Snack money

[mummyrabbitpeppapig]

Child age4.Nursery ( attached to school so not private ) school uses parent pay to pay for school meals etc. Logged in today to pay for breakfast club. Saw outstanding balance of £40 for snack money. Googled and found on NHS website snack ( picevof fruit ) is free for 4-6 year Olds. When I queried this with school they said they use ' snack money ' to help pay for other resources eg baking ingredients. OH says as school are requesting it as ' snack money' I shouldn't pay it- opinions?

I think don't be a goady fucker and pay it.

i think the 4-6 may refer to reception through to y2 in schools rather than nursery. We had to provide our own fruit at nursery.

If theyrecattached to a school theyve got fuck all funding for fripperies such as books and baking ingredients.
The charge will be listed in your contract.
Pay it.

The "free fruit" is funded for children in YR-Y2, not nursery. Why shouldn't you pay for it?

How the hell if the OP being a goady fucker?

Is that per half term/term/year op?

Fruit is provided free by the government. You should not be paying for it.

If your child is aged four to six and attends a fully state-funded infant, primary or special school in England, they are entitled to receive a free piece of fruit or vegetable each school day.

That provides one of their 5 A Day portions, and the scheme also helps to increase awareness of the importance of eating fruit and vegetables, encouraging healthy eating habits that can be carried into later life.

Teachers find that distributing the fruit in class groups helps to encourage a sharing, calm, social time. It also allows them to incorporate the scheme into teaching and learning.

www.nhs.uk/Livewell/5ADAY/Pages/Schoolscheme.aspx

OP'a child is not in infant school

holly If you read the op you'd see that the nursery use it for other things.
Also how many snacks a day do they get? We paid for snacks for DS in a private nursery. He got 2 a day.
DD also got 2 a day in state nursery, one free.

It's probably from Nov ish last year. She gets 1 snack per day ( half day as she does mornings only). I used to pay it but thought as she's 4 now she gets it free. It would be helpful if other parents with similar aged children could tell me what happens in their school

It doesn't really matter what happens elsewhere though, does It? You will have signed a contract.

It is only free from the government in school. Not nursery. They have to be 4 AND in school. Not or.
Some nurseries will provide some free (like DDs) but it'll likely be funded by a higher hourly rate.

We pay £1 per week snack money. My ds is 4 and in pre school nursery. Every child at his school pays it, yes the yr-y2 get free fruit but they get other snacks on top. Any unused money goes towards the general fund for the school, which I don't mind.

DS turns 4 in April, and we'll continue to pay for fruit snacks until he goes to reception. I believe it's a school thing rather than an age thing if that makes sense?

Thanks for all the helpful replies. Next job to pay a chunk of every week until I'm up to date then keep on top of it....

Iirc we used to have to pay for DC's snack money at pre-school. They used to provide fruit, but also other more filling snacks like toasted bagels and hummus, sandwiches etc. They also used to take the children round to the local children's centre to do baking. They needed to pay for those ingredients and we never minded doing that.

What does your contract say?

I agree I think the difference is between school and nursery. We had to pay for meals and snacks in nursery, but at school (mine is in reception this year), snacks and meals are free for key stage 1.

I don't think I have a contract. It's part of a LA school ( reception are in the same room ). Dd just gets milk and a piece of fruit ==which she doesn't eat anyway== no other snacks

Strike through fail.....

You really ought to have a contract.
They must do activities with craft/baking stuff? This is what they've said isn't it?

We’re £2 a week snack money until they start school, it covers extras like present from Santa at Xmas party, small Easter egg etc, not just daily fruit snack.

It is optional but they don’t advertise that as I think they really need that money to keep going!

I think that is an excessive charge for a three month period (11 school weeks, so about 55 days), one piece of fruit a day at 50 pence per item (she may not actually be given a whole item, and it will cost less than 50 pence per item, but hey ho).

So one a day at 50 pence should be £27.50, not £40 (IF we ignore the fact that it should be free).

Are you sure they are not accidentally charging you for two snacks a day?

Actually, I would contact them and say the charge seems excessive for a 55 day period for one child doing half days, and will they give you a breakdown of charges.

I would also advise them that at no time were you informed that the 'free' snack would not, in fact, be free and (in view of their oversight to inform you) you will require to pay the arrears at £1 per week for 40 weeks. Can they please give a fully explanatory invoice showing this.

I can't actually remember the last time she did baking ( although the afternoon children seem.to do a lot and more activities - from what I've seen on their website photos ) although as a poster has said it may cover Santa present and Easter egg

"We’re £2 a week snack money until they start school"

£2 per week, would certainly be a more reasonable amount, but £40 in eleven weeks is not.