Parents can expect to spend more than £15,500 on a child’s school years

Families could be spending over £15,500 on hidden costs including school clubs, uniforms and trips over a child’s school career, according to new Nationwide research.

School clubs account for the biggest share of that cost, with parents spending an average of £700 each year on clubs and associated costs, almost twice as much as uniform and sports kit (£381) and more than six times the cost of school trips (£116). Over a child’s school career, clubs alone add up to £9,100, making them one of the biggest education-related costs families face.

For many families, clubs are more than an extracurricular activity. Nearly a quarter (22%) of parents and guardians say they use school clubs as a form of childcare, while almost half (45%) say they pay for clubs to help children develop skills beyond the curriculum and 45% to support a child’s passion for a particular activity.

Nationwide’s research found 36% of children attend an average of around two different clubs during the academic year, with parents spending £11 per session on average.

The most popular clubs include: Football (38%), Swimming (17%), Creative clubs (13%), Dance (12%) and Academic clubs such as maths, science, board games and languages (11%), with ballet, hockey, orchestra and rounders at the bottom of the list.

Fred Powell, Head of Current Accounts at Nationwide, said: “Our research confirms what many families already know: back-to-school costs can quickly add up. Clubs and trips all play an important role in a child’s school experience, helping them learn new skills, build confidence and make new friends and also help cover childcare gaps. Then of course there is the school uniform! With these costs adding up over the years, it’s encouraging to see we are a nation of savvy savers finding practical ways to save money, from shopping around and buying in sales to choosing bigger-sized uniform items that last longer. Our new calculator with Finder, alongside the budgeting tools in our app and support from our colleagues, can help families understand and manage the costs of the new school year.”

While clubs account for the highest long-term cost, according to Nationwide’s research, parents could still spend an average of £381 a year on uniform and sports kit. Parents shared they had replaced around 25 uniform and sports kit items every year, equivalent to approximately 325 items during a child’s school career which had been lost, damaged or worn out.

In fact, 12% of parents spend more than £76 on PE trainers.

But it doesn’t stop there – families also shared that school trips are another significant expense. 98% of children attend at least one day trip during the year. Around half attend a residential trip. Among those taking residential trips, 49% of parents spent more than £100 per child

Understandable then that nearly half (49%) of parents say they are stressed about the cost of going back to school this September.

To afford school-related costs, families are cutting back on eating out and takeaways (37%), Entertainment (22%), Holidays and travel (21%), Clothing and fashion (20%), Home improvements (18%), Household spending (18%), Savings and investments (18%)

Parents are planning; despite the pressures facing families, they are taking practical steps to prepare for the new school year by looking for sales and discounts (43%). Setting money aside in advance (35%). Reusing items from previous years (34%). Comparing prices between retailers (34%). Prioritising essential items and delaying non-essential purchases (28%). Spreading purchases throughout the year (25%)

The most expensive uniform and PE kit items were identified as:

Item	Average spend
School shoes	£43
PE trainers	£42
Blazer	£37
Tracksuit	£29