Grand daughter starting secondary school

We got our grandsons a guided journal, it was full of helpful stuff regarding feelings, emotions and friendship.

I am going to get our Granddaughter one as she starts senior school this year.

Just wish I could remember what it was called ?

What is / are her favourite subject/s?
I think that she’d appreciate a gift associated with them.
What lovely Grandparents you are!

Just googled guided journals for teens Amazon has a fair few, covering different subjects.

Some cover anxieties etc.

If you just want to help with ( huge) costs, give the parents some money.
I wanted it to be more personal, so gave my grandchildren a sum of money each, to choose items for their school bag eg pencil case, calculator, with the reminder that the school may well stipulate particular items, or insist they be bought through school. ( I have still got my school geometry set).

A good fountain pen is another idea.

Thank you FC.

FannyCornforth

What is / are her favourite subject/s?
I think that she’d appreciate a gift associated with them.
What lovely Grandparents you are!

Great excitement at first GC, lavished with love and gifts as DiL had lost multiple pregnancies.

By the time number eight came along as much as we love them equally, we have put in a polite request for no more ???

Aww QUALITY what a lovely thing to do for your grandaughter...

Ours wanted a specific brand of rucksack, we bought and gave it with pleasure.

You don't say how much you want to spend, so this may be a bit expensive. A Pandora bracelet with a charm representing school, you can then buy a charm every time you want to commemorate an occasion in her life.

Ours is also starting secondary school next term and her brother 6th Form. I must admit I'd never thought about buying a present. Is that a new 'thing'?

I tend to agree with Fleurpepper I never really thought further than a card and a pencil case, if anything.

However, many secondary schools issue tablets/ipads to all year 7s, but parents pay for these, although I think there are arrangements to help children whose parents would have difficulty paying. If that is the case with your grandchild. Help paying for that might be nice (plus a pencil case!)

My grandson is 4 and starting big school. I would like to buy him a present but he already has everything a small boy starting school could possibly need. I offered to buy him a pencil case when we were in a shop the other day, but he assured me he already 2 and asked if he could have a dinosaur instead ( he has about 202 of those!!)

No 5 is about to start secondary school gg - the novelty has worn off. She might get a card!!

It's a couple of years before my eldest GC starts secondary school, but I will remember this thread and all the lovely suggestions. Thank you Quilty and everyone.

We've bought our GD a Parker fountain pen and ballpoint, both engraved with her name. Expensive enough to be nice, but not so much that they couldn't be replaced if necessary.

Whether she uses them or not is up to her! But we thought they acknowledged that she's growing up (unfortunately!!).

When they started school I ordered coloured and ordinary pencils with names engraved. Not sure they were ever used.

My gd started senior school last year and though no needlewoman I made a large drawstring bag out if her school dress, using pockets fir extra storage and fitted out the teddy we got her when she was Born with a mini school uniform, simple skirt and top with a little bag. It will be a nice memory fir her in future of her old school dress.

My son has just graduated from uni. I bought him a patio set, chairs, table, parasol etc! ?

Would it be out of the question to ask her if there's something she would really like to mark the occasion? Perhaps you want it to be a total surprise.

Jaxjacky

Ours wanted a specific brand of rucksack, we bought and gave it with pleasure.

Yes, mine too.

I let her choose it herself as it had to be the right shape and size.

Same Callistemon21

I worked in a secondary school for a while and I never ever saw anyone using a fountain pen!! Can you still actually buy them? Rollerball pens seem to be the most popular. Parker do some lovely ones but the chances of it getting lost at school are pretty high! Mostly girls here seem to have oversized tote bags for school. Maybe a voucher for a high street shop so she can choose her own? I do like the journal idea though. One that locks so nobody can pry!!

Never thought this was a thing! We give the parents money towards shoes, uniform etc.

I once worked in a comprehensive which told children that they must use fountain pens! I got fed up with the naughty ones making inky fingers an excuse to leave the room and 'wash my hands, miss!' Against the school rules I said that I wouldn't allow fountain pens in my classroom and had no complaints - with the exception of the trouble makers who had lost their excuse for getting out of the classroom.
So my recommendation is: forget the fountain pen. A good set of roller-balls, which are easily replaced when someone 'borrows' them.

ElaineI

Never thought this was a thing! We give the parents money towards shoes, uniform etc.

Oh thank goodness! We're the same.

I was beginning to think we were evil grandparents!