The Ultimate Back-to-School Checklist

It may be all outdoors fun right now, but pretty soon kids will need all the layers they can get. Invest in boys’ school coats or girls’ school coats and, of course, boys’ school jumpers and girls’ school jumpers that they’ll be thankful for when the weather turns (which is usually without much warning). 

It’s easy to overlook the all-important PE kit, but get this right and everyone will be happy come those soggy autumn days on the school field. Check before you buy, but most schools welcome pretty generic PE kit – we’ve got it all covered, from trainers and shorts to tops and joggers.

School shoes are the one item you should hold off buying until as close as possible to the start of term; the aim is to maximise the chances of getting a size that will see fast-growing feet through the whole school year.

John Lewis offers free in-store shoe-fitting appointments for kids. If you’re buying online, use our handy guide to measuring your child’s feet at home. Try to sort shoes about three weeks before the beginning of term – leave it too late and many sizes will have sold out. 

In the meantime, explore our selection of boys’ school shoes and girls’ school shoes.

Never overlook details such as girls’ hair accessories, boys’ school socks and girls’ socks and school tights. Get them sorted now and you’ll have one less thing to worry about come the start of term. 

You’ve done the hard slog with the uniform, now allow them the fun bit: stamping their own style on school life.

From pencil cases and pens to notebooks and water bottles, they can choose to express themselves however they wish. Some schools require certain bits of tech, so look out for that too.

Now all that’s left is to add those all-important name labels – sew or iron them in to clothes, or there’s always the trusty indelible marker pen. Job done. Happy new school year!