The A-Z of back to school 2026 shopping

It’s that time of year again… From nursery and primary to secondary, sixth form and college, we’re here to help you plan your back to school 2026 shopping with handy lists and reminders covering everything you’ll need for the brand new term. 

Keep an eye out for the latest sales, deals, discounts and offers from across Ealing Broadway’s stores here (plus, don’t forget to sign up for incredible rewards at Marks & Spencer, H&M, Waterstones and others); take some time out from shopping with brilliant kids’ menus and treats for everyone (including you) and find the best bag charms, books, uniform, shoes and school extras so you’ll be totally organised once school kicks off. 

A is for accessories 

Playful and fun bucket hats, glittery hairbands, pastel scrunchies in mint, lavender and pinks and neon beanies – this term adding your own personal TikTok-inspired touch to school uniforms is a huge trend for all ages (if your school allows!). 

When it comes to oversized bows, cartoon hair clips, soft and stretchy hairbands and scrunchies, pick up multipacks so they can change up their look on a daily basis.

For older years, don’t miss Lovisa, with their range of hair accessories and jewellery pieces.

H&M, Marks & Spencer, Oliver Bonas, Primark, River Island, WH Smith, Poundland, Accessorize, Boots, MINISO and Flying Tiger Copenhagen. 

B is for bags, backpacks and bag charms

Alphabet and personalised keyrings, fluffy pom-poms, retro and glitter accessories, Y2K cartoon characters including Stitch, Hello Kitty and My Melody and Jellycats are bringing the fun this new school term. (They’re functional too – making bags easy to spot on their pegs.) 

Smiggle, MINISO, Decathlon, TG Jones, Poundland, Foot Locker, JD Sports, H&M, Marks & Spencer, Primark, River Island, Accessorize, Boots and Flying Tiger Copenhagen. 

C is for coats and cosy buys

Warm, rain-resistant and hard-wearing – a good coat can make all the difference to the school run come January. For autumn, a lightweight rain jacket and school blazer are essential with puffas, fleece-lined duffle coats and peacoats great for winter. Don’t forget gloves (buy multipacks in the same colour for when they lose one), scarves and earmuffs too.  

Decathlon, Foot Locker, JD Sports, H&M, Marks & Spencer, Primark and River Island. 

D is for deodorant and beauty bits

For tweens and teens, you need hard-wearing deodorant that won’t upset sensitive skin: Salt of the Earth, Sol De Janeiro, Bulldog, Fussy and Wild are all great. 

For three-step cleansers, moisturisers and SPF (which dermatologists agree is all that teenage skin needs), go for gentle and trusted brands including Bubble, Byoma, Cerave, Cetaphil and Revolution Skin. 

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Holland & Barrett, Superdrug, Poundland, The Body Shop, Marks & Spencer, Primark, Boots and Flying Tiger Copenhagen. 

E is for eye tests and glasses

Free NHS sight tests are available for children under 16 and for young people under 19 in full-time education and the back to school run is the perfect time to go – you can also get optical vouchers to pay towards any glasses. Head to David Clulow  and Vision Express.

F is for fabric pens for name tags

The most useful buy of all: a fabric pen so you can write in the name of your child on their coats, PE kits, school tops, cardigan – basically anything they’re capable of losing on the first day back. 

Poundland, TG Jones, Boots and Flying Tiger Copenhagen. 

G is for grab some lunch

Do not attempt back to school shopping on an empty stomach. Comptoir Libanais, Turtle Bay, Wagamama, Marks & Spencer and Fuwa Fuwa all have incredible kids’ menus or go for fast food treats at Itsu and Kineya Mugimaru.

H is for hair

Invest in jumbo-sized shampoo, conditioner and shower gel to get you through the first term.

Superdrug, Poundland, The Body Shop, Marks & Spencer, Primark, Boots

I is for imagination

For art, drama, school projects and beyond, make sure you’ve got the essentials at home with a big craft box of plenty of pens, paints, glue (a glue gun will transform your life), pipe cleaners and paper. Then you can pop in old birthday cards, egg boxes, cardboard, material, odds and ends which will come in useful all year round. You could chuck in a sewing kit too for missing buttons on shirts and cardigans. 

Poundland, Primark, Waterstones and Flying Tiger Copenhagen.  

J is for Jellycat and toys for back to school treats

We all need something to keep us going on the back to school run so offering bribes for patience and good behaviour is totally fair game… Ealing Broadway’s toy stores have brilliant finds for under £10 while a brand-new soft Jellycat is a real treat too (the new passionfruit is particularly cute). 

MINISO, Smiggle, Poundland, WH Smith, Primark, Waterstones and Flying Tiger Copenhagen.  

K is for keyrings and lanyards

Like bag charms, custom keyrings and lanyards to reflect your personality is going to be huge over the next academic year. Disney and Sanrio characters, lip glosses, sequin and primary-coloured finds are all brilliant ways to inject some fun into the every day or pick up a crafting set so they can make their own when you get home. 

Smiggle, Accessorize, Oliver Bonas, MINISO, Poundland, Primark, Waterstones and Flying Tiger Copenhagen.  

