Parents could spend more than £15,500 on the additional costs of putting a child through their school years, with almost half of families stressed about back-to-school spending.
New research from Nationwide suggests school clubs account for the biggest share of the bill, costing parents an average of £700 a year once associated costs are included. That could add up to £9,100 over a child's school career, compared with average annual spending of £381 on school uniform and sports kit and £116 on school trips.
The research also found that school clubs are serving an important childcare role for some working families, with 22 per cent of parents saying they use them to help cover gaps in childcare.
Cost of school clubs
More than a third (36%) of children attend around two different clubs during the academic year, with parents spending an average of £11 per session.
Football is the most popular activity, attended by 38 per cent of children taking part in clubs, followed by swimming at 17 per cent. Creative clubs are attended by 13 per cent, followed by dance at 12 per cent and academic activities such as maths, science, board games and languages at 11 per cent.
While 22 per cent of parents use clubs to help cover childcare gaps, 45 per cent pay for them to help their children develop skills outside the school curriculum. The same proportion said they pay for clubs to support a child's passion for a particular activity.
School uniform costs
Nationwide found parents could spend an average of £381 each year on school uniform and sports kit.
Parents reported replacing around 25 pieces of uniform and sports kit each year because they had been lost, damaged or worn out. Across a child's school career, that could amount to around 325 replacement items.
School shoes were the most expensive individual item identified in the research, costing £43 on average, followed by PE trainers at £42 and blazers at £37. Tracksuits cost £29 on average, while 12 per cent of parents reported spending more than £76 on PE trainers.
School trip costs
Trips add another expense to family budgets, with 98 per cent of children taking at least one school day trip during the year. Around half also attend a residential trip and, among those whose children do, 49 per cent of parents spend more than £100 per child.
The combined costs are forcing some households to make savings elsewhere. More than a third (37%) of parents said they are cutting back on eating out and takeaways to afford school-related expenses. Another 22 per cent are reducing entertainment spending, while 21 per cent are cutting back on holidays and travel and 20 per cent on clothing and fashion.
Some 18 per cent said they are reducing the amount going into savings and investments.
How parents are cutting back-to-school costs
Families are also adopting a range of tactics to keep the cost of the new school year down. Some 43 per cent look for sales and discounts, while 35 per cent put money aside in advance and 34 per cent reuse items from previous years.
A third of parents buy supermarket own-brand school uniforms, while the same proportion only replace items once they are worn out and shop around to find the cheapest prices. Nearly one in four (23%) buy uniforms in larger sizes in an attempt to make clothes last longer.
Fred Powell, head of current accounts at Nationwide, said: "Our research confirms what many families already know: back-to-school costs can quickly add up." He said clubs and trips can help children learn new skills and make friends while also helping parents cover gaps in childcare.
Kate Steere, parent and consumer editor at Finder, said families should be realistic with children about how many activities they can afford. She said: "With prices rising this year, we had to sit down and make a hard call about dropping one, evaluating each club based on cost versus enjoyment."
Ms Steere also suggested parents look for second-hand sports equipment through other families at children's clubs and resale platforms to reduce the cost of kit. Full details about help for families, including school clothing, can be found on MYGOV.SCOT.
