Cheap School PE Kit UK 2026: Where Parents Can Find Deals

The uniform shop email arrived. You priced the blazer, winced, and scrolled down. There it was: embroidered PE polo, £24. Navy jogging bottoms with the crest, £22. Football socks in the exact shade of burgundy that does not exist at Tesco. By the time you reached "optional swim cap," the summer holiday fund had already left the building.

PE kit is the bit of back-to-school shopping that catches people out. Classroom uniform has the famous £5 Aldi bundle. Shoes get their own anxious fitting appointment. Sportswear sits in the middle: schools treat it as semi-optional until the first wet Tuesday when your child turns up in joggers the wrong colour and gets loaned something from the lost property bin that smells of 2019.

If you are hunting cheap PE kit UK 2026 prices before autumn term, this guide is for you. It lists where to buy school sportswear, what it actually costs, which summer sales include gym kit, and how to dodge paying school-shop prices for plain shorts your child will lose by half-term anyway.

Uniform still on the list? Our cheap school uniforms guide covers the £5 bundle and grant schemes. Trainers and plimsolls live in the school shoes guide. Daypacks and school rucksacks are in the cheap school bags UK 2026 guide. This page is shorts, tees, drawstring PE bags, and the argument about whether the logo really matters.

School PE kit UK: what it costs in 2026

NimbleFins puts average PE kit spend at about £113 when parents can shop anywhere, versus £176 when everything has to come from a school-designated supplier. That 55% gap is mostly embroidery and monopoly pricing, not better fabric.

On the cheap end, a primary child with a flexible school policy can get two T-shirts and two shorts pairs from Aldi or Argos for under £10. On the expensive end, a secondary with a mandatory branded hoodie, rugby top, and 1/4 zip from Stevensons or Price & Buckland can blow past £80 before you buy trainers.

The number that matters is cost per wear. A £3 Argos shorts two-pack worn twice a week for a year works out at pennies per lesson. A £35 school-shop rugby shirt worn for one winter sport module is a different calculation. Buy cheap where you can, spend properly only where you must.

Read the school list before you open a single tab

Schools are inconsistent about PE kit in a way that drives parents quietly mad. One primary accepts any navy shorts and a plain white tee. The school down the road insists on an embroidered polo from a named website. Secondary schools add house colours, 1/4 zip tops, and football boots with stud rules that read like a FIFA appendix.

From September 2026, new rules under the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill cap compulsory branded uniform items at three for primary schools (four for middle and secondary if one is a tie). PE kit with a school logo often counts toward that limit. If your school has been asking for five branded pieces, that should shrink. Government briefings have suggested savings of up to £50 per child once schools comply. Check the updated policy on the school website rather than relying on last year's PDF.

• Plain allowed: buy supermarket or Argos kit in the right colours. This is where you save real money.
• Logo required on top only: get the embroidered polo from the school shop or second-hand; source shorts, socks, and bag elsewhere.
• Full branded kit from one supplier: budget for the portal, hunt Uniformerly and PTA sales, and buy plain spares for practice at home.
• House colours: you need the right T-shirt shade. Aldi and Argos stock red, blue, green, yellow, and white in most summers.
• Swimming: costume, towel, goggles, and sometimes a school swim cap are separate from gym kit. Matalan and Sports Direct cover basics.

Photograph the school's example kit and match it. Arguing with a PE teacher about whether "navy" includes charcoal is not how you want to spend the first Wednesday back.

What you actually need to buy

Lists vary. Most children need some combination of the following. Two sets is sensible if PE runs twice a week and your washing machine only gets opened at weekends.

• T-shirt or polo in school or house colour
• Shorts, skort, or cycling shorts (girls' schools increasingly prefer these over baggy shorts)
• Joggers or tracksuit bottoms for outdoor lessons in autumn and spring
• Hoodie or 1/4 zip top (sometimes optional, sometimes compulsory with logo)
• Trainers or plimsolls (see our shoes guide)
• Football boots if the school plays on grass or astro (Aldi sold pairs at £9.99 in 2026 ranges)
• Drawstring PE bag (often £2–£5; Decathlon and supermarkets sell plain bags — see our school bags guide)
• Swimming kit if the pool is on the timetable

Label everything. PE kit is where school uniform goes to die in the changing room. Iron-on labels or a Sharpie on the care tag saves rebuying identical navy shorts every term.

When to buy PE kit for autumn 2026

Sportswear sizes sell out in predictable waves. Shop early enough to get your child's age band; late enough that September growth has not made July purchases unwearable.

