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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

£5 donation for head teacher to sign passport applications etc...

221 replies

NameChangeNotNewbie · 17/03/2017 10:35

Thoughts on this?

The money goes to the school fund. It says a donation, not a voluntary donation.

Does this seem reasonable or unreasonable?

OP posts:
NameNotANumber · 17/03/2017 12:11

I had to countersign for my colleagues tiny baby, the passport agency rang me up and asked me lots of questions, then sent me a photograph of the child to ask me to verify it was the child, then another letter.

Altogether I reckon it took an hour on top of the fact that I had to give out my own passport number too, I would say it is a big ask for school staff to do and £5 is a bargain!

Iwantausername · 17/03/2017 12:13

That wouldn't necessarily be accurate though, would it, considering some professional jobs don't fetch much more than minimum wage, So its perfectly possible for someone who's say, a shop manager, to be paid more than a 'professional' graduate in something or other.

It was the easiest way for me to describe it, Not that I think they are worth less than the next person, especially considering I'm unemployed with no GCSE's to my name, I'd be delighted to work as a postmaster or shop keeper :)

Thingywhatsit · 17/03/2017 12:14

tbh I think it should be voluntary. I have just had to renew my sons passport (it was out of date by 2 years) and to be fair I have and to scrimp to get the funds together for his trip (he is going with a youth organisation and it is cheap for what he is doing) and for his passport on top. £5 is all relative to what your disposable income is. Fine for those who are earning a good amount, but not so great for those on the NMW or on benefits.

i know a few people who signs a lot of forms and they don't have any hassle from the passport office - possibly as they are known to the passport office now! So a headteacher is likely to sign a lot of child passports due to their profession so it wouldn't be investigated by passport office for every application to ensure they aren't committing fraud as it wouldn't be a red flag.

2014newme · 17/03/2017 12:18

@thingywhatsit it isn't the signatory that they have concerns about its the applicant! But they ring the signatory with their question. It's not every application in fact it's unusual but when they do call up it can be time consuming.
.
It's very rarely anything to do with fraud it's to do with child protection and child trafficking.

2014newme · 17/03/2017 12:20

You'd have to be signing thousands of applications to be "known to the passport office" and yes the would be of concern to them although I dont know whether they operate a red flag system.

Original poster
NameChangeNotNewbie · 17/03/2017 12:23

Wouldn't it all be automated? I can't imagine it's Barbara sifting through the papers going, "oh look, Jeff has signed that form too - that makes it seven this year so far, if I'm not mistaken!"

OP posts:
gnushoes · 17/03/2017 12:24

Schools are in a dire financial position and every little helps. Not unreasonable.

Littlelanecountrygirl · 17/03/2017 12:24

Our head refuses to do it as she has to put her personal information on the form.

Seems fair enough to me, I wouldn't be giving my details out to all and sundry

HateSummer · 17/03/2017 12:25

I don't understand why the HT would even suggest this. It's like selling yourself Confused. When loads of applications go through with the HT's counter signature, the passport office are going to get suspicious and will ask for another signature, which will delay the whole process.
You can't make a mockery out of this. You countersign something for someone once or twice. Not 100x for different people! Ridiculous.

kmc1111 · 17/03/2017 12:27

I think that's exceedingly fair.

My DH has a job where he's asked to be the signatory a lot. Between actually filling in the forms and handling the calls, it takes up about an hour a week (significantly more when he gets more than a couple of calls, which happens at least once a month) which is an hour he's then behind on the job he's actually meant to be doing. Plus many people bring him forms that have been incorrectly filled out, or not filled out at all, so it can be a real hassle just getting to the point where he can do his bit.

MerryMarigold · 17/03/2017 12:27

I think anyone paying to go abroad can probably afford a fiver so it's a bit silly to say "people may not be able to afford it."

I think it's a good idea, though sad that schools have to stoop to this to raise much needed cash. It's much better than places that just say, "We don't do it." Our doctors charges and I don't know where the money goes.

2014newme · 17/03/2017 12:27

@namechangenotnewbie
You would think so but @thingywhatsit says she hads friends who are "known to the passport office" for signing lots of forms 🤔

picklemepopcorn · 17/03/2017 12:27

Bargain! If they can afford a passport and a foreign holiday they can afford £5 for 20 mins of an extremely busy teacher's time.

NennyNooNoo · 17/03/2017 12:28

I feel a bit guilty now. A couple of weeks ago, I asked DS's teacher if she would mind certifying my identity for a new bank account application. Didn't occur to me to donate to PTA as I was pretty sure she wouldn't be able to take payment for it herself.

Trifleorbust · 17/03/2017 12:28

Perfectly fair enough. Not the HT's job to do this, so a quid pro quo arrangement makes sense.

BillSykesDog · 17/03/2017 12:29

You countersign something for someone once or twice. Not 100x for different people! Ridiculous.

There's no limit. And somebody like a HT would be expected to sign a lot.

Original poster
NameChangeNotNewbie · 17/03/2017 12:30

2014newme ignore me I'm just having a smile to myself at the image! (Barbara wears a cardigan with a tissue up her sleeve, and has half a pint of mild with Jeff of a Friday afternoon down the local bowls club).

OP posts:
SurelyYoureJokingMrFeynman · 17/03/2017 12:30

The list used to be of "people who have something to lose."

So a pub landlord/lady is a good signatory, because they can lose their licence.

BoboChic · 17/03/2017 12:30

I don't think that schools should feel shy about putting a price on a signature.

Helenluvsrob · 17/03/2017 12:35

To me , as a person who can do this, the most concerning thing is putting your passport number effectively in the public domain. Therefore I only do it for friends I know well.

Littlelanecountrygirl · 17/03/2017 12:37

Helen, its not just passport number. Its full name, address and passport number.

I wouldn't hand that out to pupils parents.

TheTurnOfTheScrew · 17/03/2017 12:40

I've used my work address and telephone number when I've signed for someone I knew through work, and who would have no need to know my home information.

Beachedwh4le · 17/03/2017 12:40

Also a Lawyer, and I absolutely hate being asked to sign for clients. Generally they haven't come to me in a professional capacity because they've been helping old ladies cross the road, so I hate them having my PP no, people also invariably just show up to get it done and it's always urgent, and they never offer to pay.

Lottylovesbread · 17/03/2017 12:41

Its not just signing a piece of paper. The passport office may ring these people to verify over the phone. 20 minute from filling could mean a further 20 minutes away from teaching our children...

2014newme · 17/03/2017 12:43

Beached why don't you just say no, sorry isn't a service we offer.
My dh is a lawyer he doesn't sign forms for clients

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