Back to school essentials: From polo shirts, skirts and trousers to pencil cases and lunchboxes

This pack of three Fruit of the Loom short sleeve polo shirts is made from a double pique fabric with button fastenings and  a knitted polo collar. These are Amazon’s bestselling school polo shirts, with shoppers noting that they wash well and stay white. The shirts are available in a wide selection of colours.

One customer wrote in their review: ‘Great quality, these were lovely and have managed to stay white. No shrinking in a hot wash. They iron well and dry fast. My daughter says they are really comfy. I will definitely buy these again.’

A pack of two white polo shirts for girls. The short sleeve school tops are made from a pique fabric with a pretty scalloped, knitted ribbed collar and button fastening. Highly durable and made from 100 per cent cotton, these polo shirts have been crowned a number one Amazon bestseller in girl’s school uniform tops.

One shopper commented: ‘They’re great, work well for my daughter who is 4. Washed them a few times and even put in the dryer. They don’t wrinkle much and retain the same shape.’ 

This pack of two white polo shirts for boys is made from a high quality pique fabric with knitted ribbed collar and button fastening. These short sleeve polo shirts are Amazon’s bestselling school uniform tops for boys. They’re highly durable and made from 100 per cent cotton. And at just £2.99, they’re very affordable. Some shoppers have noted that the polo shirts are a little bigger than expected, but many have brushed this issue off by saying their kids will simply grow into them.

A crisp white shirt for the new term will make any boy look smart and ready to learn. This twin pack of boy’s short sleeve shirts from Trutex is easy to wash, tumble dry and iron. The school shirts are made from 65 per cent polyester and 35 per cent cotton, and feature a two-piece classic collar, breast pocket and button fastenings.

One reviewer wrote: ‘My son and I were pleased with these shirts. They fit really well, are generous in length, which my son likes and he says that they are very comfortable to wear (they must be as he is very fussy!) They wash really well and tumble dry well. I do iron them, but if your son doesn’t mind a few wrinkles, you don’t have to.’

Amazon’s bestselling girls’ blouse has notched up almost 400 reviews. The white blouse features a revere collar, button fastening and short sleeves. 

Best of all, they are tumble dryer safe, which is ideal when weather is wet and rainy. The school blouses are also non-iron so you don’t have to spend ages getting creases out.

The pack of two blouses from Blue Max Banner is being praised by customers for the great quality and value. One shopper commented: ‘Perfect for school, they wash up well and are much cheaper than the high street.’

A classic pinafore dress is a school uniform staple and Amazon shoppers are loving this bib pinafore. The sleeveless dress is best worn with a blouse and features a lovely scoop neck collar. Available in black, grey and navy, the pleated pinafore dress is available for girls aged three to 15 and 16 years old.   

One customer wrote: ‘This pinafore is absolutely beautiful on and unusual compared to most on the market. My daughter loves hers.’

Yet another Amazon bestseller is this girl’s box pleated school skirt. It features an elasticated waist for added comfort during the school day, and offers extra growing room.

One shopper wrote: ‘Could not find a school skirt for my daughter in a size 2-3 in the shops anywhere. She has a small waist so others would fall down. This fits great. Good value for money, did not want to spend a lot as she will be out of it by her next growth spurt.’

Another added: ‘Nice length and waist fit for my daughter who is tall and slim. Washes well, no ironing needed.’ 

If your daughter prefers to wear trousers, you might want to opt for these soft and stretchy ones from the brand Dalsa. They feature an elasticated waist for extra comfort, and kids don’t need to fiddle with any zips or buttons. 

The bootcut trousers are available for ages  2-3, right up to 15-16. One customer commented: ‘My daughter usually prefers to wear dresses but after buying these, she actually enjoys wearing trousers now. They are comfortable, easy to wash and dry quickly. I will be getting some more when she needs them.’

Teflon coated for stain resistance, these school trousers are durable enough for any child. The trousers are designed with an elastic waist to stretch and fit your child comfortably. 

One shopper wrote: ‘I’ve had so much trouble finding trousers to fit my son, tried nearly 20 pairs from retailers, none were comfortable or well fitting. But these are perfect, roomy with the elastic waist, comfortable for wearing all day, and neat looking. I’m very happy.’

While children are not required to wear a face mask in school, they might need to wear one if travelling on public transport such as a bus or train.

