To think it’s wrong of the school to do this?

Our PTA paid for a pantomime for my son’s school. I think it’s horrible but then I think that about school trips too. I could never go as my mum couldn’t afford it and it feels terrible being left out. I imagine it’ll be free for those on free school meals, but there’s so many more people struggling like my mum did.

Exactly this! I'm a single mum on UC and I always pay and I know most of the families that pay are the ones that struggle to pay the most. The ones that brag about never paying and getting their kids on free trips are the most well off families in the school!

Then don't put it on at all unless it's already funded by the school or the PTA. It's dreadful for a kid to be marginalized just because their parents don't have the disposable income the others have. Yes you get freeloaders but it's kids and £4. Imagine you are that kid watching your friends have the treats and good times.

Very Charlie and the chocolate factory

It's is probably a threat to get those parents who never contribute (but can afford to) to pay up. They are not allowed to ban children on a basis of non-payment

Indeed. This has been the case for at least 20 years. I'm astonished this headteacher is so ignorant of the law.

This. Schools can't subsidise everyone but I believe there can be some leeway. No one should miss out because they can't afford it if it's something essential to learning and is part of the normal school day. Any optional extras however then they can say if they don't pay they don't go.

I think it’s too egregious to keep within the school. I know my MP would be interested.

Bit extreme to contact the MP in the 'first instance', they won't do anything. How about just following the school's complaints policy.

If it’s a state school that’s illegal.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5af99c8ae5274a25e78bbe30/Charging_for_school_activities.pdf

I would contact your MP in the first instance.

So you remember visits at school. That’s why they’re important - it’s a memorable bit of your school experience. Having a theatre visit is brilliant IF everyone gets to participate. There will be kids who will otherwise not experience the theatre at all. It’s a brilliant thing for school to do, but they should not be excluding those families who don’t/can’t make the voluntary contribution. I would raise this with the head.

They’re not even really supposed to send reminders especially not targeted ones.

No our school does not do this. They let the child join the activity anyway and then they keep reminding you you owe them money with the caveat that you can call them for a chat to sort something out if you have money problems.

ideally everything in school hours would be completely free of charge. But our school does well in the circumstances.

The poster isn’t saying that the theatre company does not need to be paid just that kids don’t need to do as many paid activities at school. There are around 3 paid activities per term for my kids and it’s too much.

The only thing I remember like that at school was police and fire brigade coming in and that wasn’t paid.

My gripe is that schools shouldn’t be putting all of it on anyway unless it’s free. Why does everything have to cost money?

Because the theatre company has to be paid. Do you think they work for nothing? They have to eat and pay their bills, just like everyone else.

I wish our school did this - both my DSs have had trips/events cancelled due to not enough contributions. I'd happily pay for an extra ticket for someone but the app our school uses doesn't give this as an option.

Yes. If not enough money is received they can cancel the activity but they can’t exclude children doing the school day for something that is advertised as being a voluntary payment.

I get your point of view there, especially the entitlement it seems of many. My gripe is that schools shouldn’t be putting all of it on anyway unless it’s free. Why does everything have to cost money? I think some parents zone out because of the constant requests. It’s pretty cruel, in my opinion, to hand out ice creams to some kids and others get nothing because of their parent’s decisions. The same as the performance the OP is talking about, it should be free for all or it shouldn’t happen.

I think they did it because they had so many people taking the piss frankly.

I remember a few mums chatting in the playground back when schools did egg hatching how they weren’t going to pay because the school won’t be able to stop then seeing it happen anyway. Won’t pay for the swimming coach because swimming’s mandatory, which yeah is it but transport isn’t free to get there. Won’t pay for harvest trip as it’s just a walk across to it but the event wasn’t free.

Our pta was fabulous But the shear amount it was covering in trips for parents that were not on the breadline was stupid. In one breath talking about their new house purchase but won’t pay £4 for a coach to swimming.

If it's voluntary, then they can't exclude children whose parents haven't paid. DS's school tried to do this. It's outrageous.

Edited to add: as if the above wasn't bad enough, the class teacher then read out the names of all the children whose parents hadn't paid (in front of the rest of the class) and said they couldn't attend unless their parents paid the "voluntary donation."

There's information here on what schools can and can't charge for. They can't exclude a child from an activity because a parent can't or won't pay a voluntary donation.

childlawadvice.org.uk/information-pages/charging-for-school-activities/

What a way to make kids feel shit. Schools need to stop asking parents for constant hand-outs. It doesn’t help the school/parent relationship at all. Some of my friends have three children and it is constant requests for money, it may only be £2 or £3 here and there but it all adds up.

This isn't allowed - are you sure it's not if they don't consent they can't go in? Often consent and money are asked for in the same letter so maybe some confusion?

I used to do this or round up a bit so if it was £4 per child I would pay £10 or £20.