School contributions!

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I've had to name change because this will out me if people read my other threads but I am a long standing member I'm sorry in advance as this will be long...

My DD goes to a faith school, and they only receive 90% of the funding that other schools do. I'm a good member of the community and I do my best to help out where I can. In this community majority of families are in their mid to late thirties, well established and have good and well paying jobs or have had enough years to make themselves comfortable. Me and DH on the other hand are a very very small minority in that I suppose we were on the way to that but we fell pregnant when I was in my early 20s, it wasn't planned, we had very little saved but we're determined to soldier on. Now 5 years later we own our own house, I work a few hours around school whilst my DH works incredibly hard in a career that is extremely demanding but financially incredibly rewarding and I am so proud of what we have achieved together. Now this isn't to say that we are extremely comfortable by any means, we pay all our bills, have paid off a few credit cards that we accumulated over the years that at the time we would have drowned without and are FINALLY now able to start properly saving properly and have another baby on the way.

My DDs school is relentless in asking for money and I am absolutely sick of it, they had a wealthy contributor who made up majority of the money that they lose out on BUT due to their poor choices that many people including myself were very unhappy with they lost them and now we as parents are being asked to contribute the recommended amount of £85 a month. I don't have a spare £85 a month which they just don't seem to understand. I have had calls at 9:00pm to ask why we are not currently contributing and I have just received an email (that everyone has received) stating that they are dissappointed with the parents who are still not contributing anything. I said to DH I think maybe the answer is we should contribute like £20 a month or something like that but he in my opinion quite rightly stated that there were several school meetings before they lost the contributor where parents were raising worries with the changes they were making and they ignored it and actually my husband stood up at one of these meetings and said this. He also thinks that if we contribute a fraction we will just continue to receive more demands as it isn't the amount they want. I don't know what to do? I'm so scared people will find out we aren't contributing because majority do and actually actively are so rude about parents that aren't in front of me as they don't think I'm one of them and I admit I'm a complete coward but then I don't want people to know my financial situation.
AIBU?

If you want a certain faith school.and there are other state schools near you then I don't think it's unfair to pay extra Brecon. My dd wanted to go to a school a bit further afield and I accepted that I would have to pay more a month in bus fare .

DD is at one of the poorest funded schools in the country. The parents got together with the SLT to campaign for fairer funding. Our local MP was brilliant and lobbied parliament successfully. The school now receives more (but still not enough) funding.

Have you written a formal letter to say you cannot afford a regular contribution and do not wish to be contacted again about the matter? There is no excuse for bullying you like this. Actually, could you ask to see their bullying policy? I know it doesn't technically apply but it could make your point. Picking on people for being less well off is terrible behaviour and setting a bad example to the children.

I'd guess the 10% means it's voluntary aided? So 10% of capital costs not running costs?

I believe voluntary aided state faith schools are expected to contribute either 10 or 15% of the capital budject for their school. This could be from the faith community, the parents or other sources. Other normal running costs such as staff salaries etc are met by the state. I presume it is the capital budject they are asking you to contribute to. Hounding parents who either can not or don‘t want to contribute seems counterproductive and only likely to annoy make them less likely to put their hands in their pockets.

LoniceraJaponica
Curious as to where you are. Our mp is useless!

My Dd's have attended a faith primary school and now secondary school. We are asked for the usual contributions for trips, non-uniform days etc but not a monthly amount. That would drive me mad. I would tell them that you aren't in a position to contribute.

"Unfortunately, there continues to be a number of individuals unwilling to support our school and I have been upset by some attitudes when participating in governor phone rounds. We will, of course, relentlessly encourage everyone..."

I don't know anything about funding of faith schools, and quite frankly I don't believe any school based on any religious belief system has a place in a civilised society... but whatever the set up, the tone of this email is terrible.

"unwilling" = negates the possibility that people can't afford it, but they pretend that possibility doesn't exist
"upset by some attitudes" = means we can be upset, but we won't accept parents being upset by us hounding them on the phone
"when participating" = when picking up the phone and finding themselves harangued to pay up
"relentlessly encourage" = ha ha, how can anyone "relentlessly encourage" anyone to do anything? Gently hit? Subtly scream? Forcefully whisper?

Only one solution - get parents together and confront the school on the same level as they are dealing with you. Point the above out.

Sorry not read the whole thread but can you go to citizens advice and tell them? They might be able to approach the school and educate them on people's finances and overstepping their responsibilities

We've been asked to contribute this last week. Suggested donation of £100 per annum for 1 child and up to £200 per annum for more than 2.

