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The A-Z of back to school 2025 shopping
It’s that time of year again… From nursery and primary to secondary, sixth form and college, we’re here to help you plan your back to school 2025 shopping with handy lists and reminders covering everything you’ll need for the brand new term.
A is for accessories
Playful and fun bucket hats, glittery hairbands, pastel scrunchies in mint, lavender and pinks and neon beanies – this term, adding your own personal TikTok-inspired touch to school uniforms is a huge trend for all ages (if your school allows!).
When it comes to oversized bows, cartoon hair clips, soft and stretchy hairbands and scrunchies, pick up multipacks so they can change up their look on a daily basis.
Asda Living, Mango, Marks & Spencer, Next, Primark, River Island and TK Maxx.
B is for bags, backpacks and bag charms
Thanks to everyone’s Labubu obsession, customised, colourful and quirky bag charms are having a moment and won’t break the back to school budget.
Alphabet and personalised keyrings, fluffy pom-poms, retro and glitter accessories, Y2K cartoon characters including Stitch, Hello Kitty and My Melody and Jellycats are bringing the fun this new school term. (They’re functional too – making bags easy to spot on their pegs.)
For the bags themselves, black non-branded backpacks and smart totes are always popular with secondary pupils but for primary school, colourful and character-covered backpacks are ideal – make sure they have exterior pockets for water bottles is our advice!
Asda Living, Mango, JD Sports, Nike Unite, SportsDirect.com, Marks & Spencer, Next, Primark, River Island and TK Maxx.
C is for coats and cosy buys
Warm, rain-resistant and hard-wearing – a good coat can make all the difference to the school run come January. For autumn, a lightweight rain jacket and school blazer are essential with puffas, fleece-lined duffle coats and peacoats great for winter. Don’t forget gloves (buy multipacks in the same colour for when they lose one), scarves and earmuffs too.
Asda Living, Mango, JD Sports, Nike Unite, SportsDirect.com, Marks & Spencer, Next, Primark, River Island and TK Maxx.
D is for deodorant and beauty bits
For tweens and teens, you need hard-wearing deodorant that won’t upset sensitive skin: Salt of the Earth, Sol De Janeiro, Bulldog, Fussy and Wild are all great.
For three-step cleansers, moisturisers and SPF (which dermatologists agree is all that teenage skin needs), go for gentle and trusted brands including Bubble, Byoma, Cerave, Cetaphil and Revolution Skin.
Lush, Superdrug, Boots, Holland & Barrett and Asda Living.
E is for entertainment
It doesn’t all have to be about organisation – they can also let off steam at the brilliant Hollywood Bowl and Ninja Warrior with special family tickets and child discounts.
F is for fabric pens for name tags
The most useful buy of all: a fabric pen so you can write in the name of your child on their coats, PE kits, school tops, cardigan – basically anything they’re capable of losing on the first day back.
Hobbycraft and The Works.
G is for grab some lunch
Do not attempt back to school shopping on an empty stomach. Asda Cafe, Pizza Hut, Pizza Express, TGI Fridays and wagamama all have incredible kids’ menus or go for fast food treats at Burger King, Five Guys, Greggs, KFC, Marks & Spencer, McDonald’s and Nando’s.
H is for hair
Invest in jumbo-sized shampoo, conditioner and shower gel to get you through the first term.
Lush, Superdrug, Boots, Holland & Barrett and Asda Living..
I is for imagination
For art, drama, school projects and beyond, make sure you’ve got the essentials at home with a big craft box of plenty of pens, paints, glue (a glue gun will transform your life), pipe cleaners and paper. Then you can pop in old birthday cards, egg boxes, cardboard, material, odds and ends which will come in useful all year round. You could chuck in a sewing kit too for missing buttons on shirts and cardigans.
Hobbycraft and The Works.
J is for joy-giving toys for a back to school treat
We all need something to keep us going on the back to school run so offering bribes for patience and good behaviour is totally fair game… Lego sets, Sylvanian Families surprises, LOL Surprises and Hot Wheels all have brilliant finds for under £10.
Asda Living, The Works and TK Maxx.
K is for keyrings and lanyards
Like bag charms, custom keyrings and lanyards to reflect your personality is going to be huge over the next academic year. Disney and Sanrio characters, lip glosses, sequin and primary-coloured finds are all brilliant ways to inject some fun into the every day or pick up a crafting set so they can make their own when you get home.
Primark, Hobbycraft, Asda Living, The Works and TK Maxx.
L is for lunch box
Obviously choosing a lunch box can come down to colour and characters but a good one should also be insulated to keep food cool, have plenty of compartments (or smaller boxes for carrots, cucumber and bread sticks) and be easy to clean (tip: double check they’re dishwasher friendly).
