You know that lovely moment when the school uniform list lands and apparently your child has grown out of everything at once?

Trousers. Polo shirts. PE kit. Shoes. Bag.

And somehow three perfectly good pens disappeared during the summer holidays.

Before you head out and buy the whole lot in one painful afternoon, here’s what I’d do.

First: check what you actually need don’t automatically buy everything at once.

Go through last year’s stuff first and make a list of what still fits, what can survive another term and what genuinely needs replacing.

Sounds obvious.

Still considerably cheaper than discovering two perfectly good white shirts at the bottom of a drawer after buying six new ones.

Peterborough families: try the free uniform shop before buying

This one is easy to miss.

Peterborough’s Second Chance School Uniform Shop is now a permanent scheme, run with Roots and Rise, Peterborough City Council and local partners.

Families can donate, swap or take primary and secondary school uniform items free of charge.

That means I’d check there before paying for blazers, trousers, shirts or other basics particularly the things children seem capable of outgrowing between breakfast and teatime.

If you do need new basics, compare the boring stuff

You don’t always need a clever voucher code.

Sometimes the saving is simply not paying £12 for something available for £4 elsewhere.

We found some great deals:

• Matalan: two polo shirts from £4, two sweatshirts from £7 and two skirts from £7.
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• Morrisons: three polo shirts from £4.95, two sweatshirts from £7 and two trousers from £9, although MSE warns that some cheaper stock is running low.
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• M&S: two polo shirts from £7, with other school basics available year-round.
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• H&M: school uniform items from £5.99, with free in-store collection and some delivery perks for members.
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There’s also a very short-lived one worth knowing about right now: Morrisons’ Nutmeg school range is reported at 25% off until 16 August, including three polo shirts for £3.71 and two pairs of boys’ trousers for £7.50.

Because that ends quickly, check the price before making a special trip.

Don’t overlook help you’re entitled to

From September 2026, schools in England should generally not require more than three branded uniform items; middle and secondary schools may require a fourth if that item is a tie.

Schools must also make second-hand uniform available and tell parents how to access it.

And if uniform costs are causing a problem, ask the school what support is available rather than assuming there isn’t any.

Also be aware of council support in some areas and a £150-per-child GroceryAid School Essentials Grant for eligible families working in the grocery industry.

Sally’s rule

Buy for the child, not the shopping list.

Check what fits.

Check the free stuff.

Check whether the logo is actually compulsory.

Then compare the basics before reaching for the card.

Because spending £20 less on polo shirts is considerably more satisfying than finding the receipt next week beside three unworn ones from last year.