• Late June: Lidl back-to-school from 25 June 2026; Aldi from 28 June 2026. Both stock PE T-shirts, joggers, and football boots as Specialbuys.
• Early July: George at Asda and Tu at Sainsbury's summer uniform events. Tu has run PE sets from £6.40 online. Sainsbury's 20% off unbranded uniform has included sports polos in past summers; the 2026 window ended 21 June at some branches, but similar promos often return before August.
• Mid-July: M&S 20% off in store (often around 17 July in England). Tesco Clubcard 25% off F&F clothing. Matalan back-to-school codes.
• August: Sports Direct and Decathlon back-to-school sections fill out. Scottish parents: most schools return mid-August. Do not wait for English September sales.
• September: clearance on supermarkets and sports sites if they over-ordered. Age 12–13 in popular colours becomes hard to find.

The cheapest PE kit: supermarkets and Argos

If the school allows plain kit, start here. None of these are performance sportswear brands. You are paying for fabric that survives a term of floor exercises and the occasional muddy field, not moisture-wicking marathon tech.

The Range

The Range stocks budget school clothing in larger stores, including plain polos, shorts, and joggers at prices comparable to Peacocks and Matalan. Not every branch carries kids' school sportswear year-round. Worth a look if you are already there for stationery or lunch boxes, but do not make it your only stop.

Website: therange.co.uk

Aldi

Aldi's 2026 back-to-school range includes a two-pack of school T-shirts at £1.89, joggers at £6.99, and football boots at £9.99. That is the full football-module kit for under £20 if boots are on the list. The £5 uniform bundle does not replace PE kit; it covers polos and trousers for the classroom.

Same catch every year: Specialbuys only, in-store, ages roughly 4–12, gone when sold out. The range landed 28 June 2026. Aldi backs many items with a 12-month satisfaction guarantee, which is almost absurd at £1.89 for two tops.

Website: aldi.co.uk (check in-store Specialbuys; PE lines are rarely online)

Lidl

Lidl mirrors Aldi on price. Recent ranges listed school T-shirt two-packs at £1.89, zip hoodies at £3.99, joggers at £6.99, and the familiar £5 uniform bundle separately. The 2026 event started 25 June in stores nationwide.

Lidl's price-match promise on the £5 bundle does not extend to every PE line, but the Middle of Lidl aisle is worth a dedicated trip if you have both chains nearby and one has sold out of your size.

Website: lidl.co.uk

Argos

Argos is quietly one of the best online options for plain PE kit. Football shorts two-packs start at £1 in recent listings. Sports crew-neck T-shirts in green, blue, yellow, and navy from £3 for smaller sizes. Navy classic school shorts two-packs at £6. The boys' PE kit category lists 27 products with multipack maths that beats most high streets.

Free next-day collection. Home delivery £3.95. Nectar points on purchases. Past promotions have included 20% off school uniform categories with footwear and sportswear in the basket.

Website: argos.co.uk

George at Asda

Asda George sells PE kit year-round online. White crew-neck school T-shirt two-packs start at £2 in past ranges (roughly £1 per top). Shorts two-packs from £5. Joggers and plain polos in navy and black. Netmums product tests gave George uniform a 98% parent recommendation rate; PE basics use the same cotton-rich fabrics.

Asda Rewards sometimes offers £5 off a £25 George spend in summer. The headline uniform percentage-off sale often excludes accessories, so read the terms before assuming PE kit is in the discount.

Website: direct.asda.com

Tu at Sainsbury's

Tu lists PE sets from £6.40 online in recent summers, plus polos from £2.40 for a two-pack and grey school shorts from £4.80. The 20% off unbranded uniform event runs for a limited window each June or July; sports items have been included while coats and clearance footwear were excluded.

Nectar cardholders get extra promotions. If you are already doing a big Sainsbury's shop, adding PE kit to the same order beats a separate delivery from a sports site.

Website: tuclothing.sainsburys.co.uk

F&F at Tesco

Tesco F&F school sportswear includes multipack polos, shorts, and joggers. Clubcard 25% off clothing runs in late June and again around mid-July in recent years, online and in store. The 100-day guarantee on F&F uniform applies to much of the school range.

Tesco's older age sizing tops out earlier than some rivals. If you are buying for a tall 15-year-old, check measurements against Next or Sports Direct instead.

