Fab things for school!! The thread for you bargain buys and ideas!

Mine is a few years old but I have a traffic light in my classroom that my Head picked up from IKEA. Their watering cans are ridiculously cheap too...

 

There is one here:

http://www.fieryideas.com/freebies.php?id=39

 

Has anyone seen this site yet? Came up on google.
http://www.schoolsurplus.co.uk/

 

Why on earth are you spending your own money on your place of employment??!! Are you all mad?

 

You clearly work in a school that has fabulous resources Jontyblue. Every year I get fed up with spending my own money on stuff for school but then get so frustrated with trying to teach exciting lessons with limited resources that I find myself spending again. The plus is that the children are more interested (and so am I) & I know I have those resources forever, as I'm certainly not leaving them behind if I move elsewhere!
Thanks for the schoolsurplus link finders keepers- some good bargains on there.

 

I have seen two great cheap ideas for helping children with beginning addition -
The first was a brightly coloured plastic cat food dish split into two compartments from ASDA about 65p. The teacher had blu-taked a plus sign in the middle and was using it to help the children add with beads and other little objects.
The second was children's plastic coat hangers with a little baskets of plastic clothes pegs - the children added the pegs on eash side of the top hook to show their add sum or alternatively they used the pegs to create their own sums which they then recorded on paper.
Have been trying them out lately and the kids love them!

 

just thought it might be of interest - The Works are selling little polystyrene (sp?) eggs - 12 for 99p. other bits and bobs too - Easter themed ribbons etc )

 

'Stationery and storage fetishists...'
Spot on, Rosiegirl :-o

 

I'm loving some of those diaries - looking forward to ordering myself a new one
As an aside - I'm going to be an NQT in September teaching a year 5 class. Will an A5 week to view diary be big enough?

I was also very excited to receive next year's wall planner from the NASUWT last week. Although I was slightly disappointed with the new layout seeing as though 'they've got the best wall planner' was my reason for choosing them! Oh well, still enjoyed filling it it with next year's term dates, using different colour highlighters for INSET and holidays

 

amazon do one for about £25, it's under BIG TOYs or something like that
atb

 

There is a shop that has popped up called Tiger that has a lot of very nice reusable vinyl images. They are meant for bedroom walls etc......very large....dinosaurs....specemen.....girly things etc....you can reuse them and they aren't permanent. £2 for a huge sheet of them.
they also do loads of craft / stationary stuff!
http://www.tigerstores.co.uk/products/2/tiger_kids/
There is one in Elaing

 

There are some gorgeous giant beanbags in ikea for £12 each - they are in the shape of animals so i have bought a turtle and hedgehog.
Bargain!!

 

I was thinking about this thread last night and wondered if it would reappear over the summer - all us poor obsessives who look forward to the holidays so much and then spend it looking for stuff for work!

 

Bumpity Bump!

 

I'm not only moving schools this summer but I'm moving Key Stages too! I have always been in Key Stage Two and this year had 34 year 5's. From September I will have 24 Year 2's! Am very excited ~ have been busy buying bright, pretty things for my new class.


May we all have a happy holiday in Ikea, Wilkinsons and all of the other websites and stores that we will spend many a happy day or two in

 

Oh dear, I've just discovered this thread and my already worrying obsession with stationery looks to become a full-blown mania... Have a class budget of about £150, so am planning a day to visit Staples and possibly Ikea (never been there before, but see that most teachers go there)! As an NQT, I'm so excited about filling my new classroom with bits and bobs and I don't think I'll have a problem spending that budget!!

 

Im pretty sure you'd fine catalogues like ESPO cheaper - most schools expect you to spend your budget this way. They are made for schools and come in bulk, whereas staples may come out alot more expensive when you have everything you need.

 

Perhaps Sillow's money is for decor and is up to her to spend where she pleases. I know I had £100 given to me to jazz up a classroom last year.
Also perhaps we should start a 2009 thread, so our finds/bargains stay relevant.

 

Sorry didnt mean to come across abruptly! Just with her saying it was a classroom budget, i know that staples isnt the cheapest place in the world and the money could go further elsewhere But admittedly the fun of actually going shopping for it would be forfeited!

 

That's a good idea, upsadaisy. I'm going to start a new thread.
Impulce - the budget I get is for "interesting" things, as opposed to ordinary stationery stuff. So I'm on the lookout for any good bargains! Staples for some cheap box files and plastic wallets, but it looks like Matalan and Ikea for everything else. Oh, and AbeBooks online for some reading pleasure. You're right - most of the fun is in the actual shopping (how sad?)!