To suspect nursery is using our financial info to determine fete contributions?

[Tryintohelp]

DD's nursery is asking for contributions to the fete again. Unlike every other setting/school we know, they ask for specific items... and some of these contributions are quite expensive, definitely beyond the reach of some parents.

The plot thickens as it turns out that different parents get asked to contribute different things, although it says in the email that it's voluntary. A few of us parents wondered if the nursery is using our status vis-a-vis free (income-based) nursery hours to determine whether we get asked to contribute expensive items, or cheaper.

We don't have a flashy lifestyle, so without income knowledge I really doubt they'd think we had the cash. Given our circumstances we are absolutely happy to contribute more, but we are a bit miffed by how our personal financial info might be being used.

Anyone know of anywhere else that asks for specifics, and how do they decide who to ask for what?

In my world raffle prizes are 99% unwanted gifts, or cadged from local businesses. PTA chair has observed that most people don't even look at the prizes and you sell the same number of tickets whether the top prize is a bottle of win or a voucher for a 3 course meal.

Also, separate children's raffle is a money spinner, unwanted and duplicate gifts as far as the eye can see.

They wouldn't necessarily know if you weren't eligible for 30 hours funding due to income. Both parents need to work, so if one was temporarily (or otherwise) out of work they may not be eligible.

@maryann that’s not really indicative, the £112 a month childcare vouchers covers anything from £45k a year to £150k a year. That’s a hell of a difference to make an assumtpion on.

Op it sounds more like you’re bothered that they might view you as poor(er) than you are due to appearance more than you are bothered that they are using information they shouldn’t be.

My daughter's school did this for every single class party. Instead of crisps or biscuits or something relatively inexpensive we would always be asked to bring in pricey food like cheese cubes or Christmas cake. We would get a list with a tick box so we could clearly see the options.

We had the same situation. We always were down for sandwiches which are a pain. One time I asked why and was told they did it in alphabetical order so people tended to end up with the same thing.
After we'd pointed this out they varied it.

", if you pay £243 you are a basic rate tax payer and if you pay £110"
The more you earn the less you pay? Doesn't sound quite right to me

stealth the amount t you can buy through the voucher scheme reduces as you go to higher rate tax, so you can buy £243 worth a month if you pay basic rate tax but only £112 if you pay higher rate.

Oh right thx

We do help with fund raising on top of donations. We also help local schools etc. in a number of other ways by putting in time and effort. As I said earlier, entirely happy, and think it's only right that those with more contribute more financially. It's the targeting and possible use of personal financial info that unsettles me (and some other parents). We'll donate, but a policy like this is uncomfortable all round especially as, as per PP, some folk have been targeted for expensive donations when they're not able to donate and it's embarrassed them.

MynameisJune I don't understand how you make that out. They know how much one of us earns, I'm actually uncomfortable with that apparently info being shared between staff. Clothes only got brought into this because a PP suggested they could be judging on clothes instead of the financial info.

The money's being raised for new equipment etc - as I'm sure most people know, the 30 hours policy has almost put some nurseries out of business because the government is paying the nursery less than the cost of the session. That money has to be made up somewhere.

stealth re" childcare vouchers it also depends when you went on the salary sacrifice childcare voucher scheme - everyone, whatever tax bracket, used to get the full amount, and then a few years ago new entrants with higher tax bands only got a lower level of tax relief.

Could it just be so there's a variety in the types of prizes..?

I think it would be worth a chat with the nursery to understand if they are using your information in this way and to remind that this is completely inappropriate.

embo1 well yes, that's why I assume they are doing it. But there are other, less intrusive, ways of asking for different donations. We manage to do it everywhere else.

The way they're doing it they're making judgements on people's income, potentially based on illegal information use, or alternatively, if they're just randomly handing out different request then they're potentially putting a family with a low income in the embarrassing position of having to refuse/turn up with something lower cost. PPs have said this happened to them and was unpleasant, or they felt forced to pay for more than they could afford. Either way, not acceptable.

A chat might be an idea.