Website: tesco.com

Matalan

Matalan has a dedicated PE kit section with shorts, joggers, sports polos, trainers, pump bags, and swimwear. Summer promotions have included 25% off back-to-school and online codes such as 20% off £40 / 25% off £70. Souluxe branded sports tees sit in the older kids' range if your child refuses plain cotton.

Parent reviews on durability are mixed for classroom trousers, but PE shorts and drawstring bags at Matalan prices are fine as spares or second sets.

Website: matalan.co.uk

Peacocks

Peacocks boys' and girls' PE kit pages list plain tees from £3.50 (often £2.80 on promotion), joggers from £6, and drawstring shorts from £6. Sale pricing knocks 20% off many lines. Free standard delivery over £40.

Websites: boys PE kits | girls PE kits

Primark

Primark sells active mesh T-shirt and shorts sets from about £12, plus Kappa collaboration sets around £14. In-store only in the UK. Useful for a child who wants a co-ordinated look without Sports Direct branding. Plain navy joggers and tees appear in the school aisle each August.

Website: primark.com (browse in store to buy)

Poundland (PEP&CO)

Polos from £1 in stores with a full PEP&CO section. Not every Poundland stocks the range. Treat it as emergency replacement when your child announces at 9pm on Sunday that they need a white T-shirt for Monday.

Morrisons (Nutmeg)

Morrisons Nutmeg clothing includes school sportswear in the wider kids' range. More Card 25% off Nutmeg uniform has run in mid-July. Flat pricing across sizes helps when you are kitting out a tall nine-year-old who would cost more at age-banded rivals.

Website: morrisons.com

School sportswear UK: trainers, tracksuits, and branded kit

When the school allows any black trainer or wants proper football shorts, sports retailers beat supermarkets on choice. Prices are higher. Sales are frequent enough that paying full RRP in August is avoidable.

Sports Direct

Sports Direct runs a dedicated back-to-school PE hub: sports tops, shorts, tracksuits, plimsolls, trainers, football boots, water bottles, and gym bags. Plain colours in navy, black, burgundy, green, and purple cover most school rules. Nike, adidas, Puma, and Under Armour lines sit alongside budget Sondico and Karrimor own-brand pieces. Umbro football shorts and training tops often appear in clearance. USA Pro and Everlast gym shorts are among the cheapest branded-style lines in the kids' section when site-wide sales run.

Site-wide sales are common. Less strong on embroidered school badges. Strong when your teenager will only wear a recognised logo and the school does not mandate a supplier top.

Website: sportsdirect.com

Decathlon

Decathlon own-brand kids' sports tees run about £8–£10; shorts about £8. Artengo tennis and multisport lines work for school colours. Members get 365-day returns. Two-year warranty on many products.

Decathlon MyClub supplies custom school PE kit to institutions (shirts from about £19.50 ex VAT, shorts from £13.25 ex VAT). Parents buy through the school's link, not as a casual supermarket shop. If your school uses MyClub, the price is set by the school's bundle deal.

Website: decathlon.co.uk

MandM Direct

MandM Direct discounts kids' sportswear from adidas, Nike, Puma, and New Balance, often 40–65% below RRP. Entrada and Tiro training shorts, tracksuit bottoms, and indoor court shoes appear in the boys' and girls' sport sections. Better for secondary-age kids who want branded kit at outlet prices than for reception house-colour tees.

Website: mandmdirect.com

JD Sports

JD Sports stocks current-season trainers and tracksuits with regular sale reductions. Students get 10% off via in-store verification; UNiDAYS and Student Beans sometimes list extra codes on top of sale prices. Useful when the school allows black trainers without specifying a plain pump. Less competitive on basic £3 T-shirts than Argos.

Website: jdsports.co.uk

GO Outdoors and Mountain Warehouse

These matter if your school runs outdoor PE, forest school, or cross-country in winter. GO Outdoors sells kids' fleeces, waterproof jackets, and joggers from Peter Storm and Regatta with deep sale reductions for members. Mountain Warehouse runs frequent up-to-60% off events and free delivery over £50 on own-brand lines.

Not where you buy a £1 shorts two-pack. They are where you buy a £20 waterproof when the PE teacher says outdoor lessons run in November rain.

Websites: gooutdoors.co.uk | mountainwarehouse.com

H&M Move

H&M's Move range sells kids' sports tops, leggings, and shorts with DryMove fabric from about £8–£15 per item. Two-pack sports tops appear regularly. No school branding. Fine for practice at home or schools with loose colour rules.

