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

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Thoughts on this?

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

Does this seem reasonable or unreasonable?

Good idea. Teachers are busy and if you can afford a passport you're not that poor.

That's a brilliant idea. Cant imagine how many people would ask the teachers every week. If you asked your doctor (although you can't anymore) it used to cost a lot more than that. At least this payment is to help the kiddies not paying the person to do it iyswim. For those saying some people can't afford it, then how are they affording the passport or the holiday that it's for? £5 is a minimal amount towards a good cause.

But if they are so busy why advertise this service, for such a small amount of money.

I'm a teacher and am fairly often asked to sign passport forms. I'm usually happy to do this (not when people forget to say thank you and just thrust the form at me - but that's another story). However, it is a bit more time consuming than just a signature.

I'd never charge anyone, but I can see why a HT who is asked many times a week might want to charge. At least the school benefits.

But if they are so busy why advertise this service, for such a small amount of money.
Because it only takes 30 seconds (literally) and I'm sure they can do lots with the extra funds.

Looneytune253 Have you read the thread? Pp have been saying how time consuming it is.

It does not take literally 30 seconds!

Now you've given the wording on the newsletter, I wonder if the head is trying to stop people bugging the teachers to do these, so he/she is saying that the head will do it for a donation. If it specifically says not to ask the teachers it suggests there may have been a problem previously - too many requests and demands on teachers' time, or some parents getting nasty if the teacher says no as they haven't known them long enough, don't want to do it etc.

Doctors can still do them but were taken off the list in part because people were booking NHS appointments for this as everyone has a GP so it was easier than finding someone else. There was a culture of entitlement and expectation that GPs would do this for free as the NHS is free, and GPs were getting a hard time from people they hadn't known long enough or didn't know well enough if they refused to do them or wanted to charge for them. GPs get thousands of forms that people want filled in for free that only take "two minutes", but all those two minutes add up to a lot of one person's time. I'm not a GP by the way, but do work in health care and do get given forms to sign for free that other professionals would expect to charge for.

I think the list massively puts people from a non-MC class background at a disadvantage. Growing up my dad had one friend who happened to be a teacher so we used him but I had noone else. Would not be an issue now but this seems like another tax on being poor.

Mulder I can't deny that something Tory Britain does very well is a sneaky poor tax here there and everywhere!

I can't help wondering why there's so much emphasis on giving the fivers to the school funds?

FWIW I think it's a nice idea, but would anyone expect a GP to pay it into the practice funds ... or a JP give it to something like Victim Support ... or an Accountant to pay it to a debt relief charity or whatever?

I think this an attempt to stop people taking up teachers' time with these requests, and ensuring that the HT doing it benefits the school. Totally appropriate.

I've never heard of a teacher charging to sign passport forms, but I suppose it's a good way of raising some extra money for the school. It could be quite time-consuming for them if they have to do a lot.

When I got the children's passports I fortunately had a friend from baby group who is a police officer. I think she's countersigned quite a few passports!

My friend did mine this week and literally did take 30 seconds (??) I watched her do it. Filled in her details, her employer, her passport number and signed the photo. Definitely less than a minute if.not 30 seconds. Mine was done online but I think the countersignature process is the same either way. It could be time consuming if you have to dig out your passport or employer details but most ppl have those to hand.

It could be time consuming if you have to dig out your passport or employer details but most ppl have those to hand.

Sorry but I don't carry my passport around with me no so I don't just 'have them to hand'.

It is time consuming. In the past within the space of a month I have been asked to do about 20 of these.

Parents assume you will 'just do it'.

I a teacher and 30 seconds or not, I wouldn't do this for free. I have too much to do already.

Lol piglet i just mean once you've got your passport in your hand it's really quick.

I think the more I read from pp I think it isn't an advertisement at all, but much more a fuck off and find someone else please!

I hope others who read it pick up on that passive agreesive vibe - my first thoughts were, 'that's a bit of a mean way to make money', I wouldn't have read between the lines at all.

If I found it hard to find someone to sign it I'd probably have thought, 'brilliant, don't like to bother the head teacher with a oersonal matter, but as they are offering it a service I will use it.'

My logic is upside down I think, thank goodness for Mumsnet!

Of course it's a fuck off

Loud and clear Trifle!

A fiver isn't really a F.O. I do think it is the Head protecting the teachers though. If it was £20 then yes, maybe people would think I'll ask the doctor instead. Most people where I live don't know anyone suitable and ask teachers.

More than reasonable, teaching staff have enough to do without more paperwork that's not even part of their job. £5 is really cheap, schools here charge more and doctors £45. Very likely so high so they don't get asked.

£5 is not a Fuck Off amount.