Writings by me

So much of parenting makes me nostalgic for being a kid, especially the summer holidays. With the last day of term comes a feeling of opportunity, of a break from routine and freedom, oh beautiful freedom. 

This year we marked the end of the school term, Freddie’s first full year at school and the end of Key Stage 1, with drinks at a favourite green space near the school. It was a delicious introduction to the summer only to be shattered by walking through town afterward and already noticing the back-to-school shop windows (can they not just wait til at least the 1st of August?!)

As parents, alongside the pleasurable prickles of nostalgia, there is also a feeling of panic about affording the usual back-to-school ‘essentials’ that this time of year also brings. 

Gathering everything needed for school is a task and a half without the threat of soaring energy and food prices, a fuel crisis and a recession looming ever closer. I often find that support for parents is not effectively communicated (I had no idea about the Holiday Fund, which I wrote about a few columns ago) so after some digging, if you’re already worrying about the cost of the new school term, there are a few things you should know:

• Following extensive research and campaigning by the Children’s Society and others, it is now law that schools must make uniform more affordable and shape their uniform policy in as cost-effective a way as possible. For schools, this might include making sure pre-loved uniform is readily available and reducing the amount of mandatory branded items on the uniform list. These changes should be in place for the new school year so before you go spending, it’s worth checking your school’s policy to see if anything has changed.
• If you’re on a low income, it is also worth contacting your local council to see if you can access a ‘uniform grant,’ which could save you up to £200 on the cost of uniform – a substantial amount if you’re buying for more than one child.
• The supermarkets are absolute goldmines for cheaper stationery items (especially right now, I’ve just been hanging out in that aisle in Tesco) and if you’re kitting out your kid with their own technology this year, go for refurbished over brand new. For books, go used and new on Amazon and always check the library before purchasing.
• Of course, it’s not just the new term purchases that are going to be expensive. We start paying for school meals this September as Freddie enters year 3. It’s worth re-checking the eligibility rules for free school meals if your circumstances have changed and keeping an eye on any extra cost-of-living support announcements as we move towards the end of the summer holidays and the race for prime minister nears its end.
• Depending on your Local Education Authority, (find it here), you might be entitled to support for activities such as learning musical instruments or IT equipment. In some cases, your school’s PTA can offer financial support to parents so it’s also worth getting in touch with them.

All of the above feels like a drop in the ocean compared to what the next three months might look like for the majority of us. But it does show that there is support out there, even if it does take what feels like an archaeological dig to find it.