The long school summer holidays can often seem interminable to parents but the reality is the back-to-school rush has already begun.

If, like many, you are shuddering at the thought of trailing round the shops with a reluctant child in tow, then I have a solution - cyber-style!

I've found a number of online retailers from which you can order virtually everything you need to equip your little ones for the new academic year.

School Uniforms Online is a bright, lively site with Post-it note icons and blackboard-style graphics.

It is a self-styled one-stop shop for schoolwear, PE kits, sportswear and bags, for children aged between five and 18 years old.

There's certainly an excellent selection of uniform staples, often in a wide range of colours - V-neck jumpers, for example, come in eight different shades!

Prices for boys trousers start at £13.50 and for girls skirts at £8.50. You can pay by cheque or credit card, via the secure server, adding £2.95 for delivery. Orders are dispatched within five working days.

The Schoolwear Centre, established in the Sixties and now providing an internet-based service, claims to have the best value schoolwear in the world.

Trousers cost £8.99 upwards and skirts start at £10.99. The site has a traditional feel, partly due to the use of drawings rather than the usual photos.

Delivery takes seven working days and is free on orders above £100 and otherwise costs £4.95.

The School Uniform Shop has been retailing high-quality, British clothing for 30 years and has also now gone online.

Trousers are available from £8.68 and skirts from £9.93.

The quality of the photography isn't great but the site is simple and easy to use.

Payment is by cheque only and delivery is free on orders over £10.

Alternatively, try mail order company Kays, which has a specific schoolwear department within its enormous website. The range of products is fairly limited but includes all the essentials in a good choice of colours.

Boys trousers are priced between £8 and £16 and girls skirts can be found from £9 for a pack of two. Kays will give you a 20 per cent discount if you are a first-time purchaser.

If you order in-stock items before 10am, you can expect them delivered, free of charge, 48 hours later.

Tots 2 Teens is part of Shoppers Universe and includes a virtual department dedicated to school uniforms.

Particularly useful is the preview function, allowing you to look at similar products side by side for easy comparison.

With trousers from £6.79, packs of two skirts for as little as £7.65 and free delivery, preparing for back to school on the internet needn't be painful on your wallet either!

www.schooluniformsonline.co.uk
www.schoolwear-centre.co.uk
www.kaysnet.com
www.tots2teens.co.uk