With just over a week until children and teens are back in the classroom, parents are on a last minute mission to ensure they have everything they need. Back-to-school shopping can quickly become an expensive task, particularly when parents are faced with a seemingly endless list of stationery essentials to buy before the new term begins.
But shoppers looking to keep costs down could be in luck, as The Range has launched a selection of budget-friendly stationery, with several useful pencil case staples costing £1. From geometry sets and highlighters to pencils, erasers and sharpeners, the selection includes plenty of practical buys for children heading back to the classroom.
Geometry sets and highlighters for £1
A must-have for maths classes, this Four Piece Geometry Set costs £1 and contains a protractor, 30cm ruler and two set squares, each working out at 25p apiece. It has been designed to fit into most pencil cases, making it a handy option for pupils who need to keep their equipment organised.
The 30cm ruler may be too long for some cases, in which case, Amazon offers this Helix 30cm Folding Ruler for £3.75. This means it will fit into any pencil case that’s 15cm or longer.
Back at The Range, this Pack of 4 Essentials Highlighters from i-doodle Essentials is also £1, also working out at 25p per pen. The set contains orange, pink, yellow and green highlighters, giving pupils four colours to choose from, which can be useful for colour-coded revision.
Erasers, sharpeners and more budget buys
Frequently lost pencil case additions are erasers and pencil sharpeners, so for those looking to stock up, the £1 Eraser and Pencil Sharpener Set could also prove useful. The set includes four sharpeners in different colours and five erasers, meaning there are plenty of spares to keep at home or in a school bag.
Nine stationery essentials for £1 feels like particularly good value, averaging at 11p per item. While it might seem like too many for one child, it would be ideal for siblings or friends to split between one another.
Standard stationery can be somewhat boring, so to inject some playfulness into pencil cases this term, there’s a Pack of 3 Strawberry Bow Pens that is currently reduced to £1.19, down from £1.99. The set includes three pens featuring heart, bow and strawberry designs, alongside a comfy grip barrel designed for smooth writing.
Student sets and customer reviews
Finally, the Oxford Student Set by Helix costs £1.99 and contains several pencil case basics. Inside are two HB pencils, a 15cm ruler, a blue pen, an eraser and a plastic sharpener, each working out at 33p. However, for those purchasing all of the above, they may find that this set doubles up on some of the essentials - which may not necessarily be a bad thing for children who are forever losing their belongings. All of these items together would see an overall basket total of £6.18, making the return to school easier and more affordable.
While the individual items themselves are yet to rack up reviews online, The Range has plenty of positive Trustpilot reviews from customers. One said: "Easy to order and quick delivery. Quality stationary for school."
Another wrote: "A fantastic site for really everyday products. Lovely functional Stationary, books, journals, pads and a variety of pens etc. High quality products with colourful designs. School, office or just great stationary, good pricing, it's all here. I would definitely recommend The Range."
However, some have mentioned they'd prefer to see more regular updates of their products, commenting: "The Range always has a good selection of good quality, stylish products. Sadly it very rarely seems to change or update it's standard product. The only time the range of goods change is on the seasonal sections."
Though another five-star review read: "Really fab choice I got my son's stationery for secondary school really cheap so thank you and the dogs lead I got for my teddy is brilliant for the price so thanks."
