New research by Staples UK found that forking out for the school uniform, sports kit and stationery supplies means parents are now spending £209.72 per child at the start of each school year. And with an average of two children in each British family, that means £419.44 per year, or a whopping £5,033 over the 12 years children are in school.
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The cost of new school uniform accounts for almost a quarter of the cash spent each year - £45 for each child every September, closely followed by school shoes (£32) and a new coat (£30).
The study also revealed the effect of the recession, with three in four parents worried how they will afford the basics for the new school year. The average parent now saves for two months or more before the start of term to make sure the costs can be met, with 1 in 10 even budgeting for more than six months. Furthermore, one in five parents even admitted to sending their child to school in uniform too small as they couldn’t afford to buy a new one.
Amee Chande, MD of UK Retail and Direct at Staples, said: "The list of things a child needs for the new school year can feel endless - uniform, shoes, a new coat, sports kit, stationery and even a new school bag all add up, especially if you have more than one school-age child you need to kit out.
"As your children get older, there can be added pressure to spend more money than usual on a certain brand or special stationery equipment, and it can be difficult to say no. But with the recession hitting families hard, many parents have no choice but to save money wherever they can, meaning the back to school shop has had to change.
“To help ease the burden of the new school year there are a few simple steps that can be taken – parents shouldn’t feel they have to replace everything with something new, just because it’s a new school year – it’s likely that last year’s fountain pen will work just as well again this year. Parents could even think about setting their child a budget so they take extra care over choosing their purchases, and look after their new kit,” added Amee.
Despite the cost of the new school year more than a quarter of parents said they felt pressure from other mums to kit their children out with the right brand or type of clothes, bags and stationery. And the demands don’t end there, with 15 percent of parents polled revealing that their children have been teased for not having the same bags or stationery as the other kids.
It seems that it isn’t just the cost of the new school year that is concerning parents however, with 57 percent admitting they find returning to the school routine and early mornings a shock. Other top gripes for parents include labelling school supplies (27 per cent) and buying shoes (40 per cent), but a quarter revealed they dread the return to school as they miss their children.
Staples recommends the following tips to help parents cut the cost of the start to the new school year:
1. Don’t feel you have to replace everything – it’s likely that last year’s ruler or fountain pen can be used again and you don’t need to splash out on an upgrade!2. Make sure you compare prices as buying own-brand items could save you up to 30%. Buying online can often offer an additional incentive, and removes the hassle of the high street!
3. Retailers are very prepared for the back to school period these days and often package the essentials up together. Keep an eye out for these special offers as it could help you make a big saving.
4. Only buy what your child really needs; pressure comes from all sides but first ask yourself if it’s something that’s really vital. Chances are, if you wait a few weeks, your child might have changed their mind about having it at all.