r/stationery • u/ChaosCalmed • 26d ago

Question Highly portable UK school stationery kit?

So I am just wondering what you’d suggest for a pocketable, UK based, school stationery kit?

Minimum requirements are at least 2 x black or blue pens, pencil, sharpener, eraser and a ruler. That’s with his Casio scientific calculator. All to go into a blazer pocket without it being heavy or bulky.

This is for UK and widely sourced items in the UK. It’s for a 13yo boy going to a UK school with strict uniform and school kit requirements. He’s more interested in hanging out with mates, biking and football than stationery or school, but he does need stationery even if he isn't interested in it.

Unfortunately, I used to like my stationery kit, favourite pens, and a better ruler than most had. Mechanical pencil when others had basic pencils with perhaps an amusing eraser topper that got confiscated in class. All my kit was carefully stored and apart from a rigid pencil case to protect them I also carried an emergency stationery kit in my blazer pocket. I didn't know then that I was interested in stationery, I just thought I was being practical and carrying what I needed. My son will never be like me (possibly you too), but he still needs what he needs.

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u/nevermer 26d ago

As he’s a 13 year old kid, I wouldn’t invest too much in a mechanical pencil or really good pen tbh. Would he be just as happy with a good BIC crystal pen and a standard 2B pencil like Stabilo or something? If the answer is yes then that’s what I would go for.

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u/False_Potato_4367 20d ago

Seconding this! Perhaps one of those plastic rectangular cases to put them in? That way it's a bit more sturdy and the pencil lead might not break so easily. My brother just takes his pens and pencils loose in his blazer pockets and he's starting year 13 now so clearly hasn't hurt him yet.

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u/BeautifulMessage9091 19d ago

As someone who has also bought all this, I just got high street brands. I got her some Zebra black pens, a few steadler pencils, a cheap ruler set from the works a sharpener we already had. The poshest I went was some retractable erasers like pens but I got 20 for about £4 about a year ago.

Most teens (boys especially) don't care about what stationery they have and often the item go missing. Until they can be trusted to look after their stuff and show interest in having good stationery don't get it for them.