Ready for a new year of learning? No? Well you will be soon, with this guide to the best back to school offers going on in the UK.
Calling all parents and students! You might not want to admit it (or maybe you do) but the summer holidays are almost over. Soon the shrill sounds of the school bell will be ringing once again and your children will be marching off to school with a brand-new set of… well, that’s what we’re here to help with.
The back to school shop can be a nightmare for parents and carers. While your child might be happily picking out their next pencil case, you’ve got to think about everything else. We’re talking uniform, stationery, technology, and so much more.
But there’s a silver lining: back to school shops usually come with back to school sales. Meaning thousands of great offers, on everything from shoes to staplers, will come pouring out of retailers in the next few days.
Some of you might have already jumped on the discount train, but just in case you’re still putting it off, the RadioTimes.com is here. We’ve sorted the deals from the duds and brought you a guide to the best back to school deals going on right now.
We’ve got a list of retailers you can put your trust in, as well as a select number of deals we really think are worth your while.
Jump to:
- Which UK shops and retailers have Back to School sales this year?
- Best deals in the UK Back to School sales 2023
- How long do Back to School sales last?
Here’s everything you need to know about the back to school sales and what to buy.
If you’re past the back to school days and need some advice for uni, check out the best student tech essentials and the best budget laptops.
Which UK shops and retailers have Back to School sales this year?
- Amazon – 14% off Kindle Kids e-reader, plus discounts on thousands of office supplies
- Argos – save up to 25% on selected schoolbags, lunch bags, bottles and more
- Currys – students get 10% off laptops, speakers, and TVs
- EE – half-price SIM only plans for six months, plus savings on phones, tablets and smartwatches
- John Lewis – school uniform offers including shirts and blouses from £3
- The Range – discounts across licensed stationery from Friends, Harry Potter, Pokémon and more
- Ryman – get up to £7 off Casio calculators, Sharpies and Stabilo products
- Samsung – discounted Samsung devices including £200 off Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
- Tesco – clubcard prices offer 3 for 2 on school uniforms plus discounts on water bottles and lunch box essentials
- Urban Outfitters – savings on accessories including 21% off Fjallraven Kanken Backpack
- WH Smith – 3 for 2 offers across hundreds of stationery products
- The Works – shop stationery supplies from just 75p
Best deals in the UK Back to School sales 2023
Save up to £7 on Casio FX-83GTX Calculator
What’s the deal: At Ryman, Casio calculators are being reduced from £19.99 to £14.99 on general sale, or £12.99 if you’ve got a Ryman Rewards Card, so you can save up to 35% on an absolute school essential.
Why we chose it: Your child is always going to need a calculator in school, and possibly a spare if they’re prone to losing things, so any discount on products like these, no matter how small, is a blessing.
Casio FX-83GTX Calculator | £19.99 £12.99 (save £7 or 35%) at Ryman
Bag a half-price SIM only plan for six months
What’s the deal: EE is offering SIM only phone plans at half price for six months. That means you could spend just £15 a month on unlimited texts, minutes and data, plus speeds of up to 100 Mbps.
Why we chose it: EE’s back to school sales include discounts on dozens of high-tech products. You can save up to £432 on the Google Pixel 7 Pro or get three months free on the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook2 360. But we think this deal is the most useful and versatile for all students. No matter what make or model of phone your child has, you can send them off to school knowing they’ll be able to contact you.
Buy a half-price SIM only plan at EE
Save 30% on Fitbit Ace 3
What’s the deal: The Fitbit Ace 3 is on sale for 30% off at Amazon, taking it down from an RRP of £69.99 to £49.
Why we chose it: If your child’s school allows smart watches we would really recommend this one. The Fitbit Ace 3 has activity and sleep tracking technology so you can keep a closer eye on your little one’s health. Plus, it will teach them valuable time-keeping skills and has an animated clock face to make them smile.
