Pick your favourite back to school pieces from George at ASDA and share your back to school tips - £300 voucher to be won! NOW CLOSED

[EmmaMumsnet]

It’s never too early to start thinking about the kids starting or heading back to school. There’s so much to buy that it’s hard to remember everything or even know how much of each thing you need - are 5 shirts enough/too much? Where should I shop? What should I buy? Are all common questions our MNers have.

Here’s what George at ASDA has to say: “Our schoolwear and footwear are such brilliant quality, we’re proud to offer a no-quibble 100 day satisfaction guarantee. This means that if you’re not happy with an item you’ve brought with 100 days, we’ll give you a full refund. So you can shop with complete confidence.”

George at ASDA would like you to go to their website here and pick out your favourite back to school items, whether that’s uniform, shoes, lunchboxes, or stationary and come back and share them (ideally with a link to make it easy on anyone who wants to check them out). It would be great if you could also share your back to school tips and tricks with your fellow MNers, especially those who may have DC going to school for the first time this year!

So how many shirts do you buy? Don’t forget about the PE kit! What are the most comfy school shoes for your DC? Have you found an amazing lunchbox with lots of handy compartments? Do you label EVERYTHING? How do you get your kids in the mindset for going back to school? Whatever your favourite back to school items and tricks, please share them on the thread below and you will be entered into a prize draw to win a £300 George at ASDA voucher.

Thanks and good luck

MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

[123hartley123]

I choose Boys school 5 pack long sleeve white. the best tip is get to know the parents of pupils in the higher classes so when they outgrow there clothes they can pass them to yourself. Also if its your youngest you can pass on to the pupils in a lower form

[Theimpossiblegirl]

My DDs are teenagers and finding things they will wear that the school approves of can be a challenge.
These shirts are great.
3/4 length sleeve blouses

[kennythekangaroo]

DD has always preferred girls' shorts to summer dresses so direct.asda.com/george/school/shorts/girls-school-pleated-shorts-grey/GEM561314,default,pd.htmlthese look perfect.

My advice (as a teacher) is to label everything clearly within an inch of it's life. You'd be amazed at the number of parents who say "You can tell it's his because it has toothpaste on it/a hole in the sleeve/ it's from next" and expect it to be found in a school of 500 children.Just initials aren't enough as if another child/teacher finds it, they won't be able to send it to the right class. Doesn't have to be stick on/sew on labels a sharpie is fine as long as you check it hasn't faded every few months.

[IonaAilidh11]

love the asda polo shirts, wash great and last all term

[littleme96]

Love the Shark Print Rucksack!

All clothing is labelled here apart from socks and underwear. I don't worry about labelling things like pencil cases though.

The PE/Swim bags are bargainous!

[finleypop]

Non iron shirts are my winner direct.asda.com/george/school/shirts/boys-school-2-pack-non-iron-shirts-light-blue/G005410463,default,pd.html#choice:features

[janeyf1]

My DC and I love this bag: direct.asda.com/george/kids/accessories/novelty-fox-rucksack/GEM573251,default,pd.html
I tend to buy all the back to school clothes and stationery a fortnight before the September term starts, so as to ensure the right sizes are purchased. The best deals are at the supermarket

[devito92]

direct.asda.com/george/boys-school-shirts/boys-school-5-pack-short-sleeve-shirts-white/G005741768,default,pd.html#choice:features easy iron and one for everyday simples. Always get in early so you can check sizes.

[CopperPan]

I love this jersey pinafore with a cute bow - looks like an easy care fabric and comfortable to wear.

direct.asda.com/george/school/pinafores/girls-school-jersey-bow-pleat-pinafore-grey/GEM362832,default,pd.html

We do label everything as it's a pain when things go missing. We buy 5 shirts/trousers/skirts for each dc and get them sorted on Sunday night so we can just pull out a fresh set each morning. We only get 2 jumpers though and expect them to be worn 3 days or if they get stains on them.

[Acopyofacopy]

ASDA is our go to shop for value for money uniform! We have bought these cardigans since reception, dd will now go into Year 6. They are brilliant!

I prefer ASDA polo shirts to M&S ones. M&S are quite thick and rigid. Dcs' school is always boiling hot and the ASDA polos are thinner and softer.

Also, ASDA around here are the only shop which sells the big sistema lunch bag with zip. It can be machine washed and the sistema lunch cube plus a drink and snack fit inside.

[Pengweng]

direct.asda.com/george/girls-school-polo-shirts/girls-school-5-pack-scallop-teflon-polo-shirts-white/GEM462944,default,pd.html?dual=0

I love their polo shirts. They are the only supermarket brand polo that I have found that doesn't shrink up and end up looking square.

