Schools Demanding Money from Parents.

[caringcarer]

AIBU to think this primary school is going too far in expecting parents to cough up money. DS's special primary school has asked parents for £1.50 every week additional contribution, since January they have had 5 separate sponsored events which were carried out in school time so compulsory to participate even if child not sponsored, a singing assembly every child had to pay £2 to listen, an indoor fete, 5 coffee mornings with child, 2 book fairs, children had to pay to take part in Easter bonnet parade and World Book Day dressing up as character and to top it all 6, yes 6 separate non-uniform days where instead of sending in a pound they wanted a toy or a bottle and a Valentine Disco. I have probably missed some things there are just too many to keep track of. Oh yes and 4 trips away including 3 day residential. AIBU to think this school is asking parents for too much money to be sent in to school. It is hard to say no you won't sponsor child or let them dress up or they can't wear no school uniform. We can afford it but I know many families are really struggling. Are other schools asking for this many handouts by parents or is new head B bloody U?

Well... this is what people get for voting conservative.

Its not unreasonable at all. Unfortunately, schools are victims of ridiculous funding cuts, and they are trying their best to raise money somehow.

Some schools have to beg parents for some cash to buy some very essential stationary and supplies, it's ridiculous that they are put in that position.

Unfortunately I think its a sign of the times and not unusual. Budgets are under huge pressure and voluntary contributions are propping them up.

YANBU to think its a problem but I'd put the blame with the government not the school.

This is what schools have to do. I recently volunteered in a school that can't afford text books. I'm not sure how else the schools are supposed to raise the essential funds they need. It's 100% not the fault or the choice of the head, or the school.

Our budget this year is terrible. There simply isn't any money. By stealth, this government is bringing an end to state education. Write to your MP if you have a problem with it or vote for a different party.

Hope you didn't vote Conservative OP, cause this is reality that we're stuck with for another 5 years

School budgets are being slashed across the board. The schools have to raise money. Parents are a captive audience

As chair of the PTA i can assure you no one is doing fundraising activities because it's fun. I hate having to organise everything as much as the other parents hate paying for it, There is a massive funding gap though so I'm not sure what else schools can do.

I am a teacher in a secondary school and in my school we only have about 3 non-uniform days each year and a few optional trips and Christmas and Summer Fairs which are out of school time so optional attendance. Never sponsored events kids are forced to participate in or evening discos, well only Prom for Year 11.

I still think it is U to pressure parents through kids to cough up £180 in 5 months and if we attend Summer Fair then DC will obviously want more money to spend.

Well they aren't demanding, you can say no, but I agree that what you describe is a bit much.

Teachers wouldn't be putting their time and energy into this if they weren't pretty desperate- it's not like they benefit. They are doing extra for the kids so I think a little understanding is in order, even if you still say no.

As others have said, we have a Tory government. This is the choice the country made. The majority of voters want this.

Cross post with your reply OP. I do agree that a regular stipend is a little inappropriate, but Primary schools don't have the same income as high schools and I think you underestimate just how dire it is for some.

The fixed costs of running a school can't be cut so below a certain point the only option is slashing staffing to the bone and scrimping for stuff like paper and pens.

Difficult to say no. All parents in DC class sent home with an empty coffee jar and told to fill it up with something. We filled it with hair bobbles/slides etc. sent back into school. All children looked at what each family had filled their jar with, class discussion. All will be sold for £5 each. Children encouraged to chose which one they wanted to buy at Easter Fair. Once we arrived to collect DC teacher said oh good parents of DC we have saved the one DC wanted. How can you not buy it then? My older DC's schools never asked parents for money anywhere near as frequently and there was less pressure to pay especially for those who could afford it. DC told me 3 children in
his class could not go on last local school trip because had not paid money to go. I thought their may be another reason they had not gone but no teacher told whole class the reason they were not going because they had not paid their money.

I'm frankly shocked that as a teacher you don't seem to realise the funding pressure schools are under.

Our children are on the whole educated for free. Where I come from (Ireland) parents buy all the books every year for each child.

I've never had to pay for a single book in nearly 2 decades.

