Autumn is fast approaching, but parents don't have to spend a fortune getting the family set up for the cooler weather. From school uniforms and warm coats to backpacks, stationery, lunchbox essentials and more, there are plenty of bank holiday deals available now.
We've rounded up some of the best buys from Tesco, The Works, Iceland, Monsoon, Kickers, Holland & Barrett, M&S, Sockshop and Red Equipment, with prices starting from just 25p. Many also have cashback available via TopCashback, so we've included details of how to claim that too - every penny counts at an expensive time of year.
Whether you're replacing school shoes, hunting for a new coat for rainy mornings, filling a pencil case or stocking up on lunchbox favourites, there are ways to keep costs down. We've picked out the standout products and offers worth knowing about before the temperatures drop and night draw in.
The Works back-to-school deals from £1
Families can get back-to-school essentials from just £1 at The Works, with hundreds of products covering everything from stationery and study supplies to educational toys and art materials.
The range caters for preschool children through to college students, with plenty of fun options for children who want to personalise their pencil cases. Popular picks include Pokémon and K-Pop Demon Hunters stationery, alongside practical classroom basics.
There are also savings on selected products, including a Crawford & Black 140-piece Art Studio Set with Easel, reduced from £50 to £25, and a Helix Oxford Maths Set now £3.
Here are some of the top picks to look out for:
- PlayWorks Time to Learn Clock – £1
- K-Pop Demon Hunters 9-Piece Stationery Set – £7
- Pokémon Pencil Case – £5
- Works Essentials Clear 15cm Pencil Case – £1
- Bic Cristal Blue Pens, 10-pack – £1.50
- Helix Oxford Eco Edition Filled Pencil Case – £7
- Crawford & Black 140-Piece Art Studio Set with Easel – £25
- Crawford & Black Acrylic Paints, 12-pack – £5
- Crawford & Black Sketch Pad, A5 – £2
Red Equipment sale - with waterproof school kit for rainy days
For children who spend plenty of time outdoors, Red Equipment has a selection of waterproof and hard-wearing kit that could be useful for the new school term.
The standout is the Adventure Waterproof Backpack 12L, priced at £79.95. Designed to be robust and fully waterproof, it can help keep school essentials protected from the unpredictable British weather.
There’s also an Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle 750ml, priced at £26.96, which is leakproof and has two drink-cap options. It can keep cold drinks cold for up to 24 hours and hot drinks warm for up to 12 hours.
For children who enjoy outdoor activities, the Kids Long Sleeve Waterproof Alter Evo Pro Changing Robe is currently on sale at £67.96 and provides waterproof protection for getting changed outdoors.
The full range is here.
Top Red Equipment picks:
- Adventure Waterproof Backpack 12L – £79.95
- Kids Long Sleeve Waterproof Alter Evo Pro Changing Robe – £84.95, reduced to £67.96
- Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle 750ml – £26.96
Monsoon school coats, bags and accessories
Monsoon has plenty of good value options for refreshing children's school wardrobes for the autumn, from shower-resistant jackets for rainy mornings to padded coats for colder days.
There are also smart school bags and backpacks, plus a selection of bow-themed hair accessories to finish off the look.
Top Monsoon school coat picks:
- Bonnie Bow Quilted Puffer Coat – from £58
- Ombré Shimmer Raincoat – from £38
- Broderie Shower Proof Jacket – from £40
- Duffle Coat – from £49
- Broderie Shower Proof Trench Coat – from £48
- Water-Resistant Colourblock Puffer Jacket – from £50
- Water-Resistant Puffer Jacket – from £50
- Bow Ruffle Shower Resistant Jacket – from £50
- Heart Quilted Shower Resistant Coat – from £50
- Quilted Hood Peacoat – from £55
- Faux Fur Collar Frill Coat – from £55
- Faux Fur Collar Double-Breasted Coat – from £55
- Taylor Bow Hooded Puffer Coat – from £58
- Bow Hooded Puffer Coat – from £58
- Harriett Heart Quilted Coat – from £58
- Aurora Floral Print Puffer Coat – from £65
- Floral Print Bow Puffer Coat – from £65
Check out their cashback offers here to save even more.
Holland & Barrett Kids Family Essentials Bundle – £31, save 40%
Holland & Barrett has launched a Kids Family Essentials Bundle for £31, offering a 40% saving for families preparing for autumn bugs. Available until the end of September, the bundle brings together vitamins, supplements and lunchbox-friendly snacks.
Products include:
- Novomins Kids Omega 3, 6 & 9 Gummies – vegan gummies with vitamins D and E
- H&B Kids Multivitamin Gummies – strawberry-flavoured daily vitamins
- H&B Manuka Honey – ideal for adding to breakfast
- H&B Apple Chips – a high-fibre lunchbox snack
- H&B Kids Magnesium Gummies – strawberry-flavoured gummies providing 60mg of magnesium
At £31 for the five-product bundle, it could be a useful money-saving option for parents looking to stock up on back-to-school essentials while the 40% discount is available.
