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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask to them he'll I see going on with schools?

13 replies

MyschoolMyrules · 22/02/2017 14:57

I had read a few weeks back that some grammar schools had started charging parents a monthly fee as the schools' budgets have been cut. Over the weekend, talking to friends who live in London, one of their children is at a gramar school and they have the parents have to pay £60 a month. And another family had to pay £15 a month for a child in a regular primary school. What is going on? Are your schools charging a fee, asking to contribute more (i am not talking PTA here, but the actual running of the school). Is this the new normal?

OP posts:

BarbarianMum · 22/02/2017 15:26

What happens if they don't/ can't pay?

PhilODox · 22/02/2017 15:30

What is going on?
95% of schools are facing an 8% cut or more (16% for some) in budgets in real terms.
How can you not have seen this in the news or on MN? It's been discussed a lot!

Mynestisfullofempty · 22/02/2017 15:32

I've never heard of that happening OP. I just checked on this site and it says no fees are charged. Btw is there a typo in your title, because I can't understand it.

Jojobythesea · 22/02/2017 15:38

My son goes to a grammar school and we have been emailed to ask if we can increase our standing orders or if we don't do one, start doing one. It's all voluntary and there was a long explanation as to why they are asking and an email to copy and paste to the local MP. They do understand some families may not have any disposable income and are just asking for any help they can get really to maintain standards. I already have a standing order set up but can't really increase at this time and I don't feel as if there is any pressure really.

meditrina · 22/02/2017 15:44

It's a voluntary charge, provision was made for it right back in the 1944 Education Act. Some schools have been doing this for decades, regardless of shade of Government.

It is totally voluntary. A school would be breaking the law if it tried to portray it as a necessary charge, pursued payment too actively (one request, one follow up OK) or publicly, or treated pupils differently in any way at all based on parental ability or willingness to pay.

In some schools, flashing the chequebook once a term is preferred to continual fundraising harrassment by other means.

Rainydayspending · 22/02/2017 15:45

Must be a quiet news week then.

MatildaTheCat · 22/02/2017 15:49

My ds started secondary school fifteen years ago and we were strongly encouraged to contribute £40 a month towards the school fund. To the extent that direct debit forms were given out at the new parents' evening. The head made a well reasoned speech about the benefits.

Naturally not everyone can or will pay but we did and gladly because it was an excellent school ( not grammar) and things like a new school theatre, coaches to sporting events and so on are simply not covered by the school budget.

Why do parents seem to think everything should be free? Pay if you can and want these benefits. It's not compulsory.

AquaLatte · 22/02/2017 15:51

We've been sent an email regarding the 8% and have been asked to write to our MPs.

No request for money

Original poster

MyschoolMyrules · 22/02/2017 15:53

I have seen the figures re. cuts but no articles about primary schools asking parents for a regular voluntary contributions. Some articles have been published about grammar schools that may start asking parents for voluntary contributions. www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-38739744. I hadn't realised that parents had already been asked to contribute.

OP posts:

Crumbs1 · 22/02/2017 15:58

Y children's comprehensive asked for voluntary donations of £200 per term 15 years ago. It was an expectation rather than a truly voluntary donation but people who couldn't afford it were never made to feel bad.

merlynsam · 22/02/2017 16:18

meditrina has given the answer.

I am a 50s child (one of 8 children) and my Mum sent 'school fund' for each of us. I know I took in 3d most weeks which was marked in a separate book. But sometimes I was given a note and a line was put into the square (not paid). Technically it wasn't "owed" either, but Mam always tried to catch up with missed payments.

Pengweng · 22/02/2017 16:34

I went to grammar school (started 20 years ago) in Belfast and my parents paid school fund contributions of around £60 a term so £180 a year.

DTs are in reception and the school do ask for voluntary school fund contributions of £5 per half term so £30 a year per child. I do pay it because we can afford it and I work in the school so I see where the extra money goes and they do use it wisely and for things that the children wouldn't otherwise get to do.

Ethelswith · 22/02/2017 16:40

"I have seen the figures re. cuts but no articles about primary schools asking parents for a regular voluntary contributions."

Possibly because it's not news. My junior school was doing this in 1970s.

"I hadn't realised that parents had already been asked to contribute."

Pretty common, and as others have noted, a provision since the very start of state schooling.

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