Back to School

With the summer holidays coming to an end (huge sigh) and the new school term around the corner, it’s finally time to pull out the backpacks, brush off the dust and assess the collateral damage before stepping back into the classroom next week.

Leaking pens, broken calculators and textbooks which have mysteriously disappeared – all prompting last-minute panic stations for parents up and down the country. Scrambling to find functioning felt tip pens and knowing where to procure a protractor will no doubt add to back to school chaos in your household so, here at The Junction, we’ve compiled a handy list of local retailers which will have your backpack covered.

STATIONERY

Image credit: Flying Tiger Copenhagen

For something a little less ordinary, a trip to Flying Tiger Copenhagen on St John’s Road will certainly tick many of the back to school boxes, and then some. From the usual stationery suspects to things that make you smile, gifts you want to give and stuff you feel the urge to try, you’ll find unique products you didn’t know existed or didn’t realise you needed! With over 300 new products launched every month, Flying Tiger is a treasure trove of treats and, with up to 50% off instore until the end of the month, you’ll find creative supplies which don’t cost a fortune.

Over on Northcote Road, Paperchase are suppliers of exciting and innovative design-led stationery. They’re the go-to spot for colourful notebooks, packs of pencils, cool pastel highlighters and neon memo blocks, so now is the time to stock up with their 3 for 2 offer.

Partridges on Lavender Hill is the home of arts and crafts supplies, from watercolours and paintbrushes to lever arch files and printer cartridges – you’ll find all your last-minute BTS emergency supplies here.

Finally, the stationery staples (no pun) that we all know and love from our childhoods – WH Smith and Ryman – are based on St John’s Hill and St John’s Road. Rulers, protractors, compasses, calculators, pencil cases – everything you need to fill your backpack and more.

BOOKS

Image credit: The Bright Emporium

To help prepare your bookworms for school, you’ll find plenty of local literary choice.

The Bright Emporium on St John’s Hill isn’t your usual bookshop. Their walls are adorned with books, so you’d be forgiven for thinking they are a library, however, every weekend they open their doors so that your little ones can delve into their books and share their imaginative worlds and characters through creative workshops.

Or, venture over to Lavender Hill and your children can lose themselves in a world of words at Battersea Library, a public library where membership is free!

FARA Books for Kids on Chatham Road, a specialist children's book shop, is a must for all young bibliophiles and their parents and a fantastic local resource. With a dazzling range of children's literature and teen fiction, it's a great place for young ones to fall in love with reading.

Of course, when it comes to textbooks, two major high street names top the list and, fortunately, Clapham Junction has both – Waterstones on St John’s Road and WH Smith on St John’s Hill.

LEARNING RESOURCES

Image credit: Chalkboard Toys

Learning and fun certainly go hand in hand at Chalkboard Toys on Northcote Road with a huge selection of books, puzzles, games and educational toys. Shop instore soon and you can still enjoy 20% off Learning Resources educational games.

Nearby at Trotters, your children will be catered for from top to toe. With a fantastic range of clothes, shoes, books and toys, it truly is a one-stop-shop.

If you’re looking for innovative learning resources, QT Toys have some novel solutions! From slime labs and colouring pads to model plane kits and painting packs, there're plenty of creative resources to get your kids motivated.

And, for a little help with numbers, why not visit Mathnasium – a neighbourhood maths-only learning centre which helps children in Years 1-11 understand maths in a way that makes sense to them.

BACKPACKS & ACCESSORIES

Image credit: JoJo Maman Bebe

So, you’ve got your shiny (or fluffy) new pencil case, plenty of pens and paper and piles of new books – but where to put them?

If your little one has fallen out of love with last year’s battered and bruised school bag, it’s time to pull out the stops and give them a new, and somewhat obligatory, animal-themed backpack!

Of course, one bag doesn’t fit all and we’re not suggesting your teenager will be overjoyed when you arrive home with a unicorn-inspired bum bag. Fortunately, the following local retailers have a great selection of backpacks, shoes, clothes and accessories to complete the perfect back to school package for your little (and not so little) ones...

JoJo Maman Bebe | Petit Bateau | Joules | White Stuff | Clarks | Marks & Spencer | TK Maxx

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