TO START ADDING IT ALL UP.

[ilikethesun]

I am going to write down every single penny/pound that the school ask for this year. [YEAR 5 FROM SEPT - JULY]

Anyone want to join in?

[Andrewofgg]

I hope you've got a calculator that can handle big, big numbers.

[Takitezee]

YABU. The money is either for a school trip or goes towards funding the school so is usually to benefit my child in some way.

[DownbytheRiverside]

It will help prepare you for when they try for university.
Does your school give you a lot of advance warning for requests over £5?
That makes a difference.
The alternative is to ask for all school trips and in school activities to stop, and for them to operate entirely within their budget.

[ilikethesun]

I never said I minded paying it I just thought I would add it up.

[LineRunner]

May I start with my son's recommended geography trip (5 days) at .... ... £925.

[Sandalwood]

It would be interesting.
I've often thought it'd just be easier to write them a cheque for£100 (or whatever it adds up to) at the beginning of each term.

[LineRunner]

I was thinking of just handing them every other pay check.

[ilikethesun]

£925.....................phew.

What year is he in and when do you have to pay it by............[gosh I am nosy]

[troisgarcons]

I will

[Sandalwood]

Oh yes, I wasn't even thinking of trips/swimming etc - just the mufti days/tombolas etc (PTA stuff).

[ragged]

Well under £100 here.
In theory (we'll see!) I will join you by recording & report back at end of each term. But I reckon it comes in at under 20 quid/term/child for DC in primary school, and more like 50 quid/term for the one at high school (mostly due to trips).
I dunno why people moan so much. I could easily spend more just on petrol doing some of the stuff DC get to do.

[DownbytheRiverside]

Is that secondary, LineRunner?
My DS has trips this year for £90, £110, £35 and one next year for £820. He's Y12.

[ragged]

LineRunner that cannot be at a state primary school (can it?)

[cece]

So far I have paid £22 for bikeability. Plus I am currently paying £50 a month for PGL trip in summer 2012. Plus the £3pm SO that they ask parents to pay towards the school...

[ilikethesun]

So shall we do it at the end of each term.

sept-dec

jan-april

april-july...................

But feel free to pop in anytime with amounts and good or bad costed trips......etc

[ilikethesun]

Oh and please state what year the child is in.

[LineRunner]

Yes, it's a Secondary trip, Year 10. We can spread the payments over three terms but it still has to be found! They don't have to go but it is 'highly recommended'!

My DC's Primary trips were approx £150 - £225, for 4 nights.

We also are expected to pay for:

Uniform (don't get me going...)
Some books e.g. English texts and study aids
Some sports
Music and singing
Extra tution (because their maths teaching is so shit)
Ingredients for food tech
Materials for design and technology
Materials for Textiles
Other trips eg drama, history, geography
Raffles and PTA events
Special 'non uniform days'
School meals and drinks

Have I left anything out?

Thank the lord for a free school education, eh?

[wineoclocktimeyet]

Cece - £50 A MONTH for PGL, crikey - How much it it in total?

DS1 went this June (in Year 4) and it was £180. (Although he had the time of his life and seemed to grow both physically and in personality in the 3 days he was away!)

[Collision]

Nothing yet but there is an Aztec experience coming soon to y5.........

Boys are in Y5 and Y2.

[LineRunner]

I think it's great idea to keep accounts and post them here on MN.

My two DC are both at state secondary schools, which in theory should offer a decent free education to all families regardless of income.

[SquongebobSparepants]

£1.25 a week for fruit for my yr 1 child. Who is not allowed to take her own fruit in. and apparently it has to be 25p each day. Like I have change knocking around.
Oh, and £4 for a school bag. Each.

[cookcleanerchaufferetc]

We have had letters about school clubs and if my dc were to do all four it would cost £170 ...... And that is for one term!

Primary school also, not private!

[diddl]

TBH I think that 925GBP for a school trip is ridiculous.

LineRunner-where was it to?

Ours go on a trip every other yr & for us they both go away the same years as they are 2yrs apart.

So approx ?200 each.

Thought that was more than enough-as did most parents.

Only consolation-they were away the same weeks!

[forrestgump]

Our children are split between private education and the local primary. (none in secondary school yet .... Y6, y4 and reception) However reception I think is pretty cheap from memory!!! (£1 a week for fruit, and £9.50 a week for lunches).

Thursday after school club (4-6pm) for our eldest is £180 a term, He has 2 full Saturday excursions included in that price. For what he does in that time and the two Saturday's we think it's actually a really good price. (it's an outdoor activities centre who have come into the school)

he is going on a school trip in the new year but grandparents have split the cost.

Home work club is £3 an hour (we use it twice a week)

Sports clubs after school are free.

[Talker2010]

Well if I ignore the money spent on "office dress" and "reading around the material" books that were needed even just to start Y12

Trip in October £330 ... (team building) and a trip to Malawi next summer £1700 + the money she needs to fund raise so that she can do the good works when she is there

I was pleased she said no to Vietnam next Easter (a lot)

Bowling last week was £10