Is it normal for primary schools to expect so many payments?

Class music lessons as part of the school curriculum are free at our school (obviously instrumental private lessons are paid for). We also don’t pay for forest school (though you do have to supply wellies and waterproof trousers). Occasionally we have to send in a pound for cookery but that is the only lesson on the curriculum that incurs any extra cost.

Costumes for plays we are asked to sort out for our own child from what we already have or can borrow from other families, so no cost unless you choose to buy new.

Residential is expensive but only for years 5 and 6.

So I don’t think it is normal to be asking for all these extra contributions.

It varies so much from school to school.

There are two schools in our village. Strict catchments, no differences in parental income.

One goes out of its way to make things affordable. They only have one residental, in Yr6, that is 3 days.

The other charges for everything and does residentals in Yrs4, 5&6.

(The Secondary school only does two "whole year" trips... Yr 7 is a 3 day residental, for £30. Yr9 is a day trip for £15)

this is how it was in the 70s and early 80s when I was at school. This is why in community orchestras and bands you find a lot of people from different backgrounds in the 55+ age range and the younger people are largely from similar backgrounds. It stinks. Music tuition should be free. It’s something we are really good at in the U.K. and it brings loads into the economy as well as the advantages for individuals in terms of focus, team work etc

I haven't had to buy any text books or laptops for my high school kids.
My year10 dd has been on one school day trip and my yr8 son hasn't had any.

The school do a lot of lunchtime and after school clubs but music is the only one you have to pay for.

You’re primarily complaining about optional charges you don’t have to pay for? Yes you have twins but you don’t have to send them ice skating. They wouldn’t be the only ones missing it.

Outdoor kit can be used again and waterproof trousers etc are cheap.

The 'voluntary' payments annoy me. I pay them when my DC benefit as I can afford to. But voluntary should mean that families that cannot afford to can opt out. My DC had a baking voluntary payment added to the account when she used the pre school. Parents of DC that did not attend on the baking day of the week were advised by the pre school teacher to ignore. I have recieved reminder emails about this payment and it is still showing on the account now that DD is half way through reception so presumably parents that cannot afford 'volutary' payments are left with a long list of outstanding balances on their account.

I agree entirely and if you can, you should.

it’s the people who can’t, their kids lose out.

Or looking at it another way, if you refused to pay and therefore they didn't get offered these opportunities and you still wanted them to have them, if you were to pay outside the school setting it would cost you more.

I burst out laughing at the £6000 three week trip to Africa with some robbing holiday company. Especially as the14/15 year old kids were being encouraged (blackmailed) and told they could ‘fundraise most of it’ by the teachers involved.

I made my feelings very clear on that pile of pish to the Headteacher.

If you want your kids to do stuff, as parents surely you should expect to pay for it? Who else is going to?

It does seem a lot to pay for. Our primary runs 1 or 2 terms of music in the class at some point in the primary school, for free. For example yr4 just did violin and yr6 did clarinet. On top of that mine have 1:1 lessons which we pay for, they cost less than you paying for the group sessions! Doesn't sound good value to me! They run lots of free clubs like drama, costumes provided by school. Table tennis, football, choir etc which are free for 1 hour after school. They have free things in school like a touring opera last week. Residential we pay. Day trips we might pay depending what it is. Visit to chapel, pay transport. Visit to science museum, pay ticket and transport.

My children's primary didnt do many school trips because the payment has to be voluntary and I think only half of the parents ever paid and always the same parents according to a friend who worked at the school.
They only did residential for yr 6 leavers and payment was spread out over the year.

You did have to pay for after school clubs but most were quite cheap. I think music lessons were expensive because they had to bring in a music teacher.

My kids are in high school now and most clubs are free but music lessons are really expensive.

It sounds expensive when you write down your costs but you are obviously paying double. The prices actually seem pretty reasonable to me for one child.

I live in Scotland and the whole council area is free.

We can make an optional donation to the music program and we do as she loves it so much.

I have 2 in high school already and I spend far less on them than my year 5 daughter.

Blame the government.

does your school not have a PTA? At our school the PTA subsides every trip and most extra ciciculars.

twins certainty makes costs more extreme. Talk to the head if you cannot afford things even if your not PP - they’ll understand and I’m sure discreetly help if they can.

There are £1 contribution days and you do pay something towards swimming lessons - I think it was about £4 per lesson.

My older 2 are already at high schools and fortunately all of the trips fall in the school holidays so they’ve never wanted to go! 😂

I agree with this, no child should lose out if they can’t pay.

I honestly find it abhorrent the figures being quoted in the OP.

No this is very expensive and much more than here - class learn an instrument together, nominal payment - day trips usually bring lunch and maybe £15 max, no costs like this even if we opted in for everything. No residentials. Lots of free or low cost trips, like behind the scenes Tesco trip (kids enjoyed it), nature walk in one of school parents (completely massive) garden, some more educational joint school trips funded by school, football teams go to play other schools, no contribution from parents.

They also try to get most costumes covered for plays. They definitely would work around if thought / someone mentioned cost was a lot. £40 is extortionate for costume

I currently pay:
around £15 per term for the odd trip.
Music lessons 1 to 1 - expensive, yes, but optional.
School meals - also optional.
The big expense is the y6 residential next year but that's a one-off and a bit easier not having twins doing it at the same time!

Our PTA worked hard to fund forest school with no or little contribution from parents. Could you get involved and do the same? Obviously all schools' PTA setups differ.

Wow I haven’t heard of free music lessons in years. I thought most music hubs charge now.

some pupil premium kids might get pp money spent on them?

Forewarned is forearmed…high school is more. Yes, the big trips trips are optional. But there’s the same number ish of day trips that everyone goes on. You have to buy text books and laptops. Uniforms more expensive. Often a bus to get there. Food tech stuff. And then there’s the canteen…

Payment for any non-residential class activities is optional and your child cannot be excluded as a result of your not paying (they may not tell you this but it is the law)

My daughter’s music lessons are free (two instruments), most school trips are £2 suggested donation to cover the bus costs.

£12 a term for optional orienteering.

The parent council have 3/4 discos a year, with a raffle and tombola to fundraise to pay for the fun stuff like theatre groups, silent discos, sports day medals and ice creams. I quite like it as it the kids get something in return for school funds.

There are always £1 days (comic relief, children in need etc.) sometimes there is a bake sale.

They only have one trip, in final year. This year it’s £450 and all of the kids and parents involved have been fundraising all year to reduce the total as much as possible.

We are paying I guess by stealth but it makes it a lot easier hopefully on parents who can’t afford it as much.