L is for lunch box

Obviously choosing a lunch box can come down to colour and characters but a good one should also be insulated to keep food cool, have plenty of compartments (or smaller boxes for carrots, cucumber and bread sticks) and be easy to clean (tip: double check they’re dishwasher friendly). 

Smiggle, MINISO, Marks & Spencer, Boots, Poundland, Primark and Flying Tiger Copenhagen.  

M is for maths set 

Starting secondary school? They’ll need a maths set with a calculator, compass, protractor, set squares, pencil and pens, eraser and pencil sharpener. Time tables guides, highlighters, scissors, index cards, plastic dividers and Post-its are also really useful additions. 

Marks & Spencer, Waterstones, TG Jones, Poundland, Primark and Flying Tiger Copenhagen.  

N is for notebooks, laptops, earphones and more

With more and more homework online, investing in the right tech could see them through school and into college. Memory sticks, headphones, wireless speakers and portable chargers will all be useful!

Marks & Spencer, Waterstones, TG Jones, Poundland, Primark and Flying Tiger Copenhagen.  

O is for offers and student discounts

There are lots of back to school offers and student discounts at Ealing Broadway, visit our offers page to see the latest deals. Also check your loyalty store cards and cashback offers via debit cards such as Monzo and Club Lloyds. 

P is for PE kit

Black trainers, PE socks, black shorts or joggers and a handy bag are all sports essentials. Add to this list: swimming (googles, swimcap and swimming suits), football (boots and knee guards), tennis (rackets and balls), cross-country (good running shoes), basketball, netball, hockey and rounders. 

Clarks, Decathlon, Foot Locker, JD Sports, H&M, Marks & Spencer, Primark and River Island. 

Q is for queues (well skipping them)

Save yourself the stress of searching for multiple sizes with a crowd of other frazzled parents – make the most of Click & Collect by ordering what you need and simply pick up in store. 

R is for reading books, stationery and diaries

Give them a head start with key stage guides to their subjects alongside fun reading books that’ll spark their passion for learning at Ealing Central Library and Explore Learning. They’ll also need a diary to keep on top of their time table and stationery for note-taking and journaling. For younger children, Marvel, Barbie, unicorn, Hello Kitty and glitter pens and notebooks are always popular. 

 Oliver Bonas, Poundland, Waterstones and Flying Tiger Copenhagen. 

S is for shoe fittings and shoes

Whether you’re going for glittery, light-up primary-school trainers or teen and tween black leather lace-ups, brogues, creepers and T-bars, make sure you get the best fit for growing feet. Also don’t forget they’ll need trainers for their PE kit. 

Clarks, Decathlon, Foot Locker, JD Sports, H&M, Marks & Spencer, Primark and River Island. 

T is for time out

Take a breather and enjoy a well-earned treat – from bubble teas to ice cream. Head to 

Bubble Magik, Fuwa Fuwa, Leonidas and Lola’s Cupcakes. 

They can also let off steam at The Ealing Summer Social which has everything from street food tents and carnival games to live entertainment and big-screen sport (find out more here). 

U is for uniform

What’s on the essential back to school uniform list? Five school tops (avoid midweek laundry crises – anything less and there will be a last-minute washing emergency and argument by Thursday), two skirts or trousers, dresses, cardigan, jumper or fleece. And breathe… 

Decathlon, Foot Locker, JD Sports, H&M, Marks & Spencer, Primark and River Island. 

V is for vests and underwear

Once again buy extras of everything to make your life easier (10 x vests, pairs of socks and pants). When it comes to socks – try to avoid packs of different designs – get the same colour which can be easily paired once the washing is done. 

Decathlon, Foot Locker, JD Sports, H&M, Marks & Spencer, Primark and River Island. 

W is for water bottle

If you’re choosing a reusable plastic water bottle make sure it’s leak proof and BPA free. For stainless steel bottles for teens and tweens, Stanley at JD Sports and Chilly’s at Boots are always popular. Ones with lids attached also make life easier when you’re in a rush. 

Flying Tiger Copenhagen, Poundland, Oliver Bonas, WH Smith, Waterstones, Decathlon, Foot Locker, JD Sports, H&M, Marks & Spencer, Primark and River Island. 

X is for extracurricular activities 

Dance, cooking classes, drama and coding… Whatever their passion, make sure they have the necessary kit to go with it. Black leggings are great for dance and drama while bake-off fans will need plenty of storage boxes and ingredients. Plan those unexpected things now. 

Waterstones, Flying Tiger Copenhagen and Poundland. 

Y is for you (parents need a treat too)

You’re going to need some recovery time. Pick up bath soaks, books, decadent food and face masks while you’re out… 

Oliver Bonas, The Body Shop, Rituals and Marks & Spencer. 

Z is for ZZZs 

Cosy pyjamas, a snuggly onesie, soft sleep socks and a dressing gown. When they’re worn out for a full school week, this is the perfect way to get them to bed and give them comfort. Maybe stock up on hot chocolate sachets too… 

Leonidas, H&M, Marks & Spencer, Primark and River Island. 

It’s easy to get to Ealing Broadway by public transport – find directions here and see what’s available for family-friendly facilities here. 

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