Welcome to School Bag

Around 47,000 children starting Primary One in the next academic year, 2027-28, will be the first to receive a Welcome to School backpack in a variety of colours, to help them start school feeling excited, supported and ready to learn.

Procurement of the first bags is now underway following engagement with children, families and teachers to ensure they provide the practical contents and equipment that will help cut the cost for families as children start school.

The bags will be lightweight, made of durable, recycled materials, have multiple versatile compartments and pockets, reflective piping for safety, and space for name tags and a window in which children can place a drawing to personalise their backpack. Each one will contain:

• a pencil case
• stationery including pens, pencils, coloured crayons and a notebook
• a water bottle
• resources to encourage reading, writing and maths practice at home

Education Secretary Màiri McAllan met children at Orbiston Community Hub in North Lanarkshire, who will be among the first to receive the bag, to work on designs they could personalise their bag with.

Ms McAllan said:

“Every child and family should feel excited and ready for their first day of school, which is why the Scottish Government is offering Primary Ones their very own Welcome to School Bag, filled with things to help them learn.

“We worked with children, families and teachers to create the design and ensure it provides what a child needs as they take their first steps into school life.

“Building on the success of the Baby Box, alongside the School Clothing Grant, Best Start Grant School Age Payments, breakfast clubs and free school meals, the Welcome to School Bag will help ensure that no child’s start to school is determined by their family’s financial circumstances.

“This is an essential component of our determined focus to eradicate child poverty, which is why we have prioritised work during the first 100 days of Government to ensure the first bags reach children by the time they start school next year.”

Background

Every child starting P1 at their local school will be eligible for the Welcome to School Bag. Full details of distribution and returns process will be confirmed in due course. User testing of the backpack will take place this autumn with children, families, headteachers and P1 teachers. This will inform the final design, contents, and colour options.

The Scottish Government is working to ensure that materials provided in the Welcome to School Bag complement the Bookbug and Read, Write, Count programmes, and to ensure the Welcome to School Bag provides the greatest value for every child as they start school.

Bags will be delivered to around 47,000 children starting at primary and special schools in August 2027. Current pupil rolls have been scaled by the 2024-based population projections produced by National Records of Scotland to estimate the number of eligible pupils. This figure may fluctuate depending on the number of children whose entry is deferred at parent or carer discretion.

Costs will be confirmed following conclusion of the procurement process.

Social Security Scotland is currently accepting applications for the Best Start Grant School Age Payment, granting eligible families more than £330 to help with the costs of preparing for primary school. This will also be paid automatically to eligible parents in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment.

Families may be eligible for the School Clothing Grant, distributed by local authorities, which can be worth at least £120 for primary school pupils and £150 for secondary school pupils. All pupils in Primary 1-5, all children in special schools, and eligible pupils in P6 through to S6 can already benefit from free school meals in Scotland, saving families approximately £450 per child per year if taken every day.

Notes to editors

Please note that the image included is representative of the design, and not final. The final product may differ (colour, material, design) following further development and discussions.