Hi there!

Are the kids in your life heading back to school soon? All of my family and friends back in the US seem to be in the midst of buying school supplies and organizing after school activities.

Meanwhile, I've got a solid month of summer holiday time left with my kid here in England. Back to school season itself feels pretty different here, so I thought I'd share a bit about why that is.

School uniforms

Yes, most schools in England love a uniform. This tends to be a lot more formal than you'd find in the US.

In my daughter's state secondary school (middle to early high school years) she had to wear a school skirt or trousers. Younger students wear a polo with the school name, while later years moved to a button down shirt with a tie. All students wear a blazer.

When my kid was in a private school for reception (similar to kindergarten) there were separate winter and summer uniforms. I also learned to tie a tie for the first time to put on my 5-year-old's uniform.

As a result, uniforms tend to be the largest expense for families at state schools. Luckily, many bits of the uniform can be found secondhand and things like school trousers are sold at every local department store and online.

Very limited school supplies

This was a huge difference that really struck me. As a parent, you don't get a long list of supplies to bring into the classroom. At most, we had to pick up some pens and pencils and make sure she had a basic calculator.

Everything else is supplied to students by the school.

The lack of a major Target run to get prepped and tick off a list of necessary supplies really streamlines the back to school experience. It also was one of those minor culture shock moments when I was confronted with something that felt so normal back home that isn't the norm here at all.

School terms and holiday times

This is where the differences really take off. I've written a whole article just about the differences in school holidays between the US and the UK, but here's the short version:

• On average, kids in the UK are in school about 2 weeks more per year than in the US.
• UK schools typically follow 3 terms per year instead of the 2 semester system common in many US schools.
• Summer break in the UK is short (usually just the end of July and the month of August).
• There are more school breaks sprinkled throughout the year in the UK than you typically get in the US.

Want to see my full breakdown on school holidays and term times? Check out the post here​

Coming to the UK soon?

August is peak visitor season here and we are still having lots of sunny and warm days. Be sure to bring comfortable shoes to take advantage of all the walking the nice weather is making possible! For a full list of what to pack, check out my summer UK packing guide!​

In the news

Edinburgh Introduces the UK’s First Citywide Tourist Tax

Edinburgh has become the first city in the UK to charge a tourist tax, adding a 5% levy to overnight accommodation costs for stays of up to five nights. The city expects the tax to raise about £50 million a year to fund cleaner streets, parks, and cultural projects, while helping manage the impact of growing tourism. If you're planning an overnight stay in Edinburgh, expect your hotel, Airbnb, hostel, or campsite bill to be slightly higher, with similar taxes likely to spread to other UK cities such as Glasgow. See the full story here​

That's all for now, but I'll see you next week!

Victoria

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