to think that £4.50 per child is a lot of money

[cuteboots]

Ok so my sons school have arranged for a professional artist to come into the school to demonstrate some work and the kids can get involved. I just feel that this is a lot of money. They have said that you dont have to pay but if they dont get enough money it wont go ahead? It just feels like that at the mo and on a weekly basis we are getting letters like this asking for money. Am I being a bit unreasonable about this?

[Olympia2012]

Yanbu!!

Bloody schools!

[ToryLovell]

I get peeved with this kind of thing too. We are always being asked to fork out for stuff, yet DH has had a pay freeze (effectively a big cut given the way the cost of living has gone up) for the last 4 years.

I realise that the school want to do great stuff for the kids but it gets blooming expensive, especially when the PTA accounts showed they have over £6k in funds - spend that first please [ranty]

[marge2]

Yup - I would say that's a lot. If enough people cough up, the school will carry on thinking this is about the right level. Don't pay it!

[Olympia2012]

How many kids are in that school?

[fedupofnamechanging]

Yanbu - I think the schools should do the activities they can afford and not assume that they can spend other people's money for them. For some, £4.50 is not a lot of money, but for others it is more than they actually have.

It would be better to fund raise (so people have a choice about how much they donate and do so only when they can afford it) and then use that money to pay for the artist, or whatever other activity they wish to do.

I actually think it's quite rude to say to parents 'we have decided to do X, and btw, you are going to pay for it and if you don't, we will make you feel guilty by cancelling something we have already promised to the children.'

[cuteboots]

I think there are about 10-15 kids in his class but Im just getting a bit peeved with forking out for stuff. I have decided in this case Im not paying but still feel like they are putting you on the spot.

[ItsAPublicForumWhine]

10-15 = £40 - £67.50

Not much really. The artist needs to make a living too!

[Mrsjay]

I guess its an opportunity and the artists needs paying , when mine were in primary the PTA would fundraise for things like this , its always something isnt it , maybe go to the PTa and ask if they can fundraise for extra things in school ,

[BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack]

Thats not much really - to cover artist and materials. There are also probably kids whose parents never pay out which just bulks it up for everyone else............personally I would just pay and be glad that DS would love it (he loves creative stuff) and it would be a shame if they cancel due to lack of funds.

[gramercy]

Ha!

It always makes me guffaw when I read threads like this. £4 bloody pounds 50!!!

Ds has just come home with a list of GCSE trips: they are all between £500 and £900. Be grateful for the £4.50 while it lasts.

[bobbledunk]

yanbu, even seemingly tiny amounts are a lot if you don't have it and all these small requests add up to quite a large amount for someone working on a tight budget.

[Mrsjay]

WHAT how much ? for trips for a year or 2 , WHAT !! no i am afraid i would need a loan if my kids came home with lists like that

[MarysBeard]

I think the PTA should be asked to fund something like this first, if it is of educational benefit to the children. The PTA at our school have funded pantomimes and shows at the school. Cost was about £400 I think out of PTA fund of about £20k a year.

[pigletmania]

i know the artist needs paying, but the school should not assume everyone has money and can afford this every week, its just not on.

[BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack]

My DS is away with school in Sept this year just after he goes into year 6. Its £220 for 2 nights...it's an activity place and expensive as it is, it sounds really good, he will have a whale of a time. They gave us a years notice and we have been paying in installements.

[Smurfy1]

DSD trip costs £230 this year (p6) on top of all these crappy wee amounts it does add up and I havent had a payrise in 2 yrs so you do dread it when u see them running towards you with a letter in hand

[BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack]

...and if your school is anything like ours it the ones who can afforcd it whinge and dont pay up just to be awkward

[donnie]

Blimey. £4.50 is nothing.

Brings a whole new dimension to the notion of Artists starving in a garret - clearly this one will be!

[TheOriginalSteamingNit]

YABU.

[Bucharest]

YABU.

[fortifiedwithtea]

YANBU. I'm fed up with this sort of thing too.

A childrens author (never heard of him) came to DD2 school. Book plugged for weeks. Children could buy at discount etc. Well I didn't buy the book. I don't appreciate being pressured into buying a book my DD2 may not enjoy (she has SEN).

So of she was among the (don't know many) kids who did not have a book to be signed by the author. FFS.

[ItsAPublicForumWhine]

All the people saying that the school shouldn't just arrange these things and assume everyone has the money are right, but it wasn't the question.

£4.50 isn't too much to ask between 10-15 kids for the experience in question.

[donnie]

oh yes I know fortified, all these 'lesser known authors' - I mean , who are they? why couldn't they have JK Rowling at the very least!

[fedupofnamechanging]

It rather depends on your financial situation as to whether £4.50 is a lot of money or not. For people on very low incomes it might be all their bread and milk money for the week. Schools shouldn't make assumptions about these things.

[gramercy]

fortified - so because your dd might not enjoy the author's book, the visit shouldn't take place?