to be slightly confused about school letter

[slightlymad72]

I have just received a letter from DS1 secondary school and I am slightly confused at what it is requesting.

The title of it is 'General School subscription' and the contents state that my sons subscription for the current year is £35 payable now, it thens goes on to say that as a voluntary aided school it relies on parents to contribute to the 10% of all funding required for capital works. Without the contribution building improvements cannot be made to the school.
Pay the amount, gift aid it and if you want you can set up a standing order.
No where on this letter does it say that this payment is a donation to the school, infact IMO it goes out of its way to make it look as though its not, with only one reference to voluntary, in the context of it being a voluntary aided school.
I have had a look on the schools website and have found reference to this subscription being a donation, but it is hidden in the depths of the school prospectus, which you only tend to read when selecting the school.

AIBU in being slightly confused at whether this is a demand for money or a request to donate? I do not mind being asked for donations but I feel that this is a underhand way of raising capital.

I'm sure it's a donation but why not ring the school and ask? The receptionist will tell you.

It's not underhand at all - the clue is in the name of the school - "voluntary aided" - who did you think the voluntary bit applied to ?

I do understand what voluntary aided is, this is not the first secondary school I have experience of, but to have parents sign to a yearly subscription IMO is underhand in particular when they make no refence to it being a donation, unless you go routing through the prospectus. The previous secondary school my DD went to made request for donations, sponsorships, various money raising activites to raise much needed funds for essential works. They never requested the parents sign up to a subscription.

I don't see what the problem is, if the details are in the prospectus then the info is in the public domain unless it was written in invisible ink perhaps?

If your washing machine packs up because you didn't read the book that came with it you can't really complain. If you don't understand what the school is on about because you haven't read the prospectus you can't complain.

If it can be gift aided then it is a donation. You can't gift aid a payment for goods or services.

I think it's normally 'known' this is voluntary, but not in the same way as tipping the hairdresser - they need this money for the school. We pay £45 a year 'building fund' - bargain really I say. We were told it is voluntary at the parents day before DS went. I think that letter seems pretty clear to me.

", it thens goes on to say that as a voluntary aided school it relies on parents to contribute to the 10% of all funding required for capital works."