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Back to school 2024 with Meadowhall
Uniform, bags, trainers, school shoes and more
It’s back-to-school time and Meadowhall is the easy and fun way to get all your uniform, sporty buys, school bags, tech and stationery organised in one place this summer.
With a huge range of shops, plenty of free carer-child parking, excellent transport links and baby-changing spots, Meadowhall is here to take the stress out of back-to-school shopping.
With an offers page full of discounts for every budget and our family days out guide, delicious food and drink and more, this is back-to-school buying made easy.
Download and print out our handy back-to-school checklist1. Start the day with some much-needed breakfast
Back-to-school shopping on an empty stomach? Not advised… Get ready for the day ahead with breakfast and coffee at Greggs (don’t miss their £2.85 breakfast deals) or enjoy sitdown breakfast at Harvester with the kids’ menu featuring cereal, pancakes and full breakfasts from £1.49.
2. Pick up uniform and school bags at Marks & Spencer, Next and Primark
Image provided by Marks & Spencer
Blazer, polo shirts, non-iron shirts (go for short sleeves for younger ones to make it easier when they’re painting and creating), skirts (pleat and straight), pinafores, shorts, trousers (different lengths are available alongside skinny and plus-size) and culottes – whatever uniform basics you need for girls and boys then head to Marks & Spencer, Next and Primark for quick and easy updates.
With multi-packs, non-crease and easy washing plus a huge range of colours (navy, grey, black, blue and white) and sizes alongside unbranded school bags, you can grab everything you need (don’t forget those crucial name labels and marker pens at Poundland). Smiggle is also a popular place to pick up bags and matching stationery.
3. Find winter coats and outerwear at Zara, H&M, Mango, TK Maxx, New Look and River Island
Image provided by H&M
From light early-autumn and summer jackets to warm winter coats, find what you need for every weather at Zara, Mango, TK Maxx, New Look and River Island.
3. Get your school shoes at Clarks, Deichmann, Dr Martens, Office, Skechers, schuh kids and more
Image provided by Clarks
Black school shoes are a must for every school uniform list and Meadowhall has just about every kids’ shoe brand under one roof. Whether it’s girls’ chunky loafers and ankle boots or Kickers and Velcro fastenings, find what you need at Clarks, Deichmann, Dr Martens, Kids at Clinks, Office, Shoezone, Skechers, Vans and schuh kids (take in an old pair of shoes and get £5 off and check the offers page for other amazing discounts). You can also avoid the queues and book shoe fittings at Clarks via their website.
4. Stop for mid-morning break
Take a much-needed sitdown and rehydrate with Hotel Chocolat (with a dreamy hot chocolate for the kids), enjoy a sweet treat at Batch’d or watermelon coolers at Bubble Citea. Let them run loose in the Riverside Playground while you take a breather.
5. Sort your sport bag and PE uniform at JD Sports, Foot Locker and Footasylum
Image provided by Footlocker
A fleece, polo shirt, joggers, shorts, long socks, plimsolls and trainers, swimsuits and football boots from adidas, Nike and Puma: JD Sports, Foot Locker and Footasylum have you covered.
6. Update underwear and socks at H&M and Primark
Don’t forget the basics. For underwear, vests, socks (long and short) and hairbands, H&M and Primark are your go-tos.
7. Find pens, books, stationery, water bottles and extras at Flying Tiger Copenhagen, Kenji, Mooch, Smiggle and more
Image provided by Smiggle
Must-haves for secondary school include a pencil case, pens, rubber, ruler, pencils, exercise book, calculator, highlighter and protractor. Pick up everything you need including water bottles, reading books and academic diaries at Flying Tiger Copenhagen, Kenji, Mooch, Smiggle, The Entertainer, Typo, Waterstones, The Works, WHSmith and Urban Outfitters.
8. Deodorant, cleansers and more at Boots and Superdrug
Image provided by Lush
Get stocked up on with natural deodorants, shower gels and tea tree oil products and great teen skincare from Boots and Superdrug (good brands include CeraVe, Byoma and Cetaphil). Don’t forget the basics at Poundland: toothpaste, cotton wool and hair accessories in one quick sweep and vegan treats and Afro hair products at Lush.
9. Need glasses or a haircut? Head to Optical Express, M&S Opticians and Supercuts
Book in for an appointment at Optical Express or M&S Opticians for a free NHS eye test and glasses for under 16s or Supercuts does kids’ cuts from £14.
10. Buy school laptops and tech at Argos, Apple and curry
For the latest academic tech including laptops, printers, notebooks, Chromebooks, headphones and Bluetooth speakers, visit Argos, Apple and currys and get advice for your budget from their in-the-know teams.
11. Finish the day with a toy, movie and tea…
Image provided by Jump
And, if you’ve still all got some energy, treat them to something at Lego, Build-a-Bear or Lindt. There are also free kids’ menus at The Real Greek on Sundays and TGI Fridays every day. Don’t miss plenty of summer movies at Vue alongside rock climbing at Rock Up, inflatables at Air Haus, games at Funstation, trampolining at Jump Inc and more…