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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be cross with the school thinking we're made of money

41 replies

InFlagranteDelicto · 22/10/2014 18:13

Had school photos back for 3 of our tribe of 4.

Just received the proofs for ds and dd2 who are at the village school, and I'm staggered at the prices!

One 10 x 7 photo : £16.00 (dss' is £9.50, dd1's usually similar)
Two 7 x 5 photos : £17.00 (dss' £9, again dd1's is usually similar)

So then I notice they've used a different company to last year, as last year's were reasonable, similar to dss' and dd1's, so I googled the company. This year they've used the company belonging to a parent of a child at the school.

Aibu to be a bit narked? The school's attitude in general seems to be that we have buckets of money to spare, but to me this takes the biscuit.

We have a tradition of sticking all the kids school photos on the wall each year, so I feel I'm over a barrel, but it's sticking in my throat a bit.

OP posts:
amothersplaceisinthewrong · 22/10/2014 18:15

I wonder if said parent is making a hefty donation to the school out of that money........

Mozzereena · 22/10/2014 18:17

YABU. It's not compulsory to purchase them.

Original poster
InFlagranteDelicto · 22/10/2014 18:19

I wonder how said parent won the contract. To be fair, they're nice photos, with a choice of 4 poses, but I'd have been happy with no choice and half the cost.

OP posts:
MrsHathaway · 22/10/2014 18:20

Point out the discrepancy, and ask that they use the old company again.

Schools can use parents' companies but only if they're competitive. This sounds dodgy - whether deliberately or not.

cozietoesie · 22/10/2014 18:22

School photos and school uniforms are among the items which usually garner funds for the school, amother. (The actual amount being down to the deal which is struck.)

Camolips · 22/10/2014 18:23

I would definitely mention it, that seems a lot for a 10 x 7. Do the school know how expensive the photos are? Usually the prices are on the company's merchandise and maybe the school aren't aware or didn't check. If enough people complain hopefully they will think again next year.

Camolips · 22/10/2014 18:24

I didn't mean company merchandise! I meant those slips they give out with the proofs etc. Grin

Original poster
InFlagranteDelicto · 22/10/2014 18:45

The prices are on the proofs- that's the first we knew. All we as parents were told was that x date was school photos. I appreciate that the school get a cut- but ffs, prices are double? What sort of cut is that?

I will be following it up, and probably do a letter to the governors, as there's another trip that ds is expected to go on as a end of y6 bonding jolly that is £££. There seems to be no effort to obtain value for money. Just the expectation that we have ££££ rolling around.

OP posts:
Snickersnickers · 22/10/2014 19:03

Just don't do it and send your own photos of your child in for their wall.

Rowgtfc72 · 22/10/2014 19:42

10 x 7 at dds school is £9.50. We go to Max spielman and get a set of eleven for £5.99.

cozietoesie · 22/10/2014 19:50

Ask them for a VAT receipt. That'll teach them to raise prices by that amount.

Grin
OddBoots · 22/10/2014 19:54

Some years my dc have had bad school pics so we have used Max Spielman too, I know they are probably a franchise so variable but the one around here is very good.

Timeforanap1 · 22/10/2014 20:05

To be honest, the school probably don't realise the cost, and have possibly gone for this company for the convenience it offers them, quick turn around/nice photographer/no admin hassles. Photos are optional for schools and for parents but in my experience cause quite a lot of extra hassle for staff, so going for the easy option is always appealing. Uniform is different as schools are legally bound to actively find ways of keeping the cost down and are not allowed to make a profit. VAT is irrelevant, as schools claim this back. Not unreasonable at all to write to school and express your concerns and the impact it has on your purse, any school worth it's salt would consider that sensitively and carefully, IMO.

cozietoesie · 22/10/2014 20:20

I'm afraid that VAT isn't irrelevant - some bedtime reading for you.

(Although I'll grant you that it's rather like aiming at a little fishing boat with a surface to ship missile and the OP may not be feeling as mean as that.)

BettyFocker · 22/10/2014 20:22

DS had his first school photos last year and they were £9 for a 8x6 photo. I was Shock and bought 5

HermioneWeasley · 22/10/2014 20:22

I would write to the head querying the choice of a company whose prices are double previous providers

GreenShadow · 22/10/2014 20:23

As others say - Vote with your feet. School photos are not your only alternative and I'm sure your DC won't be the only ones not buying them - we very rarely bought them for our 3 DC.

AskYourselfWhy · 22/10/2014 20:23

Yabu - it's not to do with if you have the money or not it's to do with if you are a mug or not . I can afford school photos but I refuse to buy them as they are usually a bit crap and they are too expensive. My kids never minded at all.

3bunnies · 22/10/2014 20:26

Can you find somewhere else cheaper and take them along in school uniform?

Discopanda · 22/10/2014 20:38

Scan the proof on to your computer (your local library should have a scanner if you don't), blow up to a bigger size and photoshop out the price!

cozietoesie · 22/10/2014 20:38

It's a difficult one. I imagine that it dates back many many years to the times when having a camera and the money/expertise to use them were little known to many parents so a school photograph might have been the only record they would get.

These days, photos are a commonplace but yet the dates are still put on the school calendar and the schools now get an income from them for school funds. With so many parents finding things pretty tough, I wince to think of the increasing bills - especially if they have more than one child there and once photos for grannies and aunties and so on have been factored in. The school and social pressure is also huge.

In my view, schools should be reassessing their whole approach to these rather than just following an outmoded tradition.

nohysteriahere · 22/10/2014 20:49

3 dc at 3 different schools. Last year would have been 70. This year its 30 so far for 2 of the dc.

KnackeredMuchly · 22/10/2014 21:56

Yabu - I was about to agree witg you but perhaps it is a good thing that the school invested in a local company?

Guess it depends how much more it is and whether last year's was a national business

cozietoesie · 22/10/2014 22:07

I suspect that the position of any local firms might be a consideration for some schools. Many local photographic firms are going out of business with changes in technology and people's habits so if a school wishes to keep to traditional ways, they might be forced to change firms from year to year.

Maidupmum · 22/10/2014 22:11

(HT speaking) When schools choose a photography firm they can choose to charge (there is usually a choice of 3 price bands. The more they charge, the more commission the school gets back. I work in an inner city school so we charge £. My children's school uses the same company but charges £££ because they know the parents will pay Hmm

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