Secondary: Stationery Tips

Much like primary school, secondary school students have their own stationery needs. Unlike primary school students however, the needs are generally simpler and there is a wider scope for flexibility.

Keep in mind:
High schools will generally handle this one of three ways:

-Their entire stationery list will be made available through a particular supplier and items need to be purchased through them. Some schools will make it compulsory to purchase all their stationery through them by including particular branded items, such as folders or diaries. Other schools will dictate that the stationery is to be purchased through them and loan out the textbooks.

-Only the compulsory items for that year or subject (such as textbooks) will be purchased through the supplier or school, while the rest of the items needed are either provided in the first few weeks, or you are otherwise advised on what you need.

-other schools will simply send out a list of what is needed and leave it up to parents as to what is purchased, provided it fits in with what's on the list. This generally lists book items and other items, with the actual pens and the like left entirely up to parents.

With this in mind, I will continue to go down the list for each of these items. Feel free to take what you will from this list and keep in mind these are only suggestions.

Pencil Case:

• By this point, the only items that are absolute essentials in a pencil case are a few lead pencils, pens, eraser, correction fluid, sharpener, glue stick, scissors and maybe a ruler. Thus you can downgrade the size of the pencil case to something much smaller than in primary school if needed. Barrel pencil cases are a good example of this, provided that your child keeps their ruler in their bag. 
• Many schools will only allow clear pencil cases into exam rooms (if at all), so purchasing one at the start of the year may save stationery from getting lost throughout the year as it goes between the exam room and the classroom. 
• Again, refrain from purchasing the cheap tartan pencil cases or the fake leather ones with the customisable names-they break very easily and also open your child to teasing. Also refrain from purchasing anything licensed-the same thing tends to happen. 
• Finally, try and refrain from purchasing pencil tins-they tend to break easily, dent easily and hold a limited range of items.

Pens:

• The only two colours your child will need in high school are black and blue. Red does get used albeit rarely and teachers will advise your child if they are needed at all. Green is not used at all. 
• There are a wide variety of pens out on the market and what you or your child opt to purchase will depend on their writing style, needs and subject choices. 
• Ballpoint Pens (aka Biros, Bic Pens) are the most economical and commonly used pen in schools and are usually sold in bulk. The positive is that the ink doesn't smear if the paper gets wet and what's written usually can't be erased. The negatives are that they cannot write on all surfaces, some varieties will not work if the surface underneath is hard and they tend to leave an imprint underneath. 
• Rollerball Pens are a very good alternative and I would highly highly recommend them. They're built in the same way as ballpoint pens, but the ink is water or gel-based, whereas the ink in ballpoint pens is oil-based and thicker. The positive is that these pens will work on most surfaces including some that ballpoints can't, they don't leave an imprint underneath (and can thus be used for very thin sheets) and they tend to write very smoothly. The negatives are that the ink can smear if wet, they can be slightly more expensive to purchase in bulk (commonly they're only available on their own) and they're more likely to bleed through the paper.
• Gel Pens are another alternative which I would also recommend if you can find a suitable brand. It's important to differentiate here, as gel pens typically are associated with something like this, when I'm actually referring to something like this. They are a little harder to come by however, and you may need to visit a stationery shop for these. The positive and negatives with these are very much the same as rollerball pens, however gel pens are easier to control, the ink rarely leaks (as the ink is gel-based as opposed to water or oil-based) and they can write on surfaces that the other two cannot. They also don't smear when wet (usually). 
• Erasable Pens are really classifiable as gel pens, as the ink is the same, but there are only two brands on the market: Pilot Frixion and Papermate Replay. Both of these come with a eraser either on the cap or on the end of the pen, meaning that your child can erase their mistakes with the pen. It's important to note however that the pens should not be used for legal documents or exams and they have the same limitations as gel pens. They're also usually sold individually and may be slightly more expensive. 
• Fineliner Pens have a plastic or sometimes felt nib (as opposed to the rollerball for the others). They do have the advantage of producing a very thin line that is generally easy to control, can write on most surfaces and write very smoothly. On the other hand, they are generally a little more expensive to purchase and use and if the cap is lost, the pen tip tends to dry out. Some brands will also result in the nib "splitting" and producing an uneven line if abused. On the other hand, they very rarely leak and are excellent for emphasising fine detail in projects. 
• Regardless of the pens you and your child opt to purchase, try and avoid multi-colour pens (they don't last that long), novelty or "gimmick" pens (they also don't last that long and the novelty wears off quickly.), fountain pens (self-explanatory) or any pen where the ink needs refilling constantly, those very skinny twisty pens (they also don't last) and the really, really cheap generic pens from places like the Reject Shop or Kmart. 