Iceland kids' deals
Families face an average £208 bill per child for uniforms, school shoes, lunches and other back-to-school essentials, while half say the costs are now beyond what they can afford, according to Iceland research.
There's also money off at Topcashback at the moment, see below for full details.
Iceland is responding with a series of offers on lunchbox staples, snacks and easy family meals, including 3 for £3 on selected lunchbox products, 8 for £10 on dinnertime favourites and Buy 2 Get 1 Free on selected cupboard staples.
Here are some of the deals to look out for:
- The Daily Bakery Deli Rolls, 4-pack – 85p, or 2 for £1.50
- Iceland Egg Mayonnaise Deli Filler – £2, or 3 for £5
- Soreen Malt Lunchbox Loaves – £1.75, or 3 for £3
- Mr Kipling Raspberry Cake Slices – £1.65, or 3 for £3
- Dairylea Lunchers Ham n’ Cheese – £1.65, or 5 for £5
- Fruit Shoot Apple & Blackcurrant – £4.75, falling to £4 from September 1
- Goodfella’s Thin Crust Cheese Pizza – £2
- Richmond Thick Pork Sausages – £2
- Birds Eye Chicken Dippers – £2.75
- Sunbest Apple & Cinnamon Fruit & Grain Bars – £1
Tesco back-to-school essentials – from 25p
Tesco is expecting its busiest back-to-school shopping week of the year, with families stocking up on school uniforms, stationery, shoes and other essentials ahead of September.
Parents can pick up school uniform from £3, including a two-pack of F&F polo shirts, while stationery essentials start from just 25p. Tesco says its uniform range is designed to last, with features including adjustable waists, reinforced knees and seams and stain-repellent fabrics. Uniform also comes with a one-year guarantee.
Top Tesco back-to-school buys:
- F&F polo shirts – 2-pack from £3
- F&F sweatshirts – 2-pack from £4
- F&F trousers – 2-pack from £7
- Tesco Geometry Set – £1
- Tesco 10-pack ballpoint pens – 50p
- Tesco 12-pack HB pencils with erasers – £1
- Tesco clear pencil case – 50p
- BIC 10-pack black pens – £1.45 with Clubcard
- Sharpie 5-pack markers – £3 with Clubcard
Save on shoes with Kickers
Parents shopping for new school shoes can cut the cost with a Kickers offer through TopCashback, but only until Sunday August 30. New TopCashback customers can get 11% cashback when buying from Kickers, while existing Kickers customers can get 7% cashback.
New TopCashback members can also claim a £15 sign-up bonus when they spend £15 or more at Kickers, potentially making some popular school shoes significantly cheaper.
Top Kickers deals:
- Kickers Mervan Lo Velcro Synthetic Leather – £43.95 RRP, £25.28 after cashback for new TopCashback and new Kickers customers
- Kickers Kick Tovi Lacer Leather – £61.95 RRP, £41.63 after cashback
- Kickers Kick Lo Leather – £65 RRP, £44.04 after cashback
- Kickers Kick Hi Leather – £70 RRP, £48.58 after cashback
Prices include standard £3.95 delivery, with free delivery on orders over £60. Cashback and sign-up offers are subject to TopCashback and merchant terms.
How to get money back with Topcashback
1. Sign up using this bonus link
2. Search for your merchant - Kickers, Iceland, Tesco, Holland and Barrett, Monsoon etc
3. Click get cashback
4. Shop as you normally would
Get £10 back with M&S
Marks and Spencer is giving millions of Sparks members the chance to earn £10 back this Bank Holiday weekend – and it could be particularly useful for families still racing to finish their autumn shopping.
This weekend, until Monday, August 31, Sparks members who spend £50 or more on fashion at M&S will receive £10 in their Sparks Wallet.
The offer comes at one of the busiest shopping points of the year, with parents stocking up on school uniforms and shoppers beginning to switch their wardrobes from summer clothes to autumn staples.
And if you're already planning to spend £50 at M&S, the offer could effectively mean getting £10 back to spend on your next shop.
See the full range here.
How to get the £10 M&S Sparks reward
The offer is available to Sparks members who spend at least £50 on fashion between August 27 and August 31.
The £10 reward will be paid directly into the customer's Sparks Wallet.
That means shoppers don't need to buy a particular product or hunt down a special discount – the offer applies when the £50 fashion spending threshold is reached.
For those who have already bought the children's uniform, the timing could be ideal for stocking up on new-season clothes.
M&S says almost three-quarters of UK adults buy new clothing for the season ahead, while 53 per cent start thinking about updating their wardrobes before summer has even ended.
And shoppers are already looking towards autumn, with jumpers, footwear, coats and layering pieces proving popular.
The catch shoppers need to know
The £10 reward isn't an instant £10 discount at the till.
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Instead, eligible Sparks members earn £10 into their Sparks Wallet after spending £50 or more on fashion during the promotional period.
So if you're already planning an M&S fashion shop over the Bank Holiday weekend, it could be worth timing your purchase to take advantage.
And with September just around the corner, parents who still have uniform or school essentials to buy may be able to hit the £50 threshold without spending extra simply to qualify.
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