Bit annoyed at extra payment expected to take part in school sponsored walk.

[Tortoise]

Had a letter today plus sponsor form for schools annual sponsored walk.(Money is going towards regenerating the library)

The letter says 'there is an entry fee of £5 which will include the cost of a bottle of water, a substantial healthy flapjack (given at halfway point), an organic, locally sourced burger and an ice cream as an end of walk treat. Walkers will be able to buy 'breakfast baps' just before the start of the 8 mile walk at 50p each'.

Am annoyed that not only do they want sponsor money but i also have to pay for DS1 to take part!

[CatherineofMumbles]

Don't get me started on this!
Sorry to hijack - but similar thing yesterday for us when we had a note saying that the Year 5 music lessons this term would all be preparing songs for a concert the chilren would be performing at the o2 This will be happening on a week-night, so school next day, is at least an hour back by public transport at 10pm (tube and train) - if the parent attends it is a £20 ticket , if not you need to arrange for someone else to bring your child home, and the icing on the cake is that the children also ned to buy a tee shirt at a proce of £8 to wear in the concert!
I am very annoyed at the blackmail, as obviously the children learning the songs in class will be geared up to this - no thoughts about the parents forced to get babaysitting for other children for that evening from say a minimum of 5.30-11 - and impossible if you have other children that need to be collected from brownies etc etc. Thye say if you don't want to pay for the tee shirt the child can wear a white teee shirt - yeah, so lets divide them inot sheep & goats... the ones with flush parents and the ones with poor or stingy ones
Am spitting feathers about this ambush and blatant exortion..
The school adn PTA can whistle for any voluntary donations this year if they are imposing compulsory ones!
SORRY OP

[ReddyMealsAreNotWorthIt]

Well just don't do it then.

They are giving you a lot for your £5 though!

[seeker]

that seems a pretty good fiver's worth to me!

It's no wonder schools soemtimes give up on organizing fun things for the kids to do if this is the sort of response they get!

[Tortoise]

Well, maybe you can afford all these extra things they want money for! I can't!
Why can't they just take a packed lunch/drinks? That would be cheaper for me although he normally has free school meals.

No doubt he will be the one with the least amount of sponsors too which makes me feel guilty and that i should add more.

[ReddyMealsAreNotWorthIt]

But if you gave your son a packed lunch you'd still have to buy stuff - and this way, you get to raise money for the school. Even if he does get the fewest sponsors, so what? It's still done for a good cause.

If you really can't afford it, then just don't do it.

The school can't win can they? All those people giving up their spare time to raise funds, thinking about the needs of the children who are taking part - providing them with food and drink so that they can complete a walk ...

[nymphadora]

It is good for thr £5 but some people cant spare that and if the kids are on free meals why cant that sdubsidise the £5

[seeker]

I'm really sorry - I didn't see the free school meals bit. At our school we wouldn't expect anyone on free school meals to pay for something like this - would it be worth checking?

[Remotew]

It isn't compulsory so they are entitled to charge £5 for the food, agree it seems good value.

Our school and primary come to think of this always stated the cost of trips but mentioned that it was a voluntary contribution. I'm sure one or two parents had a quiet word and didn't pay but I always coughed up.

Saying that I've just paid £15 for a play and there was no mention of voluntary but it is part of GCSE so has to be seen.

[Tortoise]

Got DS1 to ask at school and those with free school meals can pay £2 instead.

I generally hate sponsored events so that probably made it worse lol! Unless xp will sponsor him and his family do it too, DS1 will only have me to sponsor him.

When primary school did a sponsored event recently it cost me £20 that i couldn't afford because there were targets to reach to get free gifts. I didn't want DC to miss out because only i could sponsor them.

DS1 is looking forward to doing the walk anyway.

[Tortoise]

Meant to add - the last sponsored event i put down family names and paid that to make more sponsors. My parents are in Turkey and have no money and my Grandad isn't well so couldn't ask him. Etc Etc Etc!

[KembleTwins]

When I was a child, my parents never let me ask around for sponsors. They just said they would make a donation. I was never bothered. If it's the other kids putting pressure on for not getting enough sponsors, then encourage your DC to ignore them. I always used to say "we're giving a donation" which, to me, sounded quite posh and much nicer.

As for schools demanding money to take part, it's my experience that schools aren't allowed to insist upon parents paying for things which are compulsory. If the event isn't compulsory, and you don't feel you can afford it, then either don't take part, or make an appointment to see your child's form tutor and explain that'd you'd love DC to take part, but that it's tricky, financially. I have never come across a school that won't help in that kind of case. IME, the school won't make a big deal of it, so the other kids won't know. I'm a drama teacher, and when I organise theatre trips, I always have to word letters carefully - along the lines of "the cost of the trip, including tickets and transport, comes to £X. If you would like to donate this amount towards your child's participation, then this would be greatly appreciated". Schools are not allowed to insist upon payments for this kind of thing.

[ReddyMealsAreNotWorthIt]

I agree with you Tortoise - I hate sponsored events as well ...