Highlighters:

• Colour-wise, the only colours your child will really need are yellow, green, orange and maybe pink. Any other colour is pretty much unreadable and isn't needed. 
• There are three main varieties on the market: Gel, liquid ink and absorbent core. Any other varities (such as highlighter "pencils") I would avoid. Also note that connector pens, while a good option for fine details, are not a suitable alternative for highlighters.
• Absorbent Core highlighters are the most common variety and are thus the cheapest and easiest to obtain. They usually come in large or small varieties-the tips will therefore vary, but are typically chisel tipped, meaning they can make both thick and thin lines. Round-tipped highlighters do exist, but are rare. 
• Liquid Ink highlighters are a little more durable and work in a similar way to absorbent core highlighters, except that the barrel clearly shows the amount of ink left. These are typically sold as small round pens, but are also sometimes available as larger round pens. Take note that these can leak and they tend to bleed through the paper more readily. 
• Gel highlighters are a little harder to get, but do exist. They look a little bit like a twistable crayon except have a transparent fluroescent gel in the centre. They're slightly thicker than a pen and nearly always sold as a "round" highlighter. The upside with these is that they don't bleed through paper, but are also harder to control if you're after a clean smooth line. They can also smudge off onto fingers if you overuse them.
• Try and stay away from "mini" highlighters-they don't last as long, the nibs are very thin and they do not give good coverage for note-taking. Most of them are also quite gimmicky. 
• Again, avoid purchasing the super-cheap highlighters, they will not last. 

Pencils:

• Coloured pencils are not compulsory for high school at all. If your child wishes to purchase these, what you get is up to you, but avoid the cheap and nasty ones. 
• As far as lead pencils are concerned, for Maths and most subjects, a simple HB is all that's needed. 
• For Art, Craft, Design and some technology subjects, you may need to expand this further. There are a number of "art sets" on the market which also include pencils from 2H to 6B. This should last your child throughout high school, provided they're aware that the B pencils will smudge. 
• Again, avoid the cheap and nasty lead pencils-they do not last. Also, try and avoid buying individual lead pencils-it's more economical to buy them in bulk. 

Correction Fluid/Tape:

• Due to the fact that it is a solvent (and thus "huffable"), it commonly gets used for vandalism and due to its appearance as "sloppy", correction fluid (commonly called "Wite-Out" or "Liquid Paper") is banned in a number of schools. How much they actually enforce this is another matter. 
• If your school doesn't ban or otherwise enforce the rule on correction fluid, there are two main types on the market: pen and brush/foam. The pen is good for the occasional small error, while the brush/foam wedge is good for larger areas. There are a couple of brands out there that are marketed as "2-in-1" where the top has the pen attachment, but you can also unscrew the top to reveal a brush inside. 
• It is highly, highly recommended that should you opt for the brush/foam wedge option that you get the foam wedge. The brush tends to clog up and lose hairs, meaning that you're often dragging a few stray hairs into the mix. 
• If your school does ban correction fluid, or you otherwise don't want your child to use correction fluid, correction tape is also an option. This is a strip of opaque material transferred onto a paper or plastic tape that you then draw out onto the paper. I've found these hard to use and very fiddly, plus they also tend to break quite easily. If you do use these, be prepared to replace them often. 

Ruler:

• The best option for a high school student is a 30cm metal ruler. No, really. Wooden and plastic rulers are good and cheap, but they can also make a good weapon if they splinter. Metal rulers don't have that same issue.  
• Regardless of the option chosen, make sure that the markings can be clearly seen and that it measures things out in both centimetres and millimetres. 
• DON'T buy the "bendy" rulers-they often tend to not lie flat on the page. 

Eraser:

• This one's fairly straightforward-a thumb sized eraser is usually the best choice. 
• Try and avoid the bendy ones or any "gimmicky" erasers-they aren't as effective. 
• Gum and "soft" erasers are really only for art students. 

Sharpener:

• The main one I would highly recommend by this point is a single-hole barrel pencil sharpener. The other varieties get lost very easily and don't last as long. Yes, even those pokey metal ones. 
• Electric sharpeners are good if you can find a reliable brand that does them. Before you do purchase, check the battery requirements and make sure they're replaced regularly. 
• Avoid the crank sharpeners-the pencils do break in them. 

