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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be miffed at having had to pay for a school maths GCSE book

104 replies

rightknockered · 26/09/2017 13:06

In the original letter it stated that the book was to be used for homework etc., so I felt obligated to buy it, not wanting my ds to be at a disadvantage. Now I have learned that the book is to remain at school in his locker.
I feel quite angry that the school misrepresented how the book was to be used, also quite cheesed off that they couldn't just be honest with parents - that we were required to pay for school GCSE text books.
I understand the effects of cuts in funding, etc., but they could have been honest.

OP posts:
ujerneyson · 26/09/2017 13:08

We did too, it was £8. If you can afford it then I don't see the problem. Schools are completely strapped for cash and those who can afford to pay for a school book should. I can't get the angst.

Aderyn17 · 26/09/2017 13:08

If you bought it then school has no say in what you do with it - it's your property and if you want tp bring it home then you can.

Original poster
rightknockered · 26/09/2017 13:12

Well some parents obviously didn't pay, because I received a text message asking parents to purchase their child's maths textbook. Not sure it was even an option considering how hard they have pushed it.

OP posts:
Original poster
rightknockered · 26/09/2017 13:12

It was £15

OP posts:
Gileswithachainsaw · 26/09/2017 13:12

Personally I'd prefer to buy the book so I could garuntee they had the most up to date copy and tat it was in good condition and that my child didn't have to share it.

But like hell would it be left at school

Bluerose27 · 26/09/2017 13:14

Who do you think should have supplied the book? Genuine question, I'm not in UK - do schools usually supply all the necessary books for free?

Clovertoast · 26/09/2017 13:15

We have to pay for loads of things at our girls secondary.
All the GCSE text books so far, and £30 a month for use of a laptop to do homework on.
School isnt cheap !!

WeddingFever · 26/09/2017 13:17

I wouldnt pay on principle. School are funded to to provide hese things. they cannot disadvantage your child by not providing them.

Take it up with the governors and the LA.

It's a con by schools who cannot properly budget and spend inappropriately.

coddiwomple · 26/09/2017 13:18

the school probably asks for it to stay there to avoid kids forgetting them and missing it when needed.

Viviennemary · 26/09/2017 13:19

It is annoying. I don't think a school can dictate what you do with books that you have paid for. But from the teachers point of view kids forgetting books is a real pain.

Coconutspongexo · 26/09/2017 13:19

How can they police whether it's always in their locker?

daisypond · 26/09/2017 13:20

I would expect the school to buy all textbooks, though my DC finished GCSES a couple of years ago now. A-level textbooks were also supplied free. Perhaps things have changed in the last couple of years. Do those of you who buy them get to keep them permanently and not hand them on to the next year group?

ScipioAfricanus · 26/09/2017 13:22

Unfortunately thanks to lack of funding by the government schools cannot afford textbooks. Yes, they are asking children to keep them at school to avoid not having them in class due to forgetting them.

Schools don't want to ask parents for this kind of thing but they will have no choice. They will already have cut back to the bone.

LittleBooInABox · 26/09/2017 13:22

It took 8 months for our school to provide my son with coloured text books for his dyslexia. I can believe it. Schools are paid a sum for each pupil. That should be used to cover it.

Peachyking000 · 26/09/2017 13:23

How are they going to know if it's in the locker or not? I'm sure if your DC wants to lug it back and forth to school and home, nobody would be policing this?
Maybe some costs can be recouped by selling to next years GCSE pupils - we used to sell on books at uni.

Original poster
rightknockered · 26/09/2017 13:25

I do wonder about the budget mismanagement. Children were told in year 9 that they had computer studies at GCSE, but the option was pulled during the last week, because a suitable teacher could not be found. I assume because they didn't want to pay much. I know they were interviewing.
They can't police whether it is always in their locker, but my ds has ASD so follows any rule that has been set.

OP posts:
Gileswithachainsaw · 26/09/2017 13:29

I would certainly hope the should said book go missing from the.locker they Are responsible for replacing it and that said books aren't also handed out to other students whilst not in use by their owners.

If the students are issued with a timetable they shouldn't be forgetting their books and surely they have one or two back ups in the library if a kid does forget it

foolonthehill · 26/09/2017 13:31

When I was doing A levels back in the dark ages I bought all my text books except Maths......attended a hustings for the general election where Peter Lilley MP basically called me a liar saying that I did not have to buy my books.

30 years later I am buying books for English, Maths and 3 sciences for my 2 eldest.

Schools are inadequately funded and can't even get a break on reusing books because the bloody government keeps tinkering with the exam system.....of course they are skint...trying to provide ever more for less.

I buy the books because education is the way out of poverty and I am part of the working poor but in order to do this we have to sacrifice other things. Pretty hard for kids.

Until education (and health) stop being used as political footballs we are going to keep chopping and changing on a political whim and wasting resources to follow fads and trends. I just wish educators could take a sensible long term look and make a plan.

inchyrablue · 26/09/2017 13:33

Depending on where you live it may not be mismanagement. London schools have had their budgets slashed this year.

converseandjeans · 26/09/2017 13:35

The UK is the only country I know of that supplies resources, books, textbooks free. In other countries e.g. France, Italy you have to purchase all text books and exercise books. It's apparently a huge expense. They don't get help with clothing or trips either. So YAB a bit U. Ask any parent with kids in another country.

wannabestressfree · 26/09/2017 13:35

@rightknockered sometimes there just isn't the staff....qualified computer science teachers. At my dp's school they had to withdraw lots of things due to lack of staff.

bohemiacrop · 26/09/2017 13:38

I wouldn't pay for it. But I'm cynical about budget mismanagement in schools as I have a friend who was made redundant from a school just over a year ago, subsequently took her teacher's pension (she's in her 50s) and is now back at the same school working as a supply teacher.....

sashh · 26/09/2017 13:38

Bluerose27

Usually supplied by school, the books are returned at the end of term and given to the following year.

BUT

in UK budgets have been cut and GCSEs have or are being overhauled so the existing books are now out of date.

RolyRocks · 26/09/2017 13:39

Children were told in year 9 that they had computer studies at GCSE, but the option was pulled during the last week, because a suitable teacher could not be found. I assume because they didn't want to pay much. I know they were interviewing.

Well, you are assuming wrongly. There is a severe shortage of Computer Science teachers (not ICT mind, actually trained Computer Science teachers) due to the change in national curriculum and removal of ICT and everyone is struggling to recruit. We couldn't find a maternity cover for me, for love nor money and I'm in London.

So please don't infer the school on purpose didn't want to pay for a suitable teacher. As Computer Science is in the EBACC, I am sure this hurt them more than it hurt you.

And textbooks haven't been bought in my school (or the previous two ones I worked at) for lots of subjects for a number of years. It's not mismanagement of funds but a side effect of years and years of budget cuts.

OP, they are probably asking them to keep them in the their lockers so they don't forget to take them to lessons. If I could afford it, I certainly would not begrudge getting my DC a textbook.

RolyRocks · 26/09/2017 13:45

Perhaps things have changed in the last couple of years.

Sadly, yes they have Sad

Do those of you who buy them get to keep them permanently and not hand them on to the next year group?

They should do yes. It is their copy but obviously needed for their lessons too. It would not be handed to another year group once they leave though.

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