Private companies running classes in state schools, DD can't go because we are poor, AIBU to complain??

[PollyPeppa]

We are below the poverty line as we have 3 DC's and DH and I are full time uni students. We worked in low paid jobs and decided enough was enough and are now hoping to get better ones after university.

DD's school had just started up after school Spanish club. We sent her along to the trial session and she loved it. We had foolishly assumed there would be a concessionary rate (as there usually is with after school clubs) but there is not as it is run by a private company so we can't afford for her to go again.

I feel this is very unfair to offer this as only children whose parents can afford to send them can go, I think it creates a divide in the 'state' system.

Ok :-)

FWIW, PollyPeppa, I think it's great that both you and your DH are back at Uni. It will be worth it in the long run I'm sure, and at least then you will be in a better position to afford activities and any other extras you would like for your children.

I do think it's unfair that your school doesn't offer anything for those on lower incomes, I know how pricey some of the after-school clubs can be. I hope the headteachers takes note of what you said to her earlier and gets the clubs to offer several subsidised, or free, places. Many years ago I used to teach fitness classes, so would hire a school hall, or village hall, and then charge per person. I'm assuming this is how the private company at your child's school works. So if they offered, say, 20 full paying places they would probably earn a good amount per lesson, then they could offer maybe 3 or 4 means-tested free places per course or something.

The sticking point is that it's not a school club it's a club that's taking place in school.

School club - then there'd be subsidised places.

Club in school - places not subsidised.

MrsDv wins 'rational and fair post of the day'

Totally agree.

saggarmakersbottomknocker - so why are they advertising through the school and during school hours? If it's simply a matter of using the school as a venue can they not advertise in the local paper or simply put a flyer in the bookbags?

ILoatheMickeyMouseClubhouse - This is what I have suggested to the head. I think if they are using the school building and advertising through the teachers their classes need to be accesable to all children

I really haven't had time to read the whole thread, but would like to give you a possibly different point of view.
I work for a company that offers out of school activities, some of which are held on school grounds and which the parents have to pay for.
Our company pays for the use of school facilities but does have the advantage of the school giving out our leaflets in the book bags.
The classes we run via the school are heavily discounted per child anyway, and looking at the cost of £70 for 9 sessions I would say this is probably the case here too.
If we had to offer further discounts/subsidies we simply would not offer the clubs at all, as we would not be able to cover costs.
I do understand that parents feel upset that their child can't do everything offered, but these clubs cost quite alot to run and the option is that parents pay or they don't take place, unless of course you have parents willing to give up the time to run a club themself.

I really do not believe that these classes are heavily discounted. They are are seriously expensive by anyones standard

In what way are they "heavily discounted per child"? Do you offer the same class at a higher rate elsewhere?

I was poor - I never learned the lesson that I'm not going to have the same chances in life as wealthier classmates, you make your own chances.

OP - I never went on school trips or to other activities, but it never seemed to matter at the time , or later in life - not everyone can afford it.

I got a job at 16, paid my way through college, had a career , working my way up through management to a point where I had enough dosh saved to leave and be a SAHM til the kids were old enough to go to school - now I work part time to pay for the activities the kids do - piano etc....

Would not have dreamed as a child that my parents would have ever been able to afford anything "extra curricular" - we couldn't afford to all have a new coat, let alone anything else. Would I have begrudged my friends the chance - no! Have their lives turned out any better than mine because they did music club, cookery school, whatever - well, no... on paper mine looks much nicer thank you.

So don't stress about the crap you can't change - encourage the kids to get out there and make their own breaks - just because you start poor doesn't mean you have to stay there.

You make it sound like your dd will be the only ones whose parents can't afford to pay for this Spanish club. I bet you there will have been other parents on reasonable incomes who will have looked at the flyer and decided not to let their children go to the taster as the classes are so expensive. We've a fairly average household income and would baulk at the cost of this club, £70 is a lot of money for many people and times are hard these days. The only things my dds do are fairly cheap things, are there other more reasonably priced activities you could consider?

I teach violin for an hour lesson it takes me two with travelling, prep etc. I teach 4 children max at a time for quality, I charge them £5. This money is how I make a living luckily the schools I work do not charge me anything. To offer subsidies I would need to charge more per child as I to have a mortgage to pay.

