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Back to School Checklist 2027: What to Sort Before Term 1
Nov
The summer holidays always feel long until suddenly it’s the last week of January and nobody can find a school shoe. A back-to-school checklist spreads the jobs over the holidays, so the first week of Term 1 is about settling in, not last-minute shopping. Here’s what to sort and when.
Quick answer: start in December with uniforms, book lists and devices. Two weeks before school, label everything and fill in forms. In the last week, practise the morning routine and pack bags the night before day one.
The back-to-school checklist
| Category | What to check |
|---|---|
| Uniform | Summer uniform, sports uniform, jumper for cooler mornings. Try everything on; kids grow over the holidays. |
| Shoes | School shoes and sports shoes that fit, with room to grow |
| Hat | Most Australian schools have a sun-safe hat rule. Check which style your school requires. |
| Books and stationery | Everything on the school’s list, plus spare pencils and glue sticks for later in the term |
| Device | If your school runs a BYOD (bring your own device) program, check the required specs, apps and case |
| Bag, lunchbox, drink bottle | Check zips, lids and seals. Replace anything that leaks. |
| Labels | Name on every item: clothes, hat, bag, lunchbox, bottle, books |
| Forms | Medical and allergy plans, permission notes, contact details, before and after school care bookings |
December: the big jobs
- Check uniforms and shoes. Make a list of what needs replacing before uniform shops and shoe stores get busy in January.
- Order the book and stationery list. Many schools send the list home at the end of the year or use an online supplier with a delivery deadline.
- Sort the device. If your child needs a laptop or tablet, give yourself time to buy, set up and test it.
- Book before and after school care. Places can fill up, especially for the first weeks of term.
- Write the term dates in your planner. Find every 2027 date in our 2027 school term dates guide.
Two weeks before school: label, fill in, plan
- Label everything. Iron-on or sticker labels save a lot of trips to lost property.
- Fill in forms. Update medical and allergy plans, emergency contacts and anything the school sent home.
- Plan lunches. Write a two-week lunchbox plan and a shopping list, and bake or freeze a few snacks.
- Set up a school page for each child. Teacher names, class, timetable, pick-up contacts and any login details in one place.
The last week of the holidays: routines
- Shift bedtime earlier by 10 to 15 minutes a night so the first school morning isn’t a shock.
- Practise the morning routine once or twice: up, dressed, breakfast, out the door.
- Pack the night before: bag, hat, drink bottle, lunchbox and uniform laid out.
- Keep week one quiet. Start after-school activities in week two or three if you can.
Keep the school year in one planner
Once term starts, the notices keep coming. Our 2027 Family Planner, Monday Start (Mum Edition) has Kids pages for School Info & Teachers, Class Schedule, Homework Tracker, a Grade Tracker split into four terms and a Lunchbox Planner, plus Monday-start weekly pages with a row for the kids. It’s a hyperlinked PDF for GoodNotes, Notability and Android tablet apps.
FAQ
When should I start back-to-school shopping?
Start in December, before the summer holidays get busy. Book lists and uniform shops are often quieter then, and you can spread the cost over two pay cycles.
What should be on a back-to-school checklist?
Uniforms and shoes, a school hat, the book and stationery list, a device if your school asks for one, a school bag, lunchbox and drink bottle, name labels, and any medical or permission forms.
How do I make the first week back easier?
Practise the morning routine a few days before school starts, pack bags and lunches the night before, and keep the first week free of extra activities.
How do I keep track of school information all year?
Keep one page per child for teachers, class times, pick-up contacts and login details, and add school events to your calendar the day the notice comes home.
