Back to school deals: School uniforms, backpacks and other new term bargains

Even though it feels like summer has barely begun, it won’t be long before the summer holidays are behind us and the new school term is well under way. That means new classes, new teachers, maybe a couple of new subjects – and new things to buy in preparation.

As a parent, you want to set your child up for a successful year ahead and help them get off to a great start for the new academic term, but the costs can quickly rack up – especially if you have more than one child. Luckily, many retailers including Amazon, Tesco and Argos are offering some great deals to help you get everything thing you need in time for the start of term and, between them, you should be able to pick up most of the things you need at a discounted price.

See how much you could save with these back to school deals and enjoy kicking the year off on a more affordable and less stressful note.

The best deals on back to school essentials

Order a school uniform and get 5% cashback for your child’s school

No parent enjoys forking out for a new school uniform every year, but when they grow up so quickly, you have little choice. Tesco’s helping to ease the pain by offering a 5% cash donation to help support your child’s school when you order an embroidered uniform from their online service. It takes 18-21 days to arrive so order soon to get it in time for the first day back.

Order your child’s school uniform here to receive the cash reward

Up to a third off the best school backpacks

It’s not easy to find a school bag that’s both functional and affordable, but also gets the seal of approval of your child. Luckily, Argos has plenty of budget-friendly backpacks that your child will be happy to carry in the playground but won’t break the bank – or just break after a couple of uses – includng big name brands such as Nike and Adidas. The sale includes backpacks, mini backpacks and holdall-style bags, as well as some stylish unbranded backpacks that even the strictest school policy will allow.

See the full range of backpacks

Save on stationery at Amazon

Gone are the days when you had to trudge around the High Street to pick up everything you need for the first day of class, only to find that everyone else had exactly the same pens, notebooks and folders as you. Now you can order everything you need with one click on Amazon’s back to school shop. Amazon has a great range of products, too, so you can send your child to school with kit that won’t accidentally get picked up by someone else, as well as saving some pennies in the process. Some of the top picks include cheap but fun pencil cases, novelty pens and erasers, and academic diaries for under £10. Or, if you want to treat your child with a special pen they’ll love to use, Amazon is currently offering a range of gift boxed Parker pens with up to 25% off.

15% off lunch boxes at Smiggle

One of the easiest ways to help your child stay healthy and get all the brainpower they need to succeed at school is by packing them a nutritious lunch. The not-so-easy part? Getting them to eat it. If they look forward to opening their lunch box, half the battle is won, so a fun, colourful bag can be a worthwhile investment if you want to make lunchtime more enjoyable for everyone. Smiggle has some of the most colourful designs out there and is currently offering 15% off anything – including lunch boxes – when you sign up to the email newsletter, so it’s a great time to pick up a lunch box your kid will love for less. Tesco also has plenty of affordable options in a wide of shapes and sizes.

Get a 2-year “worry-free” warranty with Amazon’s tablet for kids

You want to give your little ones the very best, but there’s also the very real possibility that whatever you hand them will get dropped, bumped or broken in some way. With this in mind, Amazon has brought out a special kids edition of the popular Fire HD tablet. The colourful kid proof case comes in a choice of bright blue, pink or yellow to add an extra child-friendly layer of protection to this best-selling tablet, which comes with the best-in-class parental controls and other handy features for parents. It also comes with a 2-year worry-free warranty, which lets you order a free replacement should it break in any way, for added peace of mind.

Read our full review to find out more or buy the Kindle Fire HD Kids Edition here.