Website: hm.com

Amazon UK

Amazon stocks multipack plain polos, shorts bundles, drawstring bags, and shin pads with next-day delivery. Quality varies by seller. Filter by recent reviews and order early enough to return the thin T-shirts that show up in September every year.

Website: amazon.co.uk

TK Maxx

TK Maxx is a lottery for PE kit, same as school shoes. When it works, you find Nike, adidas, or Puma tracksuits and trainers at 50–70% below RRP. Stock is unpredictable and sizes disappear fast. Check online and in store repeatedly from July through August if your child will only wear a recognised sports brand and the school does not mandate a supplier top.

Website: tkmaxx.com

Mid-range: when supermarket kit keeps shrinking in the wash

If your child destroys cheap cotton in three washes, paying more per item can work out cheaper per month. These retailers score higher in parent surveys for PE kit that survives a full school year.

Next

Nextschool sportswear covers boys and girls. Girls' cycling shorts two-packs run £5–£10; boys' joggers and sports tees sit in the same schoolwear filter. Large sizing runs up to age 16. MadeForMums rated Next highly for durability on school uniform; the sportswear uses similar cotton-rich blends.

Websites: girls PE kit | boys PE kit

Marks & Spencer

M&Sschool sportswear benefits from stain-resistant finishes and the mid-July 20% off in-store sale. Shelf prices are higher than George at Asda. Parents who buy M&S often report fewer mid-year replacements on items that take a weekly beating in the gym.

Website: marksandspencer.com

John Lewis

John Lewis school sportswear sits in the durability tier. Price-frozen items and consistent sizing help if you are passing kit between siblings. Not the first shop for a £5 emergency short replacement.

Website: johnlewis.com

New Look

New Look sells girls' school and sportswear only. Not where you start if saving money is the goal, but useful for cycling shorts, leggings, and sports tops when your daughter wants a cut that supermarkets do not stock. Summer sale lines can knock 20–30% off shelf prices. Pair with supermarket shorts to keep the total basket down.

Website: newlook.com

School-approved suppliers: when the logo is non-negotiable

Some schools name one outfitter for embroidered PE polos, rugby shirts, and hoodies. You need these shops when the policy says so. Many also sell plain ranges that work at schools with flexible rules, and almost all are more expensive than Argos for identical navy shorts without a crest.

• School Uniform Shop (schooluniformshop.co.uk) — online stockist for Trutex, David Luke, Banner, Chadwick, Akoa, and others. Newsletter signup gives 10% off first order. Loyalty points at 5 per £1. Chadwick Buy 3 Get 4th Free on qualifying lines. Free delivery over £70. See our School Uniform Shop review for service detail.
• Trutex — manufacturer since 1865; sells direct. Basics cotton T-shirt two-packs from £6.50; AKOA PE shorts from £4; joggers £19–£29. MadeForMums called Trutex a hidden gem for quality at sensible prices. Clearance section worth checking before paying full school-portal rates. For brand background and sizing detail, see our Trutex schoolwear guide; this page focuses on where to find deals.
• David Luke — eco-uniform specialist with PE joggers, training tops, and 1/4 zip layers. Free UK delivery over £50. Stocked in 600+ stores through partners.
• Banner — supplies many UK schools; eco range through Monkhouse and approved stockists. Part of the Banner Group with Sussex Uniforms (South East) and William Turner (North).
• Monkhouse — high-street specialist with school finder and in-store fittings from June.
• Stevensons — supplies 600+ schools; sportswear, XXV performance brand, on-campus shops at some sites.
• Price & Buckland — family-run manufacturer with per-school online stores and free sizing sets.
• SWI Schoolwear — school-specific portals; newsletter deals on accessories.
• Rawcliffes — Yorkshire-based; polos from £5.99; free delivery over £100.
• School Uniform Direct — London-based with child profiles for repeat orders.
• Kitlocker — custom teamwear for 330+ state schools; parents buy via school-arranged shops with Nike and adidas branding.
• MyClothing — embroidered uniform portals used by many primary schools. Search your school name.

School Uniform Shop: deals and brands worth knowing

If you need Trutex joggers or a David Luke training top without going through a single-school portal, School Uniform Shop is the aggregator option. Trutex junior jogging pants listed around £22 in recent product pages. Newsletter 10% off applies to first orders. Hitting £70 for free delivery makes sense when you are buying PE kit for two children or stocking joggers plus a winter hoodie in one basket.

