La rentrée scolaire looms

and people are not content. The government promised a "rentrée moins chère", less than 40 euros per child, but they have not delivered.

Regular readers will be aware of the dreaded "listes de fourniture scolaire" - the lists drawn up by teachers detailing the pens, pencils, paints, paper, pritt-sticks, perforators (?) and other paraphernalia needed for their classes. You have to go shopping when in a rather silly mood so that you don't mind hunting down the more obscure objects ( lutins, critérium ). This year I took the English Patient with me as a bit of cross-cultural experience.

It's different this year. For one thing I got my wires crossed and took the wrong list to get Catrin's stuff. Thankfully most of it was ok anyway and the supermarket reimbursed me for stuff we didn't need.

Then Gwilym's list is just textbooks. I don't know if they'll suddenly dump a surprise on us and give a massive list of other things to get... I hope not.

For us this year so far the bill isn't so bad - about 80 euros for Catrin and 60 for Gwilym. It's been more in previous years, I'm sure. However they don't need new backpacks this year and it's still much more than the 40 euros per child target of the government. For those on very low incomes there is an allowance paid to kit your child out, but not many homes get that.

So the papers and the TV have been doing their shopping and, surprise ! with backpack they get to much more than 40 euros, too, even always buying the cheapest paper, pens etc...

They're not 'appy !

Comments

Unknown said…
Hi
From 20 years of experience I would say that 40 euros seems hopelessly optimistic - and certainly doesn't take account of the things they'll tell you you need part way through the year
I suppose buying for three meant we often bought in bulk and assumed it would get used up eventually - so we do have a supply of copies simples/doubles à petit ou gros carreaux still in the study in a variety of colours of the rainbow! (yellow for chemistry pink for physics etc etc!!!)
Néanmoins - "bonne rentrée" à tout la famille !
11:25 am
Alan said…
When I got home I discovered that I had just added to the Davey copies simples / doubles, petit / grands carreaux mountain - so I took those back for a refund, too.

Thankfully all paper needed is white. But the cahiers have to have plastic covers in precisely specified colours.
11:31 am
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