Your gripe should not be that there is a paying club in school, schools get the hiring charge and that goes to school funds (more books or TA hours) and the LA expects them to be used for things like this, but you might question the level of advertising. When you complain about it what do you mean? Flyers given out to put in bookbags and take home, posters on noticeboards? Or something "heavier"? Would you also object to the flyers for holiday football camp, science sessions, sports activities sessions and art sessions, all of which are chargable events but are not on school site, but are a 20 - 40 minute drive away in the nearest larger town that we get?
As an aside, we live in a rural community; the school hall is the only suitable space for miles for ballet classes, brownies, beavers, etc. It's there or nowhere for everyone and to say that it shouldn't happen on school premises if it charges is unfair to the local community.

I don't know PP - that's a question for your school. It would seem that they didn't make it clear enough that it was an external provider. It's a fine line between advertising (as in making you aware of it) and endorsing an activity.

SheCutOffTheirTails - yes we do offer the same classes, on different sites for a higher price (the classes held at the school are for pupils only the others are for anybody)
PollyPeppa - a private language tutor in this area would charge approx £35 per hour, and most tutor would charge more if there are more children. £7 per session is not seriously expensive.

ByTheWay - but I want my children to have the opportunities that other children have. One of the things on the flyer reads "Enhances languages taught in the curriculum giving a better grounding for future language learning"

This is just an example of how the children who can afford it are being given a leg up facillitated by the school

I've never heard of all this paying for after school clubs thing... my ds' school clubs are all free. And my mum never paid for them for me either, this is all very new to me, is it a new government thing?

I can't believe those could be subsidised prices either, seems pretty expensive to me. If they charged any more than that, there would be very few parents willing or able to pay,
I would have thought.

We get the odd advertising flyer in dd's book bag, seems like a good way foe the school to raise sone much needed funds.

aliceliddell "We should all get all these things free"

Seriously? Define "free." Who, exactly, do you think pays for "free" things?
Has it escaped your notice that we're sliding back into a recession?

I am PE co-ordinator at the school I work in. We have tried to have parents/friends/relatives coming into do clubs for free, but they often simply aren't reliable. These companies who come in, give a taster session then do a term or year's worth of coaching/teaching/lessons are reliable, CRB'd and resourceful. I feel for you that you cannot afford this expense, but I have to say, companies like these are a godsend from my POV.

But... They both went to uni at the same time, making a conscious decision to put themselves and 3dcs below the 'poverty line', why should anyone subsidise that?

And why should they then moan about it?!

We don't get cash for putting leaflets in bookbags.

We put them in if the activity is suitable for the children as a signpost to the parent. That doesn't constitue endorsement IMO. I can see that if an activity is discussed by a member of staff in class or assembly then that would be seen as endorsement.

We cant have everything we want.

These are private classes.

There are thousands of private classes that you cant afford.

'enhances languages taught in the curriculum.....'

sounds like the advertising is working on you.

If you want your child to learn Spanish why not seek out a cheaper alternative. Mine went to a local Latin American Club where they offered classes.

I am more upset when schools organised horribly expensive trips to places like Alton Towers or holidays to Brazil

You want her to have the same opportunities other children have. Well,
I don't know any parents that can afford to send their children to every activity they might want to take part in. On that basis, the majority of children are being denied opportunities that some other children have. Of course the flyer will have some guff on it to try make parents feel their children will be missing out if they don't attend these classes. That's how advertising works, reminds me of those irritating Muzzy adverts that tried to sell you an expensive language course " isn't it exactly what they deserve?"
Don't be suckered in by advertising.

My dad used to teach me a bit of French at home, when I was quite young, just basic stuff, didn't cost a thing. He wasn't an expert, I'm sure you could get a book or DVD and teach her some basic Spanish yourself.

Halcyon has a good point about teaching the Spanish at home. Usborne do a good book called First Spanish Words or something like that, aimed at young children.

i think it is also important to remember taht very few of the children will actually do the course. We offer our class to 2 year groups (approx 180 kids) we have about 20 children that do it. She is not going to be the only child not doing the class.