The summer is flying by and before you know it it’s that time of year again — back to school!

At The Centre, you will find all the essentials, from practical school uniforms and stylish backpacks to lunch boxes and all your stationery needs. Plus, it’s all under one roof! Here are some of our top picks for back to school shopping.

Have you seen M&S’s School Uniform Shop? From non-iron shirts and dresses to crease-resistant, stain-resistant and water-repellent shorts, trousers, skirts and pinafores, everything is designed to save you time, money and energy and help keep them smart.

Plan the perfect outfit for returning back to school with H&M’s stylish and smart school uniform collection. Whether it’s a pair of trendy boys’ trousers or a stylish girls’ skirt you’re looking for, they have you covered.

From the first day of term to outdoor adventures, ergonomic Clarks shoes are perfect for growing feet. They’ve got durable leather pairs with buckles and laces, alongside easy-peasy Velcro to make getting ready simple. Find Clarks shoes in M&S.

Or how about Deichmann? With their in-store measuring service, you can be sure to buy the right size of shoe for your little student. Once you’ve got their size, why not take advantage of their annual buy one pair and get a second pair half-price offer on back to school shoes and trainers, including brand-name footwear from Hush Puppies, adidas and Skechers.

If Lelli Kelly shoes are on your shopping list, look no further than schuh Kids. What’s more, with all the top brands including Nike, Kickers and Dr. Martens, you’ll find footwear your little ones will love to learn in!

Having tackled clothing and shoes, it’s time for a pit stop! Maybe it’s a drink and a cake from Costa Coffee or a sit-down meal from one of the eateries on Restaurant Avenue. Make sure you fuel up before you head back out for the rest of the items on your back to school shopping list!

Whether you operate a ‘leave it by the front door ready for the morning’ policy or it gets found behind the sofa two minutes before you need to leave, Primark’s range of colourful backpacks with bold prints and your child’s favourite cartoon characters will never be hard to find in the mornings, or spot on their cloakroom peg. Or, what about their Looney Tunes stationery! Let’s face it, homework is all the more fun when new stationery is involved!

From smiles & giggles to besties back at school - some things are just Better Together. Smiggle’s awesome Better Together collection features spacious backpacks, lunch boxes, pencil cases and water bottles all in their distinctive eye-catching prints including Pegasus seahorses and space dinosaurs. Of course, no set is complete without the matching miniature from their Mini Store…

Let them showcase their style on the go with DV8’s range of backpacks. With brands like Hype and their bold prints to sporty bags from Ellesse and PUMA, DV8 are sure to have a backpack your little ones would be proud to wear on their first day back!

If glasses are on your back to school list, The Centre has four opticians spaced throughout the mall. Choose from Boots Opticians, Optical Express, Specsavers and Vision Express. All offering an expert service with glasses to suit all budgets.

An empty pencil case helps nobody! When it comes to stationery, The Centre, Livingston has a large selection of stores offering you everything you will ever need!

Take advantage of Ryman’s Better than Half Price school checklist, which includes fantastic offers on everything from Sharpies in an assortment of colours to multipacks of Papermate pens to help spark your little one’s creative writing.

Or what about WHSmith? These Helix Oxford 9-piece maths sets come with a 15cm ruler, multiple set squares, 180-degree protractor, pencil sharpener, eraser, a stencil, metal self-centring compass with safety point, pencil and a useful school timetable and maths factsheet. Plus these limited edition tins look amazing!

Make sure they’re top of the class with this practical WHSmith Scientific Calculator finished in pastel mint green, featuring a protective hard cover case with a flip stand, smooth contoured edges and a 12 digit 2-line display. Ideal for National Curriculum Key Stages 3 and 4, this calculator is capable of over 224 features and functions.

If it’s pens for handwriting you need, look no further than Poundland, where you’ll find these Berol handwriting pens - ideal for your little scholar to help them develop better writing control and letter formation.

For little ones who are just starting to learn to write, these Stabilo Easy Start pencils from Wilko are a must! They are the first ergonomic handwriting pencil specially designed for left or right-handers to ensure that the correct grip is found from the start.

Finally, who doesn’t love a good notebook?! Even better when it’s a Harry Potter one! Jot down new spells and potions with your very own wand and notebook, ideal for witches and wizards heading off to Hogwarts!

Having successfully navigated your back to school shopping list with your little student, they deserve a treat! HiClimb Adventures offers 12m of suspended vertical obstacles, 8m of fun climbing walls and a giant’s staircase! Situated at the top of the escalators next to the Customer Service Desk.

Whatever is on your Back to School checklist, get ready for the new academic year with a little help from The Centre today!