Grand daughter starting secondary school

I haven’t brought any of my GC gifts for starting at a new school and I don’t know of anyone who does, not amongst my friends anyway. With six grandchildren all at different ages it’s hard enough thinking of birthday & Christmas gifts never mind new school presents. If their parents were struggling financially I’d happily help out with uniform, coats, shoes etc but thankfully at the moment they are all ok.
If you really want to buy a little something what about a really nice water bottle, they seem to use these all the time now and like to have the latest style, there are some lovely ones in the shops at various prices.

I am amazed the pupils might even use a fountain pen or that a school would want them to My kids are 48 and 44 and they didn’t have fountain pens on their school list, just rollerball pens.

I currently have grandchildren at high school and they take the minimum to school in their bags due to things being lost or taken. The definitely do not have fountain pens.

BlueBelle I couldn't agree more. My eldest GD goes up to senior school in September. I hadn't even thought of buying her anything in particular, but will probably get her a maths set (protractor etc) and some nice pens

I buy my dgd something every new school year. It might just be a part of uniform. I got her shoes one year , a cardigan the next and always some undies and socks. I never thought of not doing this. Btw I’ve never even heard of fountain pens for the last 30 years. I don’t think you can get them apart from in calligraphy sets

I think there's a bit of a misconception where fountain opens are concerned. They are actually quite comfortable to use when progressing from pencils at school. Fountain pens actually require much less effort in writing than ballpoint pens because no pressure is required. The Stabilo range is recommended at school and to be honest the prices are not exorbitant. I think WHSmith has a good selection, if not John Lewis allows the children try them out before buying.

Just to add about fountain pens - primary school pupils have to earn their 'pen licence' for good writing before they can progress from using a pencil for writing.

Yes my gs got his pen licence at end of yr 4. It made me smile.

I m sorry that blooming ‘pen license business’ which I ve never heard of makes me cringe, all the more ‘them and us’ what else should we do to make our kids feel inadequate they should all be using them at the same time something to look forward to when you go up into a,b,c
There’s all sorts of reasons you may not be a brilliant writer, eyesight, dexterity, lefthandedness (although my left handed dad had beautiful writing) dyslexia, dyspraxia, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t been encouraged to try

gel rollerball pens require no pressure either and are easier to use, produce just as good a result and are cheaper than fountain pens.
there are many different types. i like them, esp indian made ones from poundland, linc safron max gel, blue or black.

for a gift, what about premium bonds.

Also with eight g.children and myself a limited income, I do try to treat them all the same. I have a set list of WELL DONE pressies. Whilst they are in primary school a nice shiny one pound coin for any special achievement. Ten pound Note when they move up to Secondary school. Any really special achievement there gets them a fiver. Two of them in different areas both achieved pupil of the year at the end of their year 7.

Reasonable GCSE results (and that is obviously individual), £25.00. Similar for A levels or equivalent (£50). These are not rewards for high grades but a recognition of their having really put the work in. The Grades they achieve are individual.

One hundred pounds upon graduation (or achieving their work qualification).

However, with inflation soaring I am thinking I may have to revise some of these.

Just an afterthought. When I was clearing out a drawer, I found a very good calculator which I bought for DS1 37 years ago. It's still working, never having had a battery change. and, as far as I know, has all the relevant functions. Children will be expected to have their own calculators, so buy them a good one - it could work for their grandchildren!