Year 7 Essentials

[HopelesslyOptimistic]

Could you kindly hit me with good quality brands/shops for stationary, school ruck sack, sports bag and anything else you wish you'd known before your first child hit year 7. Thank you 🙏

My daughter (current year 7) has a pencil case with most bits in but also a blazer pocket set of stationery. We didn't wear blazers at my secondary school so this is all new to me. Multiple bag/home/blazer stationery is definitely the way to go.

She has a black tote bag from Primark. I think we went through about three or four different bags until she settled on this one. Her PE kit is either in a cheap black drawstring bag I got from Amazon, or she just shoves it in her tote.

Oh also, if a tie is part of the uniform, buy three. We lost two in the first half term, and luckily we have a uniform shop in town that serves all the local secondary schools and you can buy ties from them. The student services office in the school is supposed to have spares available to buy but they often don't have any. Otherwise I'd have to order online and delivery takes a while!

It varies from school to school. This is my experience though:
Stationary, pencil case and calculator is cheapest when bought through the school
Primary school may well give out calculators or French dictionaries as a leaving present to the year 6's so don't buy stuff too soon.

Everyone in year 7 has a blazer that's either second hand or 3 sizes too big because they are so expensive, same with pe kit.

Don't buy football boots until they are doing football in pe, it might not be until February and their feet will grow fast at this age.

Hype back packs and a drawstring bag for the pe kit.

Buy extra pe kit because at my dc school they wear pe kit every day during enrichment week and during heatwaves.

See if there is a fb group for 2nd hand uniform for the school. Is useful for picking up spare PE kit, ties etc as can be expensive new if needs to be school specific (think our pe kit is £16 a top and £15 for shorts!).I think theres also a uniform sake once a term. Yours may have similar.

And my DS is not bothered by brands, but we went with a firetrap backpack, and nike sports bag and both have been good.

Female friendships in year 7 are volatile. Be prepared for many tears. By Xmas. In Jan and later.
If they have made great friends in primary stick with them.

Oh good to hear.....

We've been very lucky that he has a strong group of friends which has stayed the same throughout. They are guaranteed at least one friend from a selection of four. But expecting fluid friendships as one other mum has suggested.

Yes I want to pick up spare ties, shorts & PE tops. 👍

Perfect!

Adidas backpack is what most of the girls have in our year 7. Plain pencil case and if anything like my daughter a plastic wallet thing for books as her bottle leaks all the time! We don't have a PE bag as they just put it in a JD bag in her bag - apparently not cool to have a separate one. Secondary school is certainly an eye opener and came as quite a shock but loving it now and we have both found our feet. Good luck!