I don't begrudge the extra the school needs for extra curricular stuff for a moment. It's bugger all compared to other countries.

We don't know how lucky we are.

You don't have to pay for any of those things. They are all "voluntary" contributions. I know that there is then a lot of pressure to pay but if you send the child in in their own clothes and no money, there is nothing the school can do about.
The entire system would cave without this extra money same as it can't function without teachers using their own money to buy supplies and resources for their classes. I quit teaching 8 years ago and it was bad then - I bought pencils for the class because there weren't any, books, art materials, games, basically anything and everything that you need for a primary school classroom because there was bugger all there and no money. Oh sorry... wait.. we got 25 pounds a year to buy stationery and anything else we needed.
Can't imagine what it must be like now.

I think it has got worse in the last year and set to get worse in the future.

More and more schools are asking for a regular contribution to the governors charitable trust.

Practically all schools in our area are also running 100 clubs (sort of a lottery).

I am not happy about it as I can only see it entrenching advantage / disadvantages and is contrary to the state system but also don't see what else schools can do to balance their budgets.

Perhaps the OP works in a school with a magic money tree protected from government cuts.

ilove sadly the newly-found money tree has been milked by the DUP.

I'd rather the school say from the outset that they need £100 per child, per year to cover all the crap they need through the year.

But YANBU, OP, some simply won't be able to afford it and it's a lot of pressure on parents.

That is lots of fund raising - is their a goal they r working towards

Schools are only allowed to charge the actual cost per head for a school trip, so every parent that doesn't pay has to be subsidised by the school. So, no.If parents don't pay enough to bring the subsidy for a school trip down to something the school can manage to pay internally, it won't go ahead.

Budgets are being cut right, left and centre

Where I live (not U.K.) schools get funding according to their decile level - which is based on the average income of families living nearby. Lower deciles get more funding, higher get less and the parents are expected to make up the difference.

I pay a "voluntary" school donation for both children each year (for which I am invoiced), I buy their stationery packs each year (all exercise books, pencils, pens, a whiteboard marker, box of tissues) and still have sausage sizzles, gold coin donation days, cake sales, school camp to pay and bake for, activities budget (all day trips to museums, art gallery, etc planned for the term) ... no mufti days at least as no uniform.

I can see the UK education system going the same way, with increasing reliance on parental donations to fund the basics. The difference here is that it's been part of the funding model for so long it's just accepted, plus all the schools - decile 2 to decile 9 - in the area are excellent.

Dragon I hear what you're saying but at £100 a year that's £2 a month, hardly extortionate. And the reality is schools are strapped for cash and have zero funds for anything outside the basics. There is no money (tree!) according to the tories.

Ted I assume you mean per week, not month? And no, I don't think it's extortionate and I would pay it. I'd just rather they asked for it at the beginning of the school year to say me scrabbling for coins on whatever day it's needed.

No specific goal that i am aware of Allthewaves they just seem to have a continual stream of fundraising. There are often draw tickets sent home too. We usually buy a couple of tickets £2 and send rest of book back but DC is questioned why did we not sell all of book £10. I hate asking others to sponsor/buy raffles tickets because it is so frequent. I don't mind the £1.50 each week or donating prize for raffle a couple of times each year as usually get more notice for raffles or the odd school Disco but I do mind having to rush around getting a toy or a bottle and often notice is only sent home 3 or 4 days before NSU event so if you shop once a week you have to rush out making a special journey. I have just never known a school to have so many and I have taught at a few schools. I know funding is not good but special schools get extra funding from LEA.

At dd's school we've been asked if we could set up a direct debit for a min of £10 a month per child but we'd be grateful if you can afford more (I can't afford the £10 ) and a few days later was written to again to say we don't know if we can afford the new curriculum for gcse text books, but you can buy them at schools rate through us if you'd like your child to have their own set. Fortunately a very kind parent paid for them for the school (but this was after I'd stumped up for a set).
This is a rural grammar school. The Head has appeared on TV with regard to the school as they are the lowest funded in the county. Whilst many parents may not think anything of £25 for text books that's quite a chunk for me, and I know this is the thin end of the wedge