Ours is a RC voluntary aided school.

£85 per month seems like a massive amount!

I'm also interested in why the school only gets 90% funding.

Does the government withhold 10% of the amount it pays per pupil to all the other schools in your county? On what basis?

Did you know this before your child started at the school?

They cannot hound you for money. If the school has charitable status, which it probably does as a religious institution it should follow fundraising regulation which specifically states they can't place undue pressure. If you can't afford it and have said no they shouldn't harass you. You could raise a complaint with the Fundraising Regulator.

THIS LINK explains the 90% to 10% thing.

Sandy- many faith schools are voluntary aided which means the school is expected to meet 10% of capital costs. I'm not certain but I think it's cause the religious institution owns the land and buildings so therefore this isn't an asset the state can reclaim. I am completely against faith school personally and have heard many stories of parents being asked to make contributions formal before issuing certificates of practice for entry into schools, where they are oversubscribed. It's illegal of course. Makes me cross when some religious institutions are incredibly wealthy and after all having faith schools is a way to expand the congregation in many cases.

Maybe you could chat with one of the leaders in your faith? They probably have connections with the school and may be able to liaise for you.

Also, I would press for paying a smaller amount to stop the school badgering me - maybe they would accept £5 a month (for the school this would be better than nothing)?

Good luck.

they had a wealthy contributor who made up majority of the money that they lose out on
Yes- it's called the faith that chose to found the school!

Is this your only local school? Or did you choose it because of your faith?

The state should not be funding schools of faith at all, let alone "only" 90% of the costs. If religions wish to educate children in their faith, then they should pay 100% for that, whether it's the parents or its the religious body itself.

mascarponeandwine suggested CAB. Please don't. This is clearly something the OP can deal with herself. I volunteer at CAB and It's a charity that deals with people with pretty awful problems, like homelessness. benefit problems. They don't "go in" and educate schools on finances.

When they phone next time, just say bluntly that you can't afford it and ask when is the school going to stop harassing you and shaming you because of this? You don't have the cash and that's not going to change no matter how many times they call you.

And the CE schools are a red herring- they're a relic of the time when the whole of England was Christian.
In a similar manner- would we accept it if St. Bart's prioritised Christian patients? Or turned away patients of no faith? No, and we don't expect it to be funded only from Christian tax payers either. Or for patients to have enforced collective worship whilst they're in hospital getting treated!

Why are you even answering the phone? Presumably you can see the number is local but not one you know?

Though to be honest if someone rang me at 9pm asking for ££ they might get a rather rude response.

I suppose they also know the data protection rules, and that you have to consent to direct marketing calls, which this is? You gave them your data for the purposes of your kids' education, not so they can demand money so you've not consented to these calls.

Not sure the religion is remotely relevant, what is relevant is a school is being very pushy about asking for money, and that's not acceptable.

Also, if it's a newish faith school, it will be a free school presumably, and setting its own levels of pay for SLT and consultants etc?
I would be v unhappy contributing to that. Pupil funding is identical to any other school, as many have pointed out more eloquently than I have.

They shouldn't be pursuing you like this and calling you at home, but it's not unusual for state schools to ask for voluntary contributions these days. We pay £60 per month each for our sons' state grammar school. This is the amount they request, but some parents pay nothing or a reduced amount and some pay more.

One of my sons went to a CofE primary school for a few terms and it was made pretty clear that they needed money from parents to care for the buildings.

You say your husband has a "financially incredibly rewarding" job. Can you really not afford to contribute something to the school?

Theworldisfullofidiots I'm in South Yorkshire and our MP is Angela Smith (Penistone and Stocksbridge)

LoniceraJaponica thank you

It sounds really pressurised, I wouldn't appreciate being hounded like that. If you like the school and want to maintain a good relationship with them i would be tempted to set up a £10 a month DD and say that's all you can afford, you shouldn't have to though but it might get them off your back!

To answer some questions I would never have picked up the call if I'd have seen the number, it was withheld so thought it could be work. Thank you to the person who shared the link to explain the 90% situation....
we chose this school because it is our practicing religion but had this been the case when she started I'm not sure I would have sent her there but she's now a few years into the primary and went to the nursery there and she is so incredibly happy, she's had he same friends since she was 2 and her teachers are absolutely amazing... when she started as explained they had the wealthy sponsor who has now pulled out over the last year/two and what started as slowly asking for a bit of money here or there has turned into giving parents a standing order form and asking for £85 a month.