Back to School: Do you have to buy your kids' school stationery?

Former_MSE_Andrea

We had an interesting discussion in MSE Towers recently on whether we needed to buy stationery for our kids to use at schools.

I don't at my kids' school but I figured it's because they're at primary school and we may need to once they reach secondary school.

Do you buy pens/pencils, work books etc for your kids?

If you're happy to say the rough area of the country you live in eg county that would be a useful gauge.

Spendless

Yorkshire - only when they got to Secondary school which they are now both at.

A few years back on holiday, I met an Irish family and the Mum told me quite enviously of her relative in England who had never had to supply as much as a pencil for her Primary school-aged child. I admitted it was the same for me. It was the first I knew it wasn't the norm for children under Secondary school age to get their stationery supplied.

When my eldest started Secondary a few years ago, we were given a long list of what he needed, £30 worth and about 10 days notice! I was far more prepared when it came to youngest going last year.

cakeforbrains

Mine didn't actually need anything for primary, although they sometimes took in their own pencil or whatever.

For secondary, although some things are provided, they still need their own pens and pencils. Maths equipment (compass, ruler, protractor, scientific calculator) are necessary too.

Don't forget that at secondary they have to do a lot more homework, for which they need the right equipment.

ash28

I haven't voted in the poll because in our part of Lincolnshire for secondary school you supply pens/pencils/ruler and for £5 the school provide a good scientific calculator and a geometry set when they need them (they come as a set). They are even provided with a student planner.

Somethings we have to provide but the majority is provided.

Jagraf

Not quite sure for homework how a child would manage without needing to buy stationery once at secondary school.

Jagraf

ash28 wrote: »

I haven't voted in the poll because in our part of Lincolnshire for secondary school you supply pens/pencils/ruler and for £5 the school provide a good scientific calculator and a geometry set when they need them (they come as a set). They are even provided with a student planner.

Somethings we have to provide but the majority is provided.

What a great idea for the school to do that. That way they know who has what.

gentlewoman

Our primary school (London suburbs) provides everything, but from year 3 children are allowed to bring their own pencil case and pencils - if they wanted to use their own. Totally optional though.

sophietb

We had to buy pencils, ruler, rubber, colouring pencils and sharpener for my son when he went in to Yr 6 two years ago.....I was outraged!:rotfl:However he took care of it (because it was his) and most of it was still useable in secondary school. I work with Yr 2's and get very fed up with the way they treat school (and my) stationary. Rubbers are constantly broken into small pieces, pencils used as drum sticks, glue sticks abandoned on the floor. Everything has a cost and the schools have to budget accordingly.

Gloomendoom

Some first year university students are a bit taken aback when they find out that they have to supply everything themselves.