GETTING your child kitted out for school doesn't come cheap -- but there are ways of cutting down the bill.

Parents spend around £9,500 to get each child through school until the age of 16 according to latest estimates.

An average £865 a year is spent on child.

The list of 'needs' includes school uniforms, lunches, transport, school trips, sports kit, after school clubs, extras and books.

And that is just for state education.

To chose the private sector the bill would be nearer £20,000 in fees alone over the same period.

Now parents are being advised to save early in special accounts in preparation for the costs. Various websites and financial service providers give advice on how best to save. Advice ranges to both ends of the spectrum.

Some financial experts suggest considering high risk investments over a short period while others opt for safe saving plans over a longer period of time.

Most agree that it is never too soon to start saving.

And there are various cost of education calculators on line to give parents an idea of how much schooling will cost.

In an average year, on top of fashion extras, phone cards and spending money, uniforms alone are said to cost £178 per child with school lunches costing £324.