Joining year 7 advice

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My eldest boy is going into secondary school, other than school uniform and pe kit what other essentials do you think I may need to buy which I probably haven't thought of! Thanks in advance

Pencil case contents, probably including a set of compasses, a protractor and a scientific calculator. Maybe a padlock for a locker, if required. Obviously a mobile phone.

Water bottle that holds lots of water as water fountains may not be open.

Large bag.

Something to keep his lunch in (canteens May not be open). Keep it plain not a cartoon/fortnite type one

Plenty of spare pens as school seems to eat them up

A plastic wallet for keeping loose paper in so they don't end up at the bottom of his bag
A spare plastic bag for when the water bottle leaks ...

Thanks! Lots u hadn't thought of!

Check with school (I'd expect a letter or email), particularly for things that might be different next term. What is "right" at one person's school may be different at yours.

For example at DC's school, you would need a bag that would fit in a locker and the only things they want to be brought in from home are packed lunch, PE kit, phone and stationary items. They will provide each child with a water bottle and don't allow any others.

@SwimWhizz

Check with school (I'd expect a letter or email), particularly for things that might be different next term. What is "right" at one person's school may be different at yours.

For example at DC's school, you would need a bag that would fit in a locker and the only things they want to be brought in from home are packed lunch, PE kit, phone and stationary items. They will provide each child with a water bottle and don't allow any others.

Our DS's school had post card sized checklists that they posted out at the start of the Summer holidays with a full list of equipment, personal items, etc., that would be required. They did inspections in the first week of term to check everyone had everything on the list.

Thanks, the school have put a few bits up on their website.. I guess I just want to make sure he has everything!

Glue sticks, lots and lots of glue sticks!

Thanks! I've added that to the list x

Good quality A4 clear plastic popper wallets for taking sheets of paper too and from school without getting scrunched up in the school bag.

2 pencil cases, one for homework and one for school, so school case always stays in bag and doesn't get left at home accidentally.

Small bottle of hand sanitiser. One of those little packs of tissues in case somebody removed the toilet paper. I would usually say extra equipment to lend out can be a good way of making friends but not this year.

Encouraging a routine with things like homework, checking everything is ready for the next day, etc. Putting a copy of the timetable up in the bedroom so he can see at a glance what books/kit is needed for the next day.

DS goes up in September, his equipment list includes:
Bag big enough to carry books
Water bottle
Pencil case
2 black or blue biros
1 green biro
1 red biro
2 pencils
Colouring pencils
Eraser
Pencil sharpener
Highlighter pen
Glue stick
Maths set including a protractor and set of compasses
Planner (we bought a week to 2 pages academic diary)

In addition he is expected to carry a reading book every day, whether from the school library or home.

Being well equipped for lessons is part of their behaviour standards, their rationale is they don't have to spend lesson time working out who is missing things they need for the class.

Forgot to add ruler and scientific calculator.
Happily we got the pencil case and contents from B&M for £22 today.

A lot of schools specify the calculator ( so the teachers can give the same instructions to the whole class) and often sell them at a reduced price. I would check whether either or both is the case at your DS's school before buying one.

As few school bags are completely waterproof, it's worth them having a carrier bag stuffed in the bottom, and teach them to put that upside down over the contents if there's a total deluge at hometime. They probably won't bother, but it's worth a try. That's also another reason for the plastic wallets to put worksheets in.

Schools often provide their own planners, although less needed now many set all the homework online and so it doesn't need to be written down.

Check out what local parents say about the kit list. Ours says two pairs of trainers, but everyone puts the word about that one pair is entirely adequate, and the gumshield is inspected the first week but then never enforced, so there's not much point in spending lots on a good quality one! Ours recommends a memory stick, but I can't see why they'd need it nowadays.

I know you asked about equipment and you've had lots of good replies - especially this September, it will be important to have a fully equipped pencil case, with glue stick, pencil crayons. It is unlikely to be practice to be lending anything out...