Maths Supplies:

• If your child's stationery list calls for a protractor/set square, compass and so on, try and buy them in a pack rather than individually. Many companies do sell "Maths Sets" which will typically consist of a protractor, set square (or 2), a compass and sometimes a small ruler. 
• If you are buying the items individually, it is very rare for students to need a 360 degree protractor. 
• If your child has a history of self-harm or harming others, it may be best to find a compass that has a plastic point rather than a metal one. They're rare but do exist, although you may have to purchase it separately.

Exercise Books, Notebooks, Test Pads and Graph Pads:

• There are two cardinal rules to remember when it comes to high school exercise books: nobody covers them in contact (unless it's clear) and they become pretty much useless from Year 11. 
• If you do feel the need to label your child's books, label them with the name of the English teacher and if the school is a large one, also the child's homegroup teacher.
• For music students, I would strongly suggest getting hold of a music stave pad and a separate lined book rather than a music stave book. The music stave books tend to have less pages and don't last nearly as long. The stave pad will last your child through to Year 12 and is also handy for your child if their instrument teacher needs to explain a particular concept to them that is not covered in their general music class.
• For maths books, your child WILL need a 5mm square graph book, even in Year 12. Graph pads tend to be used for Science and Design/Technology. The teeny square pads (1-2mm) are really only used for Physics if that.  
• If your child is in Year 11 or 12, stationery requirements tend to get relaxed a little around this time. If your child's school does not dictate that you purchase a pack through them only, you may be able to get away with a 3 or 5 subject notebook instead. Make sure they have a folder ready for handouts though (and trust me, there are a lot). If they just want to have one folder, get some dividers, get a test pad and I'd put maybe 5-10 plastic sheets per subject at first.
• For students in Years 7-9, it is generally frowned upon to use a spiral-bound notebook to record notes, as the pages can be torn out and information can go missing. Exercise books tend to make it obvious if there are any signs of tampering. From about Year 10, as the focus shifts more to essays and assignments rather than bookwork, spiral bound notebooks are generally accepted.  
• As a rule of thumb, for Years 7-10, if the subject is only present for a term (or term-and-a-half), I would suggest buying one test pad/exercise book that can be used for all four of those subjects, rather than one book for each. For semester subjects, I would do a book or test pad for each subject (although if the subjects are simply identical, just different semesters i.e. Music A/B, you can get away with 1 book for the entire year). For Year 11 students (generally the last time 1-semester subjects are on offer), I would stick with a 3-5 subject book per semester.

Folders/Binders:

• Although they're bulky, I would aim for a lever arch binder over the traditional ring binder. They can hold more, are easier to open and close to add more pages and also don't break as easily as traditional ring binders. It is possible as well to get binders where you can decorate the cover. 
• For music students, I would recommend a display folder for manuscripts and scores, as they lay flat on music stands and can easily be stored inside an instrument case. Make sure they're the ones with the removable pages (they'll have a black spine regardless of the colour) and you're all set. Refillable pages are also available. I would also recommend a similar approach for drama student scripts for the same reason. To make identification easier, I would also recommend creating a title page on a sheet of A4 paper and either putting it on the front cover with clear contact over the top, or putting it on the very first page. 

•   Inside the binder, get creative with organising it-use tabbed sheets to indicate where subjects are. 
• Compendiums or Zip Binders are really only recommended for students in Years 10-12 at the very least and are basically a must if your child is studying subjects that require off-campus travel. For students in the younger years, they do get very bulky very quickly. 

 Textbooks:

• If your child is in a public school, they tend to generally loan the textbooks out at the start of the year to students and require that they be returned at the end of the year. The general exceptions to this are study guides and workbooks for some subjects (such as languages and sciences). 
• Some schools do opt to hold secondhand sales for certain textbooks. While this is a good way to stock up for the following year, check first so you do wind up buying the ones your child actually needs. The ones that may need to be bought each year are Science, History, Civics and occasionally Geography textbooks, while English, Maths, Technology and LOTE books can usually be bought secondhand. 
• Check to see if your child's school also does buybacks, as some do, some don't. If they do, make sure you check the condition of the textbook first, or encourage your child to treat it well (this should be something that is done anyway!)
• If you are planning on reselling the textbook later down the line, do not put a sticker on the cover-they are a pain in the ass to get off. A simple pencil (or pen if you use the Frixion variety) and the child's name in the inside front cover are all that's really needed.