I want to help with the cost of something at my son's school. How would you go about this?

[Labradabradorable]

My other children go to private schools (which are great for them) but we chose my son's school because of their expertise in managing his particular needs and the standard of education he receives is outstanding. I would really like to give something back in some way.

The class has a residential visit coming up. However, it is only available to children whose parents who can pay the full cost. I know that my son's school takes kids from a wide range of backgrounds and not all will be able to afford this. I was in this situation as a child, and it was hard. I would really like to be able to offer some money to help a couple of others to attend.

Is it realistic for the school to accept this? How might I go about asking to help? If it isn't realistic, can anyone think of another way in which I could help?

I have done this before.
I emailed The Head ( or email the office abd mark it for his/her attention if you don’t have the direct email) and offer a set amount.

Thank you. I did think that it would be best to go straight to the Head. I'm pleased that you've done it too. I was worried he would think that we were a little strange.

What a kind gesture :)

If the school have a charitable trust (eg pta) you could see about giving them the money to then pay the money onto the school they could then claim tax back (assuming you're a UK tax payer). This is how the school I volunteered at took donations as they could claim tax back and also didn't then go through the school accounts. You could do this anonymously if you wished. But in the first instance I'd contact the headteacher who will probably have a good idea of how many families can't afford such trips.

There are a few options here:

1. Go via whatever arrangements are in place for the PTA - eg if the PTA is actively fundraising for something specific, you can make a large donation to that.

1. As a PP has suggested, go to the head specifically and offer to donate money for a specific purpose.

However, in the case of the residential, this could be a little more tricky because how is it decided who can and cannot afford it? For those children on FSMs there may well already be an existing process for their costs to be met but if there's still a fee required from the parents, you could offer to pay this top up fee for all FSM children. Otherwise, do you just quietly say to the head that anyone who hasn't paid you will meet the cost for because I know from experience with our PTA trying to do this a few years ago that the school is unlikely to want to be involved in making decisions on who deserves to go.

Personally, I suspect that the school would prefer you to pay for something that all the children would benefit from - new playground/sports equipment, computers, books etc.

Yes - contact head teacher initially. He/she will probably suggest going via PTA account as you can gift aid it then, as it is likely to be a registered charity. Head will know what it is earmarked for.

My DD has helped like this in the past and simply paid for two children instead of one.

I would just speak to the Head (in person rather than e-mail of possible) and explain exactly what you've said here. The only things I can think of that might put them off accepting would be a) if they think you want some sort of recognition etc that would make the families you pay for feel uncomfortable (clearly you don't but might be worth specifying that you will treat the arrangement as confidential) b) If they think you want to know who you are paying for (again, you clearly don't) or c) if they think it might set a precedent for children getting free places that they won't be able to do in future years.

I think it's a lovely idea- I really hate the fact that even now schools run trips that most pupils go on but some are excluded due to finance (very different from trips where there are only a few places so most pupils are in school)

@Labradabradorable

Thank you. I did think that it would be best to go straight to the Head. I'm pleased that you've done it too. I was worried he would think that we were a little strange.

I don't think it's strange...I know a parent at my DC's school personally paid for the football teams kits.

We've paid for extra children to go on residential trips before. We just spoke to the head and transfered the money across. We made it clear that we didn't want parents to know that the funds had come from another parent - that would just have made everyone feel awkward!

We do a quiet collection as a slush fund for the kids who cannot afford it. The teacher and Head manage it throught the PTA.

I do think that (our/all?) schools should stop doing things like that, dividing the children/teens into haves and have nots. However, that is another thread!

What a lovely thing to do.

In my nephews school my sister and I sponsor the school disco that follows the summer/winter fair. We make sure each kid gets a hot dog or burger, a cup drink and a sweet cone. Occasionally it will be a movie night and at provide popcorn and Cup drinks. We also cook and serve the food. At Christmas we give the school lots of tours and stuff that we have bargain Hunted throughout the year and the school divide it amongst the neediest kids and then make packages with what's left and raffle them to raise money. It gives me a lovely warm feeling to help them out and see how happy some of the kids are at a simple school disco or movie night. We are in a very low income area, one of the poorest in the country with very high FSM and so it really does make a big difference.

I think it is realistic and is a very kind gesture. Decide how much you would like to donate then arrange an appointment with the headteacher and explain what you would like to do. If your preference is for the donation to cover the full cost for a couple of children who don't qualify for pupil premium but whose parents can't afford the trip, state this. If you're happy for the school to use it to give a completely free place to a child who qualifies for pupil premium, specify that too. Explain that you would like families who don't sign up for the trip to be made aware that the school has been given a grant to offer a couple of free/nearly free places and to contact the headteacher in confidence (by direct email ideally!) if this would mean their child could attend. Make sure the headteacher understands that you don't expect to be told who ends up receiving the 'grant'.

If you can stretch to it, offering to fund a cheap suitcase/holdall and wellies/walking boots for a few others may make the difference between going and not being able to - over the years as a teacher I've provided both of these items to children for whom not having them was the obstacle.

SE13 that's a good idea about funding holdalls etc. too.
When my other kids have been in residential visits the cost of the equipment has been ridiculous (walking boots worn twice etc.).

We've offered £400 which is the cost of 2 trips and £40 to spare.

I'm assuming he knows us well not to think we want the school hall named in our honour, like the Sacklers!

When I have done similar and donated several hundred £ worth of book vouchers when the Dc left for Secondary I made it very clear to The Head that I didn’t want anyone outside the SLT knowing who had donated and where it was mentioned it was just “a parent “

You can go through headteacher and it will be very welcome. Glad your son is doing so well.

I forgot about clothes and equipment. As my children's school was a church school ,the extra money I gave for that was routed through the parish to avoid any embarrassment.

I agree with others, email the head, offer to sponsor either a set number of children or a set amount for trips (offering to be flexible to need even better) they may actually have provision for the poorest through pupil premium but there's usually children whose parents are too wealthy (just) to qualify but can't afford trips. My kids didn't go on most trips tbh

Is the trip in school time? If so they're not allowed to exclude those who can't (or won't) pay.

They might find themselves in a position where they can't run the trip if there are too many who don't pay and that's where your donation could come in.