to think a voluntary contribution of £25 a month per child to dd's primary school is excessive?

[ineverthoughtidsaythis]

We're new to all this but they're talking about needing to keep class sizes at their current level (30) and improving the school's foyer. It's a great school and we're keen to support it in any way we can, and can afford the amount, but it's an affluent area and we just feel like they're being a bit cheeky...if everyone paid that amount they be £120k up.

Shocking!

they've got a bloody cheek! yy if it was to a good cause, but a posh foyer?? Piss off!

at dc's primary school the parents used any excuse to have a party to fundraise - we also had a tea afternoon every week (=), parents moved heaven and earth to be there it was that good. Then littlest dc moved schools and the new school had one tea afternoon a year and got all sniffy when I approached them about classes taking it in turns to do one tea afternoon a week (=). Then we got the letters: stump up or else . Bloody cheek, I didn't pay it on principle. They were trying to make the school a little hallowed private-looking school and I wasn't going to pay for that level of posturing.

the fundraisers need to get their arses in gear and do the bloody legwork.

Petra that does sound nuts. Really 6k a year?

£25 a month really doesn't sound like that much to me though. Is that really more than most can afford? I'm hardly on that high an income and would happily pay that.

that's nice for you, fluffy, but plenty of people don't have a spare £300 a year.

£25 a month really doesn't sound like that much to me though. Is that really more than most can afford?

It's more than lots of people could afford.

I'm also pretty certain, but can't remember why, that tgey can't ask for money for teaching staff. Does anyone else know this?

We were asked to fund a specialist music teacher for a year. It certainly made a difference to all the kids and most people could afford to pay.

I always preferred to pay cash or give my time, ( gardening, helping with reading etc) when I could than waste hours of time on fundraising from the same people, ( ie us).

I don't think it should be compulsory though but it does make a difference to the children's experience at the school

Mipmop, not in Scotland, but in England, they can charge for additional time above the 15 hours free (so if sessions are 3 hours 15 minutes, they can charge for the 15 minutes). And few are state preschools even if on site at a state primary, they are independent from the school.

Op, is it a school with a wealthy intake? Are they trying to make up the gap in funding compared to other schools who get the pupil premium?

Or is it a school with a lot of families with both parents working? A friend is a teacher who recently moved from a school with few SAHMs to one with lots and she wS shocked at the difference in fund raising and parental help, it could be they are asking for a straight forward payment to avoid having to do a lot of time consuming fund raising.

But £25 is far too much, and counter productive, if you said £10 per family they probably end up with more money as most will look at £25 and say no...

Wow I teach in Scotland and my school charges parents for nothing! Not even trips. I thought YANBU when I misread and thought it was £25 a year! Honestly I'm shocked by this.

MrsWimpy schools are supposed to use pupil premium funding to benefit those pupils , and have to show how it is raising attainment. So it might be used to part-fund (for children with PP) the cost of educational visits , or it might be used to pay for a member of staff to provide intervention classes or in-class support.

I to am scratching my head about this and cannot imagine it happening in Scotland; it is a whole different ethos up here.