23 October 2026 · 3 minute read
The school-week checklist: PE kit, reading books, clubs and lunches
The short answer
Write down each child's fixed weekly days once (PE, swimming, library, clubs and packed-lunch days), then check the next day's list every evening. A Sunday-night look at the week ahead catches anything unusual, such as a non-uniform day or a trip.
Start with the things that happen every week
Most of the morning rush is the same few things on the same days. Write them down once for each child and you've solved most of the problem:
- PE days, and whether they come to school in their kit.
- Swimming days, with a towel, costume and goggles.
- Library or reading-book change days.
- After-school clubs, with the finish time and any kit.
- Packed-lunch days and school-dinner days.
- Homework and spelling days.
Sunday night: look at the week ahead
Spend five minutes on Sunday looking at the coming week. You're looking for anything that isn't normal: a non-uniform day, a trip, a cake sale, an early finish or a club that's been cancelled. Note what each one needs and when.
Every evening: check tomorrow
Each evening, look at tomorrow for each child. Is it PE? Is there money to bring or a form to hand in? Put things by the door the night before.
Keep it shared
If two adults share the school run, both need the same list. A shared list means whoever does drop-off knows it's swimming today, even if they didn't read the email.
How SchoolDone helps
In SchoolDone you add each child's weekly days once, and they show on the Today screen for the right day. When the school sends something new, it's added to the same plan, and a reminder the evening before covers every child in one message.
