Contents

1. What do you need for back-to-school supplies?
2. Do your research
3. What are the best deals?
4. What is the most needed school supply?
5. Buying school supplies second-hand

As any parent knows, kids require a lot of supplies for school. Every school year, your child will likely go through several notebooks and countless pens, pencils and sharpeners. 

Most families go back-to-school shopping before school starts to stock up on all the necessary stationery kids will need ahead of the new school term. 

This can easily become a pretty expensive affair.💰But have no fear! GoStudent is here to save the day. In this article, we’ll tell you where you can find the best school supplies for your child, new and second-hand, at-a-glance price comparisons and our top supplies for 2022.

What do you need for back-to-school supplies? 

The first step to getting your child ready for the new school year is to get an overview of what they need. Keep in mind that what your kid wants is not necessarily what they need, and to keep costs down, it’s a great idea to sit down with your child and write a list of the items you absolutely need to get.📝 This can also motivate your child to learn over the summer.

A typical back-to-school stationery shopping list is likely to include the following: 

• Pens 
• Pencils
• Highlighters
• Glue stick
• Notebooks 
• Ruler
• Rubber
• Pencil sharpener
• Bookbag/backpack 
• Pencil case
• Folders

Do your research 

The next step is to do some research and determine what shops/brands would be best suited to your child and your budget. 

Affordable options for back-to-school shopping is 

• Ryman, a very popular chain covering all stationery needs, and they usually have great sales or package deals available for back-to-school supplies. 🎓 
• WHSmith, another great option for those shopping for school supplies.
• The Works, also becoming more and more popular among parents stocking up for the academic year. 

If you’d like to invest a little more money into your child’s school supplies, you may prefer more high-end shops:

• Paperchase and Smiggle. Here, you’ll be able to find a lot of fun, great quality items your kid will love using during the school year – such as pretty notebooks, cool pencil cases and scented felt-tip pens. 😍

A lot of kids find it more fun to study and work on their learning when they have fun or cool supplies to use, so the stationery you choose can make a difference at school and for homework! 

When they’re fully stocked up on supplies, your child is one step closer to being ready for the new school year – but if you’d like to make sure they’re as prepared as possible, why not consider online tutoring? Our team of experienced and helpful tutors are ready to help your child learn and develop their knowledge across a wide range of subjects. 

What are the best deals?

We know money is tight and parents are looking around for deals. They’re changing all the time and it’s worth keeping up-to-date with offers. But here are our top picks with links and price comparisons to save you the trouble:

General back-to-school stationery lists including sets, highlighters and gel pens.

Book bags for little ones and not so little ones.

Maths back-to-school supplies list including maths sets and individual supplies.

What is the most needed school supply?

Whether you’re looking for the ultimate stationery list, a secondary school supplies list or a primary equipment list, if you’re really struggling for cash, the only thing they really need is something to write with. For secondary, this will be a pen, and for primary, a pencil. If you’re one of the increasing number of families living in poverty, it’s also worth speaking to your child’s school to see if they can lend or give your child what they need for their studies. Citizen’s Advice is a great place to contact if you want to see exactly what you’re entitled to in the way of financial help. You never know, you might have missed something. 💪

Buying your school supplies second-hand 

For some families, buying everything that’s needed can be a challenge. If you’re looking to get back-to-school supplies on a budget, buying some items second-hand can be a great solution – plus you’ll be doing your part for the environment by picking up some unwanted items that might otherwise end up in landfill!

In the UK, there are many great options for finding stationery for your child second-hand:

• Gumtree is a popular online marketplace where you can find some great deals on school supplies.
• Vinted is another very popular platform for children’s school supplies as well as clothing.
• Preloved is also a great option with a range of items available for children and teenagers.
• Shpock is also gaining popularity among parents looking to stock up on school supplies for their kids.
• Trasch is a place where you can swap, buy or sell educational items. Join Trasch for free, list your unwanted things and see what you can get in exchange. Win, win for you and the environment.

With this guide to where you can buy the best school supplies for your child, we hope you'll feel prepared for the school year ahead! It’s no secret that kids often find studying more fun when they’ve got fun supplies they like, so buying a great selection of stationery is a great investment.

If you feel like your child could need some extra support and guidance when it comes to learning, why not book a free trial class with one of our great tutors? We’re ready to help your child with whatever they need some extra support with. In the meantime, sit back, relax and enjoy not having to do the school run for a few weeks! 😁