This pack of five face masks from Oscar Apparels features different bright colours. They are reusable and machine washable.

One customer wrote in their review: ‘Good range of colours which appealed to my two girls. Good fit for 10 year old, quite large for my seven year old, but easy to put a knot in the elastic either side and make it fit. Very soft fabric. Good buy.’

The Oxford range from Helix has a worldwide reputation for quality and excellence. 

From pens and pencils to erasers and a ruler, the stationary set includes everything your child could need for everyday learning. Plus, it can all be neatly stored inside the pencil case.

The set has amassed more than 4,000 reviews on Amazon with a near perfect average star rating of 4.7 out of 5. Shoppers praise the Helix Oxford stationary set for its top quality and value for money.

This sanitising hand gel is formulated with aloe vera to moisturise skin and leave hands feeling soft, clean and nourished.

It’s non-sticky and non-greasy, and it has a lovely pleasant smell. The child-friendly pump is easy for little hands to push down and get a good amount of product. 

You could either pop this bottle in their backpack or pump some into a smaller travel-friendly sized bottle and clip it to their bag.

Durable, lightweight and stylish, these Mary Jane style shoes from Skechers are ideal for everyday wear at school. The shoes feature a hook and loop fastening so kids can pop their shoes on quickly without any delays before the school run. Made from scuff-resistant leather upper, they are perfect for running around in the playground. The cushioned insole offers extra comfort and support. 

One shopper wrote: ‘My daughter goes through school shoes like there is no tomorrow. I can easily buy two pairs a term due to wear, scuffs or the strap breaking.  

‘After seeing them last her until they didn’t fit anymore I thought I would buy a pair for my youngest. I did’t have much hope as she just wrecks shoes. Seven months later she still has them and there is no wear. The straps still work perfectly and there is no wear on the bottoms.’ 

If your kid wears through shoes no matter how much they cost, you probably don’t want to spend a fortune on them.

For just £7.99, these smart-looking black school shoes from Trux are ideal for kids who love to run around. 

One reviewer wrote: ‘Great material and strong. I love how long these shoes can last compared to others I have used and at a cheaper price is always a bargain.’

Another added: ‘I bought these for my son. They are very lightweight so if your looking for heavy sturdy shoes these are not for you. My son loves them, he can run without the heaviness of shoes weighing him down. They are very comfy and great for school etc.’

These inexpensive plimsolls from Direct Schoolwear are perfect for the P.E. bag.

With prices starting from as little as £1.95, the unisex plimsolls can be worn by girls and boys to exercise in the school gym.

One shopper commented: ‘Great slip on shoes for school. Comfortable and good sizing.’

And it seems adults have been trying them out for their own workouts too, with many saying they evoke old childhood memories.

One reviewer wrote: ‘They remind me of when I was a kid at school, and these bad boys are just as grippy as I remember them.

Available in a wide variety of colours and patterns, this durable Vans Realm backpack should see your kid through many school years. It could also prove practical for college and university students too as it comes with a laptop sleeve.

Made from a robust canvas material, the Vans backpack features one large main compartment, front pocket with organiser, and padded shoulder straps for extra comfort and support.

One reviewer wrote: ‘A great bag for a good price. Cheaper than Vans online and in a nice variety of colours. We went for the khaki, which is fairly plain and makes a good school bag.

‘It has a front pocket with another zipped pocket inside and an internal compartment in the main body of the bag. It’s comfortable to wear and seems to have kept out the rain.’ 

If you like to make your child’s lunch, this Sistema lunch box is a good buy.

The multi-compartment lunch box allows you to separate food such as a sandwiches in the bottom and fruit or other healthy snacks in the top smaller sections.

It also comes with a small 250ml bottle, which could be ideal for a small portion of fruit juice or smoothie.

Its dishwasher friendly, so you don’t have to worry about washing it by hand, plus its phthalate and BPA free so you can feel reassured your child is eating from safe food storage.

Chilly’s bottles are ideal to keep your kids drink cool during school. In fact, the bottle’s vacuum insulation keeps liquids cold for 24 hours and hot for 12 hours. 

Made from high-grade stainless steel, the reusable water bottle is lightweight, durable and BPA free.

The metal water bottle comes in a wide assortment of colours and prints and an airtight, leak-proof screw top lid.

One shopper praised this product as the ‘best drinks bottle’, while others really love the variety of sizes and printed patterns.