Nationwide £15,500 alert to parents ahead of September costs

New Nationwide research shows parents face hefty billsRory Poulter09:29, 23 Aug 2026Parents face a £15,500-plus bill for the hidden costs of sending a child to school from Reception through to GCSEs, new research has revealed.‌And the biggest drain on family finances is not uniforms or school trips – but the growing cost of after-school clubs. Research commissioned by Nationwide found parents spend an average £700 a year on clubs and associated costs, compared with £381 on uniform and sports kit and £116 on school trips. Over a child’s school career, that means clubs alone could swallow around £9,100.‌The figures come as families prepare for the new school year, with almost half of parents – 49% – saying they feel stressed about the cost of going back to school. Many are being forced to ma