Approved brands stocked through official UK distribution include One+All, Banner, David Luke, Trutex, Winterbottom's, Akoa, Falcon Sportswear, Juco, Chadwick Teamwear, Grass&Air, Term Footwear, BagBase, William Turner, Carta Sport, Mirak, and Mitre. You will see those names on school letters and on PE tags in the changing room. Chadwick Teamwear runs a standing Buy 3 Get 4th Free deal on qualifying lines in the same basket.

WhatsApp (07748 864 292) and phone (01432 34 35 32, weekdays 10am–4pm) work for sizing questions on PE bottoms, which vary annoyingly between brands.

Gambit Schoolwear

Gambit Schoolwear supplies schools direct rather than parents on the high street, but it is useful context for price negotiations. Their wholesale list puts PE shorts from £3, cotton T-shirts from £2.75, and jogging trousers from £5.50. Schools ordering in bulk pass some of that saving on; schools using expensive portals do not. If your PTA is sourcing plain house-colour tees for sports day, Gambit is the kind of supplier they might use.

Other regional and specialist outfitters

Schools sometimes name smaller suppliers not covered above. If your letter lists one of these, search the school name on their site before assuming they stock your badge:

• Big Fish Schoolwear — regional supplier with school-specific online shops.
• ClassworX — embroidered uniform and PE kit for named schools.
• Josens Schoolwear — independent stockist carrying David Luke and other brands.
• Macey Sports — teamwear and school PE kit, often in the Midlands and North.

Tip: search your school name on each supplier's finder before assuming they still hold the contract. Schools switch outfitters. The letter in your inbox beats any blog post.

Second-hand PE kit: where logo items actually get cheap

Yodel research found 47% of UK parents buy second-hand school uniform from marketplaces. Parents selling outgrown kit on Vinted, Depop, and eBay report earning around £150 a year on average. PE kit with embroidery is the best candidate to buy second-hand because new logo tops cost £20–£40 and children outgrow them in one season. See our second-hand school uniform & kit UK 2026 guide for every marketplace and free charity.

Uniformerly

Uniformerlylists items from parents at your child's school only. No fees to sell. You see rugby shirts, PE polos, and hoodies in the right colours because they came from the same supplier list. Over 7,000 UK schools are on the platform. Children at different schools need separate accounts or see the FAQ for multi-school families.

Vinted, Depop, eBay, and Facebook

Vinted has no school uniform category. Search the school name plus "PE" or "rugby" or the house colour. Bundle postage by buying several items from one seller. Depopsuits older children and teens selling logo hoodies and branded tracksuits; Yodel's research flagged it alongside Vinted as a common resale route. eBay works for new-with-tags clearance from parents who ordered the wrong size. Facebook school groups and Marketplace favour local pickup on bulky tracksuits.

School PTA and pre-loved shops

Many primaries and secondaries run a pre-loved uniform rail managed by the PTA. Logo PE kit in good condition often sells for £2–£5 per item. Ask the school office in July when volunteers sort donations, not on the morning of the first PE lesson.

Old School Uniform and Uniform Exchange

Old School Uniform maps free and cheap uniform sources. Uniform Exchange in Kirklees provides free uniform, PE kit, and shoes for qualifying families.

Trainers, boots, and swimming kit

Footwear is half the PE battle and it has its own price range. Shoe Zone plimsolls from £2.99. Aldi football boots at £9.99 in Specialbuys. Sports Direct black trainers from about £15. Schools differ on whether plimsolls, trainers, or astro boots are required.

Our cheap school shoes UK 2026 guide covers plimsolls, trainers, football boots, fitting, and which uniform sales exclude footwear. Read that before buying PE shoes separately.

Swimming kit is another separate basket: costume, towel, goggles, swim cap. Matalan and Sports Direct sell basic goggles from a few pounds. School shops overcharge swim caps with logos; plain silicone caps from Amazon or Decathlon usually pass the rules if colour is right.

Very, Littlewoods, and spreading the cost

Very and Littlewoods stock school sportswear with summer 20% off promotions on own-brand ranges. Spread-the-cost credit helps when you are kitting out three children with tracksuits and trainers in one order. Interest applies if you do not clear the balance. Treat credit as a payment plan, not a discount.

Stacking cashback and loyalty on PE kit

Check TopCashback or Quidco before Sports Direct, Decathlon, MandM Direct, Amazon, or M&S orders. Use only voucher codes listed on your cashback site if you want the cashback to track. Random coupon codes from Google often void it.