Asda Living, The Works and TK Maxx.
M is for maths set
Starting secondary school? They’ll need a maths set with a calculator, compass, protractor, set squares, pencil and pens, eraser and pencil sharpener. Time tables guides, highlighters, scissors, index cards, plastic dividers and Post-its are also really useful additions.
Asda Living, WH Smith, The Works and TK Maxx.
N is for notebooks, laptops, earphones and more
With more and more homework online, investing in the right tech could see them through school and into college. Many of the big stores also offer student discounts and trade-in deals too. Laptops and Chromebooks, memory sticks, headphones, basic phones, wireless speakers and portable chargers will all be useful!
Asda Living, WH Smith and currys.
O is for offers and student discounts
There are lots of back to school offers and student discounts at Teesside Park, visit our offers page to see the latest deals. Also check your loyalty store cards and cashback offers via debit cards such as Monzo and Club Lloyds.
P is for PE kit
Black trainers, PE socks, black shorts or joggers and a handy bag are all sports essentials. Add to this list: swimming (googles, swimcap and swimming suits), football (boots and knee guards), tennis (rackets and balls), cross-country (good running shoes), basketball, netball, hockey and rounders.
Asda Living, Clarks, JD Sports, Schuh, Nike Unite, Skechers, SportsDirect.com, Marks & Spencer, Next, Primark, River Island and TK Maxx.
Q is for queues (well skipping them)
Save yourself the stress of searching for multiple sizes with a crowd of other frazzled parents – make the most of Click & Collect by ordering what you need and simply pick up in store.
R is for reading books, stationery and diaries
Give them a head start with key stage guides to their subjects alongside fun reading books that’ll spark their passion for learning. They’ll also need a diary to keep on top of their time table and stationery for note-taking and journaling. For younger children, Marvel, Barbie, unicorn, Hello Kitty and glitter pens and notebooks are always popular.
Asda Living, WH Smith, The Works and TK Maxx.
S is for shoe fittings and shoes
Whether you’re going for glittery, light-up primary-school trainers or teen and tween black leather lace-ups, brogues, creepers and T-bars, make sure you get the best fit for growing feet. Book shoe fittings online at Clarks and Charles Clinkard. Also, don’t forget they’ll need trainers for their PE kit.
Charles Clinkard, Clarks, JD Sports, Nike Unite, Schuh, Skechers and SportsDirect.com
T is for time out
Take a breather and enjoy a well-earned treat – from bubble teas to ice cream. Head to Bubble CiTea and Hotel Chocolat.
U is for uniform
What’s on the essential back to school uniform list? Five school tops (avoid midweek laundry crises – any fewer and there will be a last-minute washing emergency), two skirts or trousers, dresses, cardigan, jumper or fleece. And breathe…
Asda Living, JD Sports, Nike Unite, SportsDirect.com, Marks & Spencer, Next, Primark, River Island and TK Maxx.
V is for vests and underwear
Once again buy extras of everything to make your life easier (10 x vests, pairs of socks and pants). When it comes to socks – try to avoid packs of different designs – get the same colour which can be easily paired once the washing is done.
Asda Living, JD Sports, Nike Unite, SportsDirect.com, Marks & Spencer, Next, Primark, River Island and TK Maxx.
W is for water bottle
If you’re choosing a reusable plastic water bottle make sure it’s leak proof and BPA free. For stainless steel bottles for teens and tweens, Stanley at JD Sports and Chilly’s at Boots are always popular while Owala’s smart designs are currently taking over TikTok. Ones with lids attached also make life easier when you’re in a rush.
ProCook, The Works, Asda Living, JD Sports, Nike Unite, SportsDirect.com, Marks & Spencer, Next, Primark and TK Maxx.
X is for extracurricular activities
Dance, cooking classes, drama and coding… Whatever their passion, make sure they have the necessary kit to go with it. Black leggings are great for dance and drama while bake-off fans will need plenty of storage boxes and ingredients. Plan those unexpected things now.
Hobbycraft,, ProCook, The Works, Asda Living, JD Sports, Nike Unite, SportsDirect.com, Marks & Spencer, Next, Primark, River Island and TK Maxx.
Y is for you (parents need a treat too)
You’re going to need some recovery time. Pick up bath soaks, books, delicious food and face masks while you’re out…
Asda Living, Marks & Spencer, Lush, Superdrug, Boots and Holland & Barrett.
Z is for ZZZs
Cosy pyjamas, a snuggly onesie, soft sleep socks and a dressing gown. When they’re worn out for a full school week, this is the perfect way to get them to bed and give them comfort. Maybe stock up on hot chocolate sachets too…
Hotel Chocolat, Asda Living, Marks & Spencer, Next, Primark, River Island and TK Maxx.