But I wanted to add a non-equipment tip: please encourage your ds to remember that his secondary teachers and support staff are no more scary than his primary teachers and will all care for his wellbeing just the same. So, if he has any worries, he should ask or tell anyone...and it doesn't have to be about their subject. In fact, in secondary it can be brilliant having lots of teachers because you can ask for advice from anybody... Example : couldn't understand Spanish homework and worried about asking Spanish teacher or in lesson where everyone else seemed to get it. Mentions to form tutor, librarian, someone else's TA or his maths teacher... Any one of those will help him figure out what to do, how to sort it.

Plenty of pens. Ds gets through them so quickly and/or leaves them behind.

Spare copies of the timetable. Ds has one in his blazer pocket, one in his bag, one blu tac-ed next to where he keeps his books and one in his locker.

We also have a magazine file at home per subject. Helps to keep everything together - textbook, exercise book and various handouts.

Also helpful in the beginning was a plastic wallet per subject, so that DS could keep everything organised per subject when it was in his school bag.

He has strict uniform rules and his school bag either had to be from the school shop or completely plain black or navy. So we bought him a really good north face one in black which is pretty much waterproof. If you aren’t buying a waterproof bag, I’d suggest you send in a couple of decent plastic bags to put things in on wet days.

Ds’ bag (maybe all bags have this, I have no idea) has a small zipped top pocket with a spiral key ring type thing attached. Really good for his bus pass or house keys as no chance of getting lost.

Some cash for emergencies/blending in with everyone else when they decide to go to the shop or tuck shop.

Your phone number written down somewhere on his bag or pencil case in case phone battery runs out and the child needs to contact you.

2 pencil cases in his bag, one for the every day stuff pens, pencils (they usually have to have a pencil sharpener even if they have a mechanical pencil) glue stick, rubber, school sanctioned calculator, highlighter and so on.

The other pencil case had compass, protractor, colouring pencils and SPARES of the essential equipment. So spare whiteboard marker, spare pencil, rubbers etc. Don't underestimate how devious other children are at nicking stuff so you get in trouble for not having essential items.

Also, agree with Teen at home have the same stuff so that your child never takes that school pencil case out of their bag, because they may leave the whole thing on their desk. (been there done that, I spotted it and jumped in my car to catch him on his walk to school)

Buy a pack of 12 glue sticks. Schools tend to operate on a print out system so lots of things to stick in books rather than using text books.

Spare £1 for anything he may need from student services, and attach the door key onto some elastic and attach it to his bag. That way he won't lose it, just unzip a pocket, stretch up the key, unlock the door, remove key then put it back into bag and then open the door. That way the alarm isn't beeping whilst they try to wrangle the key out of the lock. Once inside, shut and lock the door, then put in the alarm code. Safety first.

Thanks everyone he will be getting the bus alone I hadn't thought of everything getting wet so will be definitely be putting carrier bags in and putting my number in somewhere. Also two pencil cases is a good idea! Thanks

Also will be adding sanitizer and tissues

Thanks

Sorry if I am gegging in on your post OP, but I have a starting secondary school question.

Do most boys use a separate sports bag for p.e/games? My husband says that he just shoved everything in one bag and carried it around all day. I remember that my brother did the same. I found having a separate sports bag that I could leave on a bag rack or in a locker until the p.e lesson worked best for me.

What do your boys do?

Thank you

My boys have a separate pe bag which they put in their school bag. I guess it will save everything getting stinky! I think he will probably do the same when he goes up to year 7 too but no idea what the others do yet

Buy bulk packs of all the things on the required stationery list and squirrel them away at home. Its a lot cheaper to buy a load of pens/pencils/gluesticks/rulers when you have time to wait for delivery than a panic next day buy, or a special trip to get green pens.
If you can afford it, then I also recommend a spare tie and sports socks (possibly buy socks in the next size band up) for your secret stash as these have a life of their own
Take a photo on your (and his) phone of his timetable as soon as he gets it. Ds's timetable is online via Epraise, but its not as easy to access

In Year 7 DS had a separate pe bag. By y9 he was shoving his pe kit in with everything else. By y11, he was wearing it under his uniform to go in and then dumping in his locker after pe (in fairness in y 11, pe was early in the day).

Id suggest getting your child to memorize contact numbers, rather than just writing them down. I drilled my children remorsely in them in y5 when they started going to school on their own and they moaned like crazy but they've been used a few times when they've lost or forgotten phones so glad they did.