Top tips - buy lots of shirts/polos
Use a sharpie to label everything
For girls i find pinafores better than skirts. The pinafore protects the shirt.
Buy short sleeved shirts, it stops the cuffs getting soaking wet the first time they wash their hands and also cuffs are a pain for 5 year olds to do on PE day.

[cocochips]

Love the gingham dresses and pinafores

[littlemonkeyz]

I love this sea creature swim bag. direct.asda.com/george/kids/accessories/sea-creature-swim-bag/GEM558995,default,pd.html
The best thing that we did before my son started school was to read him a book about the school day every day before the start of time. It was written by a teacher at his school so by the time he started, he was really familiar with the structure of the school day, routines, expectations etc. It really helped him to settle in quickly.

[AlakazamAlakazoom]

Five of both T-shirts and shorts/trousers so no emergency washing loads mid-week. For us it's shorts April - October whatever the weather, so hold off on buying trousers as they may have a growth spurt half way through the Autumn term. I like the grey mesh trainers for PE kit - smart & good price.

[fld14]

I always bought 5 polo shirts so there were always clean ones available.
direct.asda.com/george/boys-school-polo-shirts/boys-school-5-pack-stay-white-teflon-polo-shirts-white/GEM462672,default,pd.html

2 or 3 pairs of trousers and at least 2 school jumpers. I would always wash asap just in case I was ill so there was always a few days I didn't have to panic about no school clothes for the following morning. When my son took packed lunch I would clean out his lunchbox when we arrived back from school and put any thing which didn't need to be in the fridge in the box ready for the next day.

[thatstoast]

Ds starts school in September. I think 5 of everything is the way to go at the start of term and see how i get on.

This croc rucksack is really cool.

direct.asda.com/george/kids/accessories/crocodile-rucksack/GEM552447,default,pd.html

[Ikea1234]

Love these trousers - direct.asda.com/george/school/trousers/boys-school-slim-fit-flat-front-trousers-grey/G005414165,default,pd.html#choice:colour
And, dare I say it, much better quality than the M & S ones I had been buying, which always went on the seams, and I had had to return numerous times!

[juju3]

I find you can never have enough polo shirts - I really like these direct.asda.com/george/boys-school-polo-shirts/boys-school-5-pack-stay-white-teflon-polo-shirts-white/GEM462672,default,pd.html

[FranksBobot]

We loved this gingham playsuits https://direct.asda.com/george/school/dresses/girls-school-gingham-playsuit-red/GEM526505,default,pd.html

Perfect for girls like mine who spend every outdoor moment doing cartwheels / handstands and any other combination that means their legs are in the air!!

Unfortunately she's leaving primary school now and it's blazers all the way from now on

My top tip for labelling is getting the sharpies laundry pen and writing the child's initials followed by a small symbol such as a heart, flower, triangle so that the child can easily recognise their clothing. Quicker than full names and sewing!!!

[Gileswithachainsaw]

direct.asda.com/george/girls-school-skirts/girls-school-bow-trim-flippy-skirt-grey/GEM585594,default,pd.html

These are fab wash tumble dry perfectly and no need to iron.

direct.asda.com/george/school/dresses/girls-school-sporty-gingham-dress-light-blue/GEM527015,default,pd.html

I buy these every year too. Also wash and wear well!

[NauticalDisaster]

I really like the cargo shorts and at £3.50 quite a bargain for the quality.

I like having enough clean shirts for the week so I have 5 for each child, two pair of trousers, and two pairs of shorts. Oh, two jumpers as well!

[daydreambeliever21]

I've found these to be a godsend:
direct.asda.com/george/school/trousers/boys-school-longer-length-trousers-black/G004871287,default,pd.html#choice:fitting
Having a son who is very slim but has ridiculously long legs and a short back has been a nightmare over the years so these longer length trousers have been fab. Sadly I can't buy them this year as he is now almost 6 feet tall so have had to shop online for a 30inch waist/36inch leg for him. And he's only 13 so nowhere near finished growing yet!

[leccybill]

These scalloped cardigans are brilliant. We've bought them for 3 years and they've washed and worn well all year long.

[sleepyMe12]

We love the grey playsuit.
Super cute, easy to get dressed so perfect for P.E.
We pair it with tights in the winter and socks when it's warmer.
Had many mums stop and ask where it is from.

Usually buy 5 polo shirts, a skirt, the playsuit and a pinafore.

Two P.E kits which are plain t shirts shorts and tracksuit bottoms.

[Narnianescape]

I love the gingham dresses for my dd