• Nectar: Tu at Sainsbury's and Argos PE kit purchases earn points.
• Tesco Clubcard: 25% off F&F clothing in summer includes school sportswear.
• Asda Rewards: targeted George offers on uniform and clothing spends.
• Ode card: education and healthcare workers get cashback at supermarkets and M&S via ode.co.uk.
• UNiDAYS and Student Beans: extra codes at JD Sports, Sports Direct, and MandM Direct for sixth-form and college students buying their own trainers or tracksuits.
• Groupon and HotUKDeals: occasional Sports Direct or Decathlon voucher deals posted by other parents; verify expiry before checkout.

Help paying for PE kit

Grant forms often say "uniform" and parents assume that means shirts and ties. PE kit counts.

• Wales: school uniform grant up to £200 via gov.wales.
• Scotland: clothing grants via your local council, often £150–£400 depending on age and income.
• Northern Ireland: uniform grant through the Education Authority, roughly £35–£51 by school level.
• England: search gov.uk/find-local-council plus "school uniform grant". Some councils pay £50–£150; many pay nothing.
• School hardship funds and Pupil Premium: ask the pastoral team. PE kit is a common quiet purchase from those budgets.
• Buttle UK and Grocery Aid: wider essentials grants for qualifying families.

Apply in July. Funds empty fast in the first week of September.

Tactics that actually shave money off PE kit

Split the shop. Logo polo from Uniformerly or the school portal. Shorts, socks, and bag from Argos or Aldi. Trainers from Shoe Zone or Sports Direct in the sale. The child looks correct on the register; your bank account looks less alarming.

Buy two cheap sets instead of one expensive set if laundry happens twice a week. Two £3 Argos tees beat one £18 school-shop top that still gets left in the changing room.

Size up slightly on joggers with elasticated waists. A drawstring helps. PE kit runs small in some school suppliers; supermarket age bands run large.

Check whether the after-school football club needs different boots from curriculum PE. One pair of moulded studs often covers both if the school plays on astro.

Write your child's surname on everything in permanent marker. PE lost property is a graveyard of identical navy shorts. Recovery saves rebuying.

Quick reference: every website in one list

Cheapest plain kit: Aldi, Lidl, Argos, George at Asda, Tu at Sainsbury's, F&F at Tesco, Matalan, Peacocks, Primark, Poundland PEP&CO, Morrisons Nutmeg, The Range.

Sports and trainers: Sports Direct (Sondico, Karrimor, Umbro, USA Pro, Everlast), Decathlon, MandM Direct, JD Sports, GO Outdoors, Mountain Warehouse, H&M Move, Amazon UK, TK Maxx.

Mid-range durability: Next, Marks & Spencer, John Lewis, New Look (girls only).

School-logo and approved suppliers: School Uniform Shop, Trutex, David Luke, Banner, Monkhouse, Sussex Uniforms, William Turner, Stevensons, Price & Buckland, SWI Schoolwear, Rawcliffes, School Uniform Direct, Kitlocker, MyClothing, Gambit Schoolwear, Big Fish Schoolwear, ClassworX, Josens Schoolwear, Macey Sports. PE brands: One+All, Akoa, Falcon Sportswear, Juco, Chadwick Teamwear, Grass&Air, Carta Sport, Mirak, Mitre, Winterbottom's, Term Footwear, BagBase.

Second-hand and free: Uniformerly, Vinted, Depop, eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Old School Uniform, Uniform Exchange, school PTA, local FUSS groups.

Spread the cost: Very, Littlewoods.

Cashback and deals: TopCashback, Quidco, HotUKDeals, MoneySavingExpert, Groupon. Student: UNiDAYS, Student Beans. Loyalty: Nectar, Clubcard, Asda Rewards, Ode card.

Companion guides: cheap school uniforms, cheap school shoes, cheap school bags, cheap school stationery.

Frequently asked questions

Bottom line

Cheap PE kit in 2026 is possible if your school allows plain colours. Aldi and Lidl at under £2 for a two-pack of T-shirts when Specialbuys land in late June. Argos at £1 for a shorts two-pack. George at Asda and Tu at Sainsbury's for year-round online backup. Sports Direct and Decathlon when you need trainers or branded tracksuits.

Logo kit from the school shop is expensive and often unavoidable for one or two items. Buy those second-hand on Uniformerly or from the PTA. Source everything else from supermarkets. Read the new three-item branded cap rules. Shop in July. Label the bag.

For referral discounts on ASDA, M&S, Next, Amazon, and School Uniform Shop, check our referral pages before checkout. The rest of the back-to-school shop lives in the uniform, shoes, bags, and stationery guides.