After a busy summer pouring buckets of iced water over our heads (all in the name of charity) and loom bands breeding at a ridiculous rate of knots, it seems near impossible that school is upon us, but after realising that it was the last day of August a couple of days ago, it dawned on me that everyone still in school has either gone back today, or are trying to prepare themselves for the new school year. After remembering all the drama of new uniform, shoes, pencil cases and school bags, (and looking forward to years of it to come with my two boys), I thought I would try and offer a helping hand to anyone struggling to find a school bag that is practical as well as cool enough for their kids to be seen with on the first day of the new school term.

Before I started writing this I had a look at a few articles about the new curriculum for 5 – 14 year olds. Some seemingly scary shifts in the UK school syllabus include all 11 – 14 year olds to have studied at least 2 Shakespearean plays and 5 year olds to learn basic fractions, as well as an emphasis on not only British history but significant figures such as Rosa Parks and Emily Davison.

What I found most interesting was how much school work is changing because of modern issues and technology; the solar system, evolution and climate change are to be studied more thoroughly in primary schools and Design and Technology lessons are focusing on 3D printing and robotics. That’s not all; 5 year olds are supposed to learn coding (really!) and children between the ages of 5 and 7 should “understand what algorithms are” and “create and debug simple programs” and by the time those kids are 11, they should be able to “design, use and evaluate computational abstractions that model the state and behaviour of real-world problems and physical systems” (I’m not quite sure what this means either!) With such an increase in the expectations of children, it seems that school is becoming tougher, and hopefully more rewarding!

As parents all over the country are panicking about last minute supplies and first day nerves, here are my top five Vida Vida school bags for children and teenagers going back to school:

1.  Grande Leather Laptop Bag, £85

This is a great bag for school if you want a stylish and practical bag – this is the largest size we do so is better suited for those in secondary school or even college, and it fits a 15” or 17” laptop perfectly, meaning it’s super easy to bring your work to and from school. This bag is especially popular among men as it is a simple and classic design, and will allow you to look original without compromising in size or quality.

2.  Large Leather Satchel, £85

This leather satchel is our most traditional looking, and is perfect for school or college. It is slightly smaller than the Grande above but is still big enough to fid A4 binders and a 13” or 15” laptop in, while looking completely vintage and unique. This is a really popular style also because it really is the classic school satchel of days past, with the practicality of modern alterations such as the comfortable shoulder strap and laptop sleeve. If you want to go back to school looking effortlessly cooler than anyone with a boring tote bag, look no further!   

3.  Large Leather Satchel 3 in 1 Backpack, £95

If you are looking for a modern, practical twist on the classic leather satchel, this is the bag for you. It can be worn as a backpack, shoulder bag or briefcase and this is why it is particularly popular amongst those who cycle (or motorcycle) everywhere as it could not be any more convenient! With the space to hold a 13” or 15” laptop as well as files and folders, this is a great choice for the new academic year!

 4.  Large Leather Messenger Bag 

While this is possibly our simplest bag in terms of design, that does not mean it can’t be the best bag to use for school. Popular especially with men, this leather messenger looks great and is a brilliant bag to keep all your essentials in for a hectic school year including a 13” or 15” laptop, folders, and even your PE kit for when you have no excuses left!