A good pencil case for Years 3 to 6 holds HB pencils, a plastic eraser, a sharpener that catches the shavings, a short ruler, a glue stick, a few colouring pencils and one highlighter. Add a protractor in Year 5, when children start measuring angles in degrees.
Some primary schools keep all the basics in class, so check the school’s kit list before you buy.
Pencils, and when a pen comes in
Staedtler Noris HB. The hexagonal shape stops it rolling off the desk, and the lead is made to resist breaking. Pack three, so there’s always a sharp one.
If your child grips hard or finds a thin pencil tiring, a triangular one like the STABILO EASYgraph gives the fingers a place to sit.
Most children move to a handwriting pen in Year 3 or Year 4, when the school says they’re ready. Our guide to pens for children’s handwriting covers what to buy then.
Eraser
Staedtler Mars plastic. It rubs out cleanly with very few crumbs, and the sleeve keeps it clean among the pencils. It lasts far longer than the rubber on the end of a pencil.
Sharpener
Staedtler 512. It’s a tub sharpener, so the shavings stay in the box instead of the bottom of the case. It has a hole for ordinary pencils and one for chunky ones, and the lid locks shut.
Ruler
Any clear, shatter-resistant ruler marked in centimetres and millimetres. That’s what children use for the Year 6 maths SATs, and from Year 3 they measure lengths in cm and mm.
A 15 cm ruler fits most pencil cases. A 30 cm one is better for graphs but needs a long case. Pick one where zero starts a little in from the end, so a worn edge won’t throw out the measurement.
Colouring pencils
A pack of 12 is plenty for school.
- Staedtler Noris colour. Hexagonal, with a bonded lead that’s made to resist breaking.
- Faber-Castell Colour Grip. Triangular, with a soft grip zone, for children who find thin pencils tiring. The colours are water-soluble, so a wet brush turns them into paint for art at home.
Glue stick
Pritt Stick. It’s solvent-free and washes out at 20°C, which matters when it ends up on a school jumper. Put the lid back on, or it dries out.
Scissors
A small pair, about 13 cm, sized for children’s hands. Fiskars makes children’s scissors in true left-handed versions, with the blades swapped over so a left-hander can see the line they’re cutting. Ordinary scissors don’t work properly in the left hand, so if your child is left-handed, this matters more than any other item on the list.
Some schools keep scissors in class and don’t want them in pencil cases, so check first.
Highlighter
STABILO BOSS ORIGINAL. The maker says it can be left uncapped for up to four hours without drying out, and the chisel tip draws a thick or thin line. One is enough, for picking out key words in a question. Children can use one in SATs if it’s normal classroom practice.
Protractor, from Year 5
In Year 5, children learn to draw angles and measure them in degrees, and they need a protractor in the Year 6 maths SATs.
Get a clear 180° protractor with two scales, one running each way round, so your child can measure from either side. Clear plastic lets them see the lines underneath, and a 10 cm one fits in a pencil case.
The case itself
Pick a sturdy zip case with room for everything lying flat, including the ruler. One main compartment is easier for a child to keep tidy than lots of small pockets.
For exam days, many tests only allow a see-through case. Our guide to exam kit explains what to take.
What to leave out
- Gel pens and glitter pens. They bleed through thin paper and smudge.
- Novelty and scented erasers. They often smear pencil instead of lifting it.
- Gadgets. Fidget toys, light-up pens and anything with a battery end up on the desk instead of the work.
Label everything
Write your child’s name on every pencil, the ruler, the glue stick and the case, with a permanent marker or small name labels. Pencils get swapped and dropped every day, and a name is how they come back.
Pencil case checklist
Keep this list for the start of each term:
- 3 HB pencils
- Plastic eraser
- Tub sharpener
- 15 cm ruler marked in cm and mm
- 12 colouring pencils
- Glue stick
- Children’s scissors (left-handed if needed, and only if the school allows them)
- 1 highlighter
- Handwriting pen, once the school says so
- 180° clear protractor, from Year 5
- Name on everything
Questions parents also ask
Does my child need a calculator?
Not usually. Children aren’t allowed calculators in the Year 6 maths SATs, and most 11+ tests ban them too.
How often should I restock the pencil case?
Check it at the start of each half term. Pencils and glue sticks run out fastest, and erasers tend to vanish.
Should my child take a compass?
Not usually in Years 3 to 6. A compass point is sharp, so wait until the school asks for one.
