Year 7- Best Purchase?

[crisscrosscranky]

I've just spent an obscene amount of money on a good quality backpack. What was your best Year 7 purchase and why?

[reluctantbrit]

Emergency stationary at home, we have a second pencil case with the basics plus protractor and pair of compasses as DD’s School answers with detention if equipment is not there.

Plastic wallets for the workbooks and single sheet of paper.

Decent water bottle, no childish umbrella.

Small makeup bag with spare knickers, some pads and tampons for her locker. We had that even before DD had her period.

[Sandybval]

Kankens are terrible quality imo, especially for the eye watering price. Vans or sports brands like Nike are usually the best quality, and most people 'trendy' them up with keyrings etc.

[SweetMarmalade]

This is ds’s from Mountain Warehouse and it’s been fab! Will definitely not be needing a new one yet!

www.mountainwarehouse.com/merlin-30l-backpack-p18409.aspx/black/

[SweetMarmalade]

Ds backpack was from Mountain Warehouse and has survived Y7!

He uses the back section for school books, mid section for PE kit and lunch box (use boot bag for muddy trainers) and the front section for his water bottle, morning snacks. He did use to put his water bottle in the side netting but this proved to be a magnet for some and it was often taken out and thrown around so we bought him a bottle small enough to go inside the front zip compartment.

Highlighter pens/different coloured pens for when they’re marking their own work, decent protractor set, we’ve recently bought the bendable one but think we’re going to upgrade to metal.

[zafferana]

I can't understand why those Kanken backpacks are so expensive - £75 for a little canvas bag with the simplest webbing straps imaginable?

[MoverOfPaper]

16l Kanken-Thanks

[helpIhateclothesshopping]

I bought a rubber stamp that you can make up your own words and a permanent ink stamp and used it to save time labelling everything in year 6 before the residential. Still use it (now end year 7)and handy for odd bits and bobs of kit.
My other best buy was spare second hand PE kit (tops mainly) for those days when they come home in filthy kit and need to wear it again next day. DD keeps spare kit in her locker to avoid detentions for forgetting.

[MollyButton]

Tip ex was banned at DCs school. A supply of green pens was useful - Sainsburys often didn't have them.
Cheap Backpacks lasted longer than the one expensive one I got (and middle DD choose to have large "handbags" rather than backpacks pretty early on).
Really useful things I bought were "clip lock" type containers for food tech ingredients - lots of sizes.

[ChippyMinton]

Yes but you won’t be thanked for sewing them into their secondary school uniform, except PE kit. Sticky labels are ok though for valuables, and a phone number is useful, as is form.

[crisscrosscranky]

@ooopsupsideyourhead I ordered about 500 embroidered name tags when she started primary and still working my way through them 🤣

[ChippyMinton]

A spare door key for when they lose theirs.

And if in London, a spare Oyster card loaded with a few quid for when they lose theirs. Yes, you will have to suck up paying full fare until you get a replacement ZIP but they won’t be able to travel without one.

[ChippyMinton]

5p on a Sports Direct carrier bag (used for carrying sports kit)

And bumper packs of Bic biros and glue sticks

Oh, and sticky back plastic. Get it now, even if you think it won;t be needed, because the shops will be bare in September.

[ooopsupsideyourhead]

Another teacher here 👋

A Sharpie, for you. To write their name on every bit of uniform.

Please. Please. Please.

[crisscrosscranky]

For those asking DD's kanken is a 16l

[ExpletiveDelighted]

My two have steadfastly refused to use folders and survived perfectly well with the "all shoved loose in their bags and left on the kitchen table" system (going into years 9 and 11 now). We haven't got space for magazine files for each subject (2xDC with a total of about 25 subjects at one point). They do each have a magazine rack in the kitchen where I put any of their school stuff that gets left out and we have a third one for books we've bought ourselves (study guides etc). There are some mornings when they are rummaging around frantically for a sheet of paper but neither has ever missed the bus. They also get pretty good at getting their friends to send pictures of anything they've lost and a lot of their work is online now anyway. DS has decided to up his game with filing for year 11 though.

[Winningatseesaw]

What size fjallraven kranken bag is best? I want to buy online for my niece. Any recommendations on best sites? Super expensive but am sure it's the one she wants

[lalaandpo]

DS has just finished year 7. I did the box file thing and then a few weeks in it turned out that unless there's homework, the teacher's keep hold of their books. Which is a win for DS as less to carry.

He has a Nike backpack which cost £25, very strong and durable.

2 ties was a worthwhile thing!

I gave him a plastic flap folder (with elastic on corners to close it) to put stray bits of paper in. If a subject gave a homework sheet for example, he'd pop it in the plastic folder and it would be safe....and not crumpled! It stays in his bag.

[Deadheadstickeronacadillac]

Collapsible folder thing
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Expanding-Document-Organiser-Portable-Accordion/dp/B07R9HR91H/ref=ascdff_B07R9HR91H/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=275538949621&hvpos=1o5&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13451709677964411545&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007171&hvtargid=pla-744551464735&psc=1

[Deadheadstickeronacadillac]

With subject files you would need about 15-20...
With a two week timetable, I would look at one of the collapsible storage folder things.
Decent glue stick is a must...take time to stick the worksheets in the book and tbh most subjects don't have textbooks that students can take home.

[MoverOfPaper]

Do the Kanken backpacks come in different sizes? What’s the size to get?

I like the idea of having magazine files for days of the week, but the schools round here do two week timetables so I don’t think that would work for us. Does anyone do subject magazine files and find that works? So one for English, one for geography-that sort of thing?

[IsobelRae23]

Ds is going into year10 and going to identify his Northface bag for the 3rd year. Prior to that he another he used for 1 year, then ir became his football, rugby and now my sports bag- they are still like new! But pricey around the £100 mark.

[Beesandtrees]

Kanken backpack. They are like a little tardis. Dc managed to get masses in it and they’ve had it for 21/2 years. Doc marten shoes (when they’re feet stop growing!.. too spenny to grow out of!) .. 2 years worn every day and still going strong

[IVEgottheDECAF]

Watching with interest particularly from backpacks that dont cost the earth

[dinkystinky]

Black under armour backpack and sports bag - still going strong 2 years later

bungy keyring that clips in the rucksack for DS1's keys

Lots and lots of pritt sticks

[ImTheCaddy]

Also a kanken backpack. Comfortable practical and (all important) trendy