Cost of the School Day calendar - Autumn term 2026

• Think carefully about icebreaker activities, circle-time and diary writing exercises that focus on students sharing experiences of the summer break as not all families have the money to go on holidays or days out. Instead focus things students want to achieve this year.
• Now is a good time to re-check eligibility for free school meals and to make sure that all eligible families are registered. Encourage families to re-check their eligibility if their circumstances have changed.
• Work with students to explore events and activities that will incur costs later in the year and share this with parents early so they can plan and factor it into their budgets.

• You could use the focus on harvest, thanksgiving and food at this time of year to review your school food offer. Gather feedback on the lunchtime experience, including what pupils and families think of the quality of food, how well different diets are being catered for, what they think about value for money, and what it's like being in the dining hall.
• When collecting food donations for external or in-school food banks, set up an area in school where families can donate anonymously, so attention is not drawn to children and families who aren’t able to contribute.
• Think carefully about how to talk about food banks and food donations and the impact this might have on children and families who currently use food banks or have needed to in the past.

5-11 October (Scotland)

12-18 October (England and Wales)

• Challenge Poverty Week is an opportunity to tackle unhelpful assumptions and stigmatising attitudes towards people in poverty.
• For more information, see challengepoverty.co.uk (England and Wales) and povertyalliance.org/cpw/ (Scotland)

• When engaging with charities, balance fundraising activities with raising awareness of what the charity does.
• Consider focusing on talking about the charity's history, achievements and causes as much as the amount of money children have donated.
• Some schools have encouraged pupils to think about donating their time to charities rather than simply focusing on the amount of money raised. You could count and celebrate the amount of time donated and the impact this has had.

• If you're going to have a Halloween party, disco or event, run it during the school day to remove the need for an entry fee.
• If possible, recycle costumes and props or organise exchanges so that parents don't have to buy new items each year.

• Consider how you can use Anti-Bullying Week to raise awareness around income-related bullying and to explore the impact that poverty has on children and families.

• Some children can feel left out when they can't afford to buy the merchandise sold in schools on charity days.
• Consider focusing on the meaning and purpose of some of the awareness days this month rather than raising money.
• Alternatively, get creative and explore ways for children to create their own accessories so they can take part in marking the days taking place this month. 

• Make sure families know who to speak to in school, and how to contact them, if they have any worries about any school-related costs or if costs are getting in the way of their child taking part in events and activities at school.
• Include details of the support available in all newsletters, letters, emails and texts, especially if a request for money is sent out.
• Take a look at our resource Talking about Costs and Money at School and our Cost of the School Day Toolkits for suggested wording that can be used to encourage more families to talk about money and any worries they have.

• As the end of term approaches families are often keen to show their appreciation to hard-working school staff.
• Gift-giving can be difficult for lower-income households to afford, so some schools encourage parents and pupils to make thank you cards instead.
• Try to consider alternatives to ‘secret Santa’ gift-giving in form or tutor time, as these can place families under pressure to purchase additional gifts.
• You can find suggested wording to share with families to discourage gift-giving in this report: The Cost of Having Fun at School

• Consider ways to support families to recycle clothing and accessories used for themed days.
• Some schools have set up swapping stations ahead of themed days for families to bring in items their children have outgrown from the previous year.
• Monitor attendance on non-uniform days to identify students who are facing barriers to taking part on these days.

• Families can find it hard to afford tickets, refreshments, costumes and props for Christmas productions and fayres.
• You could make these events accessible to more families by asking for donations or 'pay-as-you-feel' instead of charging a set entry fee.