Back-to-School Buying Guide

As autumn term approaches, the back to school buying begins.

Make sure you’ve ticked everything off your to-do list with our back to school buying guide. Here’s our list of things you might need…

1. Stationery

After the summer, there’s nothing quite like back to school stationery shopping to get you ready for the new term. So many pens, so much possibility! From arty-pencils to maths essentials, you’ll find all you need in Hereford. Here are our favourite finds:

 

We love the fantastic range of pastel stationery from Paperchase Hereford. With so many items on their 3 for 2 offer, you can choose a great matchy-matchy set like these highlighters, biros and retractable pencils.

For moving to secondary school, this complete and accurate set of mathematical instruments available from Rymans is a must. It comes inside a super practical case to help ensure nothing gets lost.

Not only do these colouring pencils from WHSmith come in 12 bold colours, they’re also erasable! Perfect for keeping your colouring tidy, whether you’re brightening up graphs in geography or honing your artistic skills. 

2. Backpack

Whether they are starting at big school or just in need of a new accessory, a great backpack is an essential item. From super trendy styles for teenagers, to cute character bags there area some great options available. Here are our favourite finds:

 

Our first pick is the Fjallraven Kanken backpack, available at Trekkit. Did you know that the legendary Fjallraven Kanken began its humble life as a cure for Swedish school children’s achy backs? It’s no wonder that children and adults love them! 

Our next find is these fun graphic-print Hopper bags from Clarks! Not only are there a variety of prints to choose from, including Dinosaur and Mermaid, these bags are spacious with a front and side pocket. As a bonus, matching PE/book bags are available too!

3. Water Bottle

Did you know that studies have shown that drinking water is can help with concentration at school? Send the kids off to school with a reusable bottle to help them stay hydrated and performing their best! Here are our favourite finds:

This water bottle from Trespass really stood out to us. Not only is it a fantastic, stand-out colour, it’s fully flexible too! Made from silicone, the main body of the bottle can be rolled up for easy storage when empty.

 

Stay cool and look cool with these beautiful floral water bottles from Paperchase. These screwcap metal bottles will keep drinks cool for up to 24 hours. Note to parents: these bottles are ALSO perfect for your morning coffee as it will keep it hot for 12 hours!

 

4. Uniform Essentials

Growing kids, new schools or just spare items to reduce that ‘my [insert item here] needs ironing’ panic, here are some handy locations in Hereford where you can pick up some new school uniform. Here are our suggestions:

Located just off St Peter’s Street, the School Uniform Shop stocks badged uniform for over 35 local primary and secondary schools. If you’re in need of advice, their appointment service is on hand to help assist you in choosing your child’s school uniform. 

A well known favourite, Marks & Spencer has provided school uniforms for generations of families. From shirts to skirts and beyond, M&S have a great range that will ensure you’ll find what you need.

Did you know? In addition to popular fashion items, New Look offers a range of uniform staples. Many of their items feature more sustainable fabrics and smart features to ensure these item last longer.

5. Shoes

Kids are always on the move, so that means their school shoes have to be comfortable! Here are our favourite finds:

Everyone knows that Clarks is a must-visit store when you're on the hunt for school shoes. They have tons of great school footwear options for kids of all ages, but we couldn’t resist featuring their fantastic Pokémon shoes. We'd recommend booking an appointment to avoid disappointment and ensure a great fit. 

Sports Direct on Commercial Street also have a great selection of school shoes and trainers. We like these all-black shoes from Nike that are ideal for walking to school or having a kick-about with mates on the playground.

For a bit of stand-out shine, these Black Patent Bow Loafers from New Look are a great choice. We love the bow detail and that, as part of New Look’s Love Comfort footwear range, they have extra padding, softer linings and are flexible too.

6. Lunch box

As well as being a practical storage solution for sandwiches, lunch boxes are a great opportunity for kids to represent their style or favourite characters. Here are our favourite finds:

Insulated lunch boxes are ideal for keeping sandwiches and snacks cool and fresh. Available in Daisy or Camouflage print, these lunch boxes from Paperchase also have a practical strap that goes over your shoulder for easy carrying – perfect if you’re already loaded up with a P.E. kit and backpack.

This spacey lunch bag by Hype instantly caught our eye in WH Smith. Not only does it look great it has a thermal lining to keep food fresher for longer and a handy exterior drinks pocket for water bottles.

7. Coats

The autumn term means that colder weather is on its way, so get warm coats at the ready!

Trespass make clothes that can stand up to whatever the seasons might send out way. They have a great range of padded windproof and waterproof coats that will keep kids cosy during the winter. Even better, many great coats like this one are currently discounted in the Trespass sale, with lots of bargains to be had!

If more vibrant coats are what you’re after, we can’t get enough of the Kinnaird and Cairn Showerproof Recycled Packable Jackets from Joules! The fun colour and pattern combos, lightweight but warm padding, and great eco-credentials make this a great purchase. We also love that it packs away into a pocket for easy space saving convenience.