To ask if your child’s school sends a bill for voluntary donations?

[BlueSatsuma]

I pay a lot of money for after school care and for nursery fees for my son who is not yet school age.

Naively, I thought once my daughter got to school there would be a little easing of financial pressure! I willingly send in the for trips, dress up days, charity collections, school fundraiser etc. HOWEVER I just didn’t just didnt expect to be billed for school fees and to be sent constant reminders that I have havent paid yet. It’s £50 each term. It’s a lot for me, after everything else is paid. 😳

How much are your voluntary school fees?

If it's voluntary then you don't have to pay it surely?

Never heard of voluntary school fees. And we are in an area that has the lowest funding.

No, my dc's school doesn't do this.

Never been asked for anything like this.

Compared to a lot our school is very good at not asking for a lot from parents financially it seems

Primary school here is €100 for 1 child or €150 for 2 or more. Secondary school for my son is €350.

Yes, it’s voluntary.

The constant text reminders about overdue fees don’t make it feel very it feel very voluntary though.

Do you mean the school fund? Many schools ask for this now although it isn't compulsory.
I pay £100 per year for secondary school DD and £50 per year for primary DD.

What would happen if you said you couldn't afford it and to stop sending you reminders?

We didn't have this at primary but at secondary it's £200 a year compulsory fee and another £200 'voluntary'. Except the voluntary contribution isn't really voluntary at all, because you're expected to pay it and will be hounded until you do.

I’d email the school and say my circumstances mean that unfortunately I am amble to contribute to the x fund. Please can you remove my details from your mailing and texting contact lists requesting payment for x fund.

With data regulations, they should not be sending any further comms to you on it, if you’ve specifically asked to be removed.

Ours is much cheaper, £5 per term, per child. I'm happy to pay it. Ours is a state school, which imo is as good as the local private, so it's good value.

I am amble = I am unable

Blimey I have never heard of this!

Schools should NOT be allowed to do this.

I work in one of the most deprived schools in the North West and we would never ask for money from pupils, apart from £1 once per year for a charity own-clothes day. We are struggling massively despite PP funding.

My niece is at a state school in one of the wealthiest areas of the South East. The majority of parents contribute to the school fund, raising thousands of pounds of extra funding every year. And thus their school is able to fund all manner of enrichment activities which we have to scrape together for once in a bloody blue moon, thus further disadvantaging our kids. It’s disgusting.

I had no idea this was a thing! In UK, but not England and literally not even heard of it

My daughters school does this. Funny thing is she attends the nursery! So I pay fees anyway.
I get constant reminders and messages via schools app saying I have yet to pay the voluntary fee (tbf ours is £10 a term so not as much) I’ve just ignored them, assume it’s all automated somehow and they just get sent but not specifically aimed at me.

Is the vulntary contribution for faith schools? Legally they have to stump up about 20% of work / building maintenance etc and that has to be fund raised - it definately isn't from.their finance via council so in that case while it's voluntary it is essential as if such old can't provide / cough up their required 20% they can't go ahead with improvements.

It's £20 a year at our primary.

What stuff are you being asked for contributions to?

I've never heard of this. I'm so glad my dcs school don't do it. I would really struggle.

There's nothing like this at my kid's school.

Send the school a letter asking if they like to donate to your household fund.

Heard of this on here, but it doesn't happen at any schools that I know of.

That's awful though. I get that schools are under pressure financially, but they shouldn't be harassing parents like this.

Asking for voluntary donations isn't necessarily a problem, but constantly sending 'reminders' that put pressure on people is.

good grief bloody glad i home ed

i always thought all state public schools in the uk(im wales) was already funded by the government

i might be naive here as my kids havent been in school(and that was primary)since oct 15 and dec 16 but my niece and nephew are in primary and they have never been asked for any money except the normal trips and thats always written as voluntary or we would be very grateful if you could provide X amount

pressed to early, i was going to say i know a single mother of 6 on UC and the 6 kids are in the local primary

imaging how much she would be expected to pay

We have these - but it's more a voluntary contribution which we make. I don't know if they do reminders or not though.

Could you write to the school, making it clear that you are not in a position to contribute and would they please stop sending texts because it is causing you unnecessary stress.

Or tell them they are exacerbating your clinical depression. I bet that stops them dead.