Exercise Books in South Africa
Free quotes from stationery suppliers across South Africa. One request, no obligation.
- Catalogue
- WF-02, Writing & filing
- Usually sold
- By the carton
- Cost to you
- Free quotes
Exercise books are the backbone of every South African school stationery list, and schools, parents' associations and resellers often need hundreds or thousands at once. StationerySupplies.co.za is a free quote service. You fill in one form with the sizes, page counts and rulings you need, and independent local stationery suppliers quote you directly on bulk cartons. We do not sell, stock or deliver exercise books ourselves, and there is no fee or obligation to accept a quote. Tell us what you need and when.
Exercise book sizes and page counts
Exercise books come in two main sizes. Exercise books A5 are the classic primary school book, light and easy for small hands. A4 exercise books give more writing space and suit high school, college and office record-keeping.
Page counts are usually 32, 72, 96 or 192 pages. The 72 page exercise book is the most common item on school lists, while 192 page books suit subjects that fill a book quickly. Hard cover versions last longer for registers and logs.
Rulings: feint and margin, quad, music and more
Specify the ruling for each line on your order, because suppliers stock several:
- Feint and margin: ruled lines with a margin, for most subjects
- Feint only: lines without a margin
- Quad or maths: squared paper, often 5 mm or 7 mm, for maths and science
- Music: printed staves for music lessons
- Plain and interleaf: blank pages, or alternate plain and ruled pages for drawings
Rolls of clear or coloured plastic covering and name labels can be added to the same request.
Paper weight also matters. Lighter paper keeps the cost down, but ink from gel pens and kokis can show through, so ask suppliers to state the gsm and cover board thickness on their quotes. Some schools also ask for coloured covers per subject, which helps younger learners find the right book quickly.
Ordering exercise books for school lists
Schools that bulk-buy for learners usually work from the stationery list for each grade, totalled across classes. Exercise books are sold in cartons, often of 50 to 200 books depending on size and page count, so round quantities to full cartons for the best price. Add a few spare cartons for learners who join mid-year or fill books early, because reordering a small quantity in February usually costs more per book. See our stationery for schools page for full lists, or stationery packs if you want each learner's items packed separately.
Prices, lead times and the January rush
Bulk prices depend on paper weight, page count and cover type, so compare quotes on the same specification. Check whether prices include 15% VAT and delivery, and whether the supplier accepts a school order number on account or needs EFT upfront.
Demand peaks from November to late January, when every school and shop restocks at once. Ordering in October or early November gives suppliers time to source stock and deliver before schools open. For very large volumes, wholesale stationery suppliers can quote by the pallet.
What to include in your request
- Give size, page count and ruling for each line
- Total quantities across all grades
- Say whether you need hard or soft covers
- State your delivery date before term starts
- Mention if you need plastic covering too
Exercise Books for different buyers
- Offices and small businesses: A4 hard cover books used as logs, registers and handwritten record books
- Schools: 72 and 192 page exercise books bought in cartons to match each grade's stationery list
- Universities and colleges: A4 exercise books stocked by college bookshops and used in practical classes
- Government and municipalities: hard cover books kept as visitor registers, logbooks and counter records
- Shops and resellers: cartons of exercise books bought as back-to-school stock for shops and spazas
- Factories and warehouses: A4 books used as shift logs, gate registers and maintenance records
- Weddings, conferences and events: A5 exercise books handed out in workshop packs and training sessions
Frequently asked questions
Does StationerySupplies.co.za sell exercise books?
What is the difference between feint and margin and feint only?
How many exercise books are in a carton?
Can suppliers deliver directly to the school?
Exercise Books by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
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