school supply those.

Our biggest outlay is half termly train fees, which are £110. And feeding him. Which is about £3.50 a day plus packed snacks. Was our choice to send him to somewhere he needs public transport though so that's on us.

Iloveredwine a rental system sounds ideal. There is a "scheme" but it still involves paying £380 upfront and then £17 per month for 24 months. I can't imagine many people opt for this as it's not much different to buying one new! Although you do get tech support and insurance included.

cloudymelonade yes you'd think wouldn't you? I guess because it's an academy it gets to set it's rules.

At my son's primary they all have a tablet but the school provide them and they don't take them home. They're also not hideously expensive iPads!

Ours is one of the apple schools as well. They gave us the first case free and a few on it looks disgusting but no damage yet to the iPad. Can't believe your school won't have the same affiliation with Apple. The insurance covers all damage and a few have dropped it etc and screens replaced within the week. I have to admit they use it a lot in and out of school and all notices are sent to the children through their classroom app. Homework apps and maths apps as used every day.

sugarbum DS has an Optima fitted gum shield as he plays rugby out of school anyway. At least we won't have to get another of those (though a gum shield is compulsory as part of the PE kit).

I'm probably getting a bit over excited. Perhaps when more info starts coming through I'll find that my costs will come down and some things which are listed as compulsory aren't as compulsory as they seem. Not the iPad though - I know that's compulsory from other parents I know who have older children at the school and from the Head's rant talk about it during parent's open evening.

ipad rental: £15 pm
Blazer £33
Tie £6
Skirt: £20
PE top £20
Pe polo £15
PE shorts £10
PE socks £6
Locker: £18 per year
Maths set/calculator: £10
Design tech/art materials: £10

plus non-marking daps, football boots, mouthguard, shin guards, skins, PE bag but these don't have to be logo'ed ones.

You can supply your own ipad and pay £30 I think to get the school software on it, you'd have to show you had insurance. The school ones come with hard covers and various apps blacklisted. They use them constantly in some very imaginative - to me- ways.

dc's school uniform supplier has good prices, but takes 4-6 weeks for delivery. and it's online only...

Iloveredwine and GarthFunkel that's interesting, thanks. Yes, the children do seem to use the iPads in most lessons. The school are running several sessions in July where you take your child's iPad in and they give you the child's login credentials and set it up on the school network domain. They've already given a list of the apps required for Y7.

greenelephantscarf 4-6 weeks? Wow. I'll make sure I order early just in case. The school has two uniform suppliers but one of them seems to be 10% more expensive than the other for the same items

It does seem pricey and I hope there is some kind of PP provision for iPads - especially if it’s your local school, it’s hardly a choice is it.

For my son I’ve budgeted £250: blazer is £60 (ordered from school this month so it arrives in time for transfer day which seems incredibly early!) house games top £25, tie £6, house socks £7 from school. Trousers and shirts from M&S probably, cheap lightweight waterproof coat to go in his bag, shoes and trainers, swimming trunks. Maybe rugby boots if they’re compulsory but he isn’t sporty so no specialist gear beyond that.

£360, 7 years ago.

What pushed the costs up were the school insisting on their brand and logo for blazers and sports kit.

I think it was under £300 all inc.

Not too much. There isn't a lot we need branded. Blazer, tie, jumper are logo'd but not shirts or trousers. Then a pe t-shirt, there is a jumper that I got for DD but she has never worn it. Shorts and craft apron I got from the uniform shop, socks from sports direct. Then bag and shoes. Football boots are the most annoying as she only wears them half a dozen times, but they will do for ds.

Less than £100! Generic uniform plus school badge to sew on (£4), pe kit was £52. School bag I suppose but they just used the home computer. It's not state school if they are demanding iPads!

Ps, dd is now at private school and the uniform and kit was about £400 but it's boarding so it included new pj's, bedding etc! School provides laptops, we pay £10 a year insurance.

in theory dc's school also wants pupils to have the same trousers.
they fit badly and I bought m&s (love that shop) generic ones in a similar colour that actually fit.

It cost us c £200, maybe a bit less. And that included some one off, or at least intermittent costs, such as a rucksack, PE bag and scientific calculator.

I am appalled at the request to purchase an iPad for school. Education should be free to all and if you 'need' an iPad the school should provide it (it doesn't matter if they are an academy or LA school the principal is the same).

Ours was about £600 for the first year. BUT that included a shirt and trousers for each day, so five of each, rugby kit, PE kit, blazer, tie, bag, calculator, pencil case and stationery, coat, gloves, hat, 3 jumpers (which he never wore and I’ve now given up buying). We’ve never had to buy a laptop or iPad (but he has those anyway and they’ve just been upgraded to new ones), no textbooks. Any online material they use can be accessed on a PC, laptop, iPad or phone.

Private School
Entire uniform from 2nd hand shop - including 2 skirts, 5 long sleeved winter shirts and 5 short sleeved summer shorts £132.
PE hoody - new style so not yet in 2nd hand shop, not compulsory. £35
PE bag - £19
Two day bonding trip - £120.

About £200 for uniform and games kit, plus £400 for compulsory iPad.
Comprehensive school.

I'm shocked at the compulsory ipad.

DD hasn't needed football or rugby boots. But don't buy them both together if it is a case of football in winter term and rugby in spring as he might have outgrown one lot before they are even worn.

Why text books and set reading texts? We have never needed to buy these.

About £320

Badged Blazer £34
Shirts x 4 £28
Trousers X 2 £22
Tie £7.50
Badged PE Polo £17
Badges Rugby Shirt £21
Tracksuit £23
Shorts £6.75
PE Socks £7
School Shoes £45
Trainers £15
Trainers £30
Backpack £16
Calculator £12
Bike Shed £10
Locker Fee £10
D & T Contribution £12

Plus a pencil case and some basic pens/ruler etc.

Don't bother with a winter coat by the way. No-one wears them!

Private school, and we have iPads. There was a "scheme" but it worked out more expensive, so we bought new. Insurance covered on household contents anyway, if stolen, and a new screen only cost £80 to replace so we just paid. We found a great (not Apple, but Apple approved) repairer locally. They also fix things for free sometimes, especially for kids :-) Things like stuck earphone jacks etc.

P.s. Almost everyone drops them in the first year, and they always fall screen down :-( I eventually resorted to an all encompassing, top and bottom cover.

Can't understand the paying for apps, we never have, and I understood they came free from Apple as educational apps.

We spent about £400

About £200 for uniform and shoes.

Yr 8 turned out to be very cheap though as the only new things needed were school shoes.

at a state school insisting on a £400 iPad!