Every January it is the same. The list appears, the shops are picked over, and you are driving between three places trying to find the right exercise books before the first bell. If you buy for a class or an office too, multiply that by everyone who forgot to tell you until the last minute.
It does not have to run your weekend. This guide lays out exactly what to buy, how to buy it once instead of five times, and how to have it arrive at your door. Whether you are a parent working off a school list, a teacher kitting out a classroom, or an office topping up for the new year, the plan is the same: sort it in one order and move on.
Start with the list, then start early
The single biggest saving is time. South African public schools reopen in mid-January, and the shelves thin out fast in the first week. Check your school’s official list and the Department of Basic Education calendar for the exact reopening date, then order two to three weeks ahead. Ordering early means you buy from full stock at a fair price, not from whatever is left.
If you already have the list as a photo, a PDF or a printout, you do not need to type it out. You can upload your stationery list and we match it to a ready cart for you, so the whole list becomes one click.
What to buy, grade by grade
Lists vary by school, but the core is predictable. Here is what most South African stationery lists cover, and what each item is actually for, so you can substitute sensibly when something is out.
Foundation phase (Grade R to Grade 3)
Little hands, lots of colour, lots of glue.
New: see our full Grade R and Grade 1 stationery list and the Grade 2 and Grade 3 list, with what each item is for.
- Pencils and colouring pencils (triangular pencils are easier for small hands to grip).
- Wax crayons and a good glue stick (foundation phase gets through glue, buy a few).
- Chunky erasers, a sharpener with a catch, and safety scissors.
- Exercise books and a few flip files for worksheets.
- Plastic covering and a marker pen for labelling everything.
Intermediate phase (Grade 4 to Grade 7)
More writing, the first proper pen.
- Blue and black pens (a smooth, refillable brand like Schneider lasts a whole year).
- HB pencils, a metal sharpener, a ruler, and a protractor set as maths starts to need it.
- Larger and more exercise books, a project book, and a pencil bag that survives a backpack.
- Highlighters and a stapler for older intermediate grades.
High school (Grade 8 to Grade 12)
Volume, and equipment that has to last exams.
- A reliable everyday pen bought in a pack (exams are not the moment for a pen that skips).
- A full maths set, a scientific calculator where required, file dividers and lots of paper.
- Flip files and lever-arch files to keep subjects apart.
Not sure which brand to trust for the year? We stock ten real brands, including Schneider pens, Kangaro staplers and punches, Adel colouring pencils, Amos glue and craft, and Brother label makers. Browse them all in the shop or jump straight to pens and pencils.
Buy it once, not five times
The reason back to school feels like a chore is that supplies are scattered. One shop has the exercise books, another has the right pens, a third has the glue. Buying from one place that stocks all of it, for school, office and craft, is the whole point.
It is also cheaper when you buy for more than one child, a whole class, or an office. Our pricing rewards buying in bulk:
- 1 to 10 of an item: standard price.
- 11 to 50: a lower per-item price.
- 50 or more: request a wholesale quote and we price it for you.
So a parent buying for two kids, a teacher buying for thirty, and an office manager restocking for the year all pay a fair price for the quantity they need, on one account.
Label everything (or buy it twice)
The fastest way to spend more than you planned is to replace what gets lost in week one. Before anything goes to school, label it. Write the child’s name on pencils, rulers and lunch boxes with a permanent marker, and cover and label books. Five minutes per child at home saves a mid-term trip to replace a lost pencil case that is sitting in the lost-property box.
Then have it delivered
Once the cart is sorted, you are done. We deliver across South Africa, free on orders over R750, with affordable door-to-door courier delivery under that, dispatched quickly so it arrives before the first day. No parking, no picked-over shelves, no second trip for the one thing you forgot.
Your three steps
- Find it or upload your list. Browse the shop, or upload the school’s list and we match it for you.
- Add to cart, or request a bulk quote if you are buying for a class or an office.
- We deliver. Free over R750, to your door, in time for day one.
That is the January scramble handled in one order. Start your back-to-school order now.
Want to know what the whole list should cost before you start? Our school stationery price guide breaks down real per-item prices and a full sample basket. For ways to keep the total down, read how to save on back-to-school stationery.
Frequently asked questions
When do South African schools reopen after the holidays?
Public schools reopen in mid-January. Check your school’s letter and the Department of Basic Education calendar for the exact date, and order two to three weeks ahead so you buy from full stock.
I have the stationery list as a photo. Do I have to type it in?
No. Upload the photo, PDF or document on our back-to-school page and we match it to a ready cart for you, so the whole list becomes one order.
Do I get a discount for buying for a whole class or office?
Yes. Prices drop from 11 items, and for 50 or more of an item you can request a wholesale quote. It is designed for parents buying for more than one child, teachers buying for a class, and offices restocking for the year.
How much is delivery?
Delivery is free on orders over R750, with affordable door-to-door courier delivery under that, anywhere in South Africa, dispatched quickly.
Which brands do you stock?
Ten real brands, including Schneider, Kangaro, Grafton, Brother, Amos, Draughtsman, Polyking, Adel, Donau and 3L Office.