Additional essentials for children starting Secondary School this September
Starting a new school as a Year 7 pupil should be an exciting, if a bit of a nerve wracking time for all children. The anticipation of a new school, new friends, new teachers and being a small fish in a big pond is a lot to contend with for all children as the new term approaches.
However, for some of the families we support this new start brings additional worries and challenges. The Children’s Society reported in 2020 that school uniforms cost families, on average, £337 per child when starting secondary school. For those families with the lowest income, this equates to over three weeks full income on school uniform alone. We are working hard to help families access school uniforms and encourage schools to make their uniforms truly affordable.
For families with a child starting in year 7, there are additional costs for equipment including stationery items, the contents of which are often specified by the school. We do not want this to be something that parents worry about providing and we do not want children to start school without the confidence that they have everything they need to do their best in their new classes.
We are now working with a number of schools in Berkshire to provide children with a stationery pack complete with all of the items that they need to start their new secondary school.
What is in the First Days Year 7 Stationery Pack?
We are creating stationery packs which include the following items:
Pens, pencils, colouring pencils and eraser
Pencil sharpener
Clear pencil case
Glue stick
Highlighter set
30cm ruler (ideally folding)
Maths set
Scientific calculator
How can I help?
If you would like to make a cash donation to First Days to help us purchase a stationery pack for this campaign then please donate to https://firstdays.enthuse.com/yr7packs or you can purchase items from the stationery packs from our Amazon Wishlist.
In order for us to prepare and deliver all Year 7 Stationery Packs before the start of the summer holidays, we would be grateful for your donations before the end of May.
Who is eligible to receive a First Days Year 7 Stationery Pack?
The First Days team are working with a number of schools in Wokingham Borough, Berkshire to identify the families who most require our support. Please contact the First Days team at referrals@firstdays.net if you would like more information.
Please note that the brand of each item is subject to change.