Fitbit Ace 3 | £69.99 £49 (save £20.99 or 30%) at Amazon
Get a guaranteed £200 off Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
What’s the deal: Right now, students aged 16-26 can get a guaranteed £200 off the brand-new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 when you trade in any smart phone. This takes it down from £1,049 to £849. All you have to do is verify your age through a Unidays or photo ID and send in your old smartphone, which can be in any condition.
Why we chose it: The Z Flip 5 is the hottest new addition to the Samsung family. Having it will give you all the perks and functions of a smartphone while giving you the retro feel of an old flip phone. We recently had a look at the Flip 5 in more detail in Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 vs Flip 5.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 | £1,049 £849 (save £200 or 19%) at Samsung
Save 14% on Kindle Kids e-reader
What’s the deal: Amazon is dropping the price of the Kindle Kids e-reader from £104.99 to £89.99. That saves you £15 on thousands of books and child-friendly titles.
Why we chose it: The Kindle Kids comes with high-resolution display, light and dark mode to make reading comfortable at night and, of course, access to every job your child could ever dream of. Soon enough you’ll have them swapping games and TV for Harry Potter and The Famous Five.
Kindle Kids e-reader | £104.99 £89.99 (save £15 or 14%) at Amazon
Reading is for everyone, so check out the best Kindle offers for this month.
Spend just £75 on Fjallraven Kanken Backpack
What’s the deal: The Fjallraven Kanken Backpack is now available for £20 less at Urban Outfitters. This backpack is on sale for £75 rather than £95.
Why we chose it: Anyone who’s walked around a secondary school in the last five years will have seen this backpack. It’s not only stylish, but sturdy and comfortable enough for carrying all those books and folders. So, by getting this you’re making a great saving and your child is joining the trend – win win.
Fjallraven Kanken Backpack | £95 £75 (save £20 or 21%) at Urban Outfitters
Save £40 CANON PIXMA All-in-One Wireless Printer
What’s the deal: The Canon Pixma is on sale for £49.99, down from an RRP of £89.99. Which means you can get an all-in-one printing, scanning, and copying device for £40 less.
Why we chose it: All that homework means you need a decent printer. The Canon Pixma can copy, scan wirelessly, and print up to 13 pages a minute. Its compact size also means it won’t take up much space on your desk and it’s now available at a bargain price, what more do you want?
CANON PIXMA All-in-One Wireless Printer | £89.99 £49.99 (save £40 or 44%) at Currys
Get 3 for 2 stationery products at WH Smith
What’s the deal: Dozens of WH Smith stationery products are now on sale at 3 for 2 prices. That means you can get pens, pencils, protractors and so much more for less!
Why we chose it: Buying new stationery may be fun for your child, but it’s less fun for your bank account. So save yourself the trouble by bulk buying everything they’ll need this term at a discounted price.
Shop stationery deals at WH Smith
Get 10% off Windows laptops
What’s the deal: Students with proof of age can save 10% on Windows Laptops at Currys. This means you can get the latest light, slim and foldable devices, like the Lenovo Yoga, for less.
Why we chose it: Homework, homework, homework, do we need to say anymore. You can’t have your child disturbing your own laptop time to write their latest essay. So if you need to get them their own laptop it might as well be at a lower price.
Shop Windows laptop deals at Currys
Save £60 on Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Tablet
What’s the deal: The Amazon Fire 8 Kids Tablet has been taken from an RRP of £149.99 to £89.99, saving you £60 or 40%.
Why we chose it: A gift for the little one’s, this tablet is the perfect learning and entertainment tool for kids aged 3-7. You can get books, games, programs, music and more on this tablet with up to 13 hours of battery life and parental controls.
Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Tablet | £149.99 £89.99 (save £60 or 40%) at Argos
Get more great savings with the best laptop deals for this month.
How long do Back to School sales last?
As we probably all remember from our own student days, the back to school sales haunt us from the moment the summer holidays begin in mid-July.
When they end is up to the different retailers, but normally the sales will wrap up in the last week of August. This means you’ve got just one more week to grab a great saving, but don’t worry, we’ve got plenty more sales periods running throughout the year.
If you love a deal as much as we do, check out the best Amazon Prime offers and Nintendo Switch offers for this month.