Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Secondary School - 'Donations'

162 replies

smithyssister · 13/03/2019 15:28

Have namechanged for this. DD is off to secondary school in September - a state school but an all girls grammar if that makes a difference.

We've received a welcome pack that asks us to contribute at least £15 a month, by standing order (!), to the school fund. In return we get a 'free' scientific calculator and dictionary. DD's friend is also going and her mum said to me this morning they'll be giving £50 a month Shock Keeping up with the Jones' starts here..?!

WIBU to tell them it's not free if it costs me £180 a year?!

OP posts:
NailsNeedDoing · 14/03/2019 08:24

For those talking about the inequality between grammar schools that have to to this and deprived schools that don't, there's already a significant difference in funding thanks to the pupil premium. Schools in deprived areas don't need to ask parents for money because they are by far the best funded by the government and schools in wealthier areas are significantly funded less per pupil because so few pupils qualify for PP.

They wouldn't ask if they didn't genuinely need the money. My dcs grammar school asked for a yearly donation, some years they got it from me, some years they didn't, depending on whether or not I could afford it at the time.

Nancy74 · 14/03/2019 08:30

@twosoups1972.

I appreciate there's a mix of children at any school, but let's be honest, a middle class school is likely to raise significantly more money than a poor one. So that's why I mentioned it. I send my daughter there because its my nearest school and had great at results. What can't be extrapolated from that is the results are directly as a result of parental contributions. I pay for my daughters trips and contribute to the PTA via school events. I just won't pay regular direct debits for things that should be covered by the government. But I have joined marches to parliament and met my MP on several occasions to lobby him for change. We all have to chose the right path to take and I understand why people pay.

DustyMaiden · 14/03/2019 08:30

I pay a monthly contribution to DS grammar school. Many previous students and their parents also pay.

This does not stop them lobbying for more funds, the head regularly runs campaigns.

twosoups1972 · 14/03/2019 08:33

nancy may I ask you if you have considered giving a less affluent school a donation?

Nancy74 · 14/03/2019 08:38

@twosoups1972, no for the simple reason I don't think any of us should be paying into schools in this way. I take it you do though? How did you decide which school to donate too etc?

Nancy74 · 14/03/2019 08:43

@MurielBennett. That's shocking. Shock

To whoever mentioned pupil premium, I think that's a valid point. I just wonder how difficult it is to qualify for PP especially in these days of austerity and benefit changes. There must be an awful lot of poor people who don't qualify.

twosoups1972 · 14/03/2019 08:44

Yes I do. I pay my dds' two secondary schools the full monthly amount asked for. I can't not imagine supporting my dc's schools in this way.

How do you explain your decision not to pay to your dd?

twosoups1972 · 14/03/2019 08:45

*can't imagine not

Nancy74 · 14/03/2019 08:46

I need to get off to work. It's been interesting to hear all the different views. All I can say is, whether you pay or not, please do have a look at the 'Fair funding' campaign website and lobby your MPs.

Nancy74 · 14/03/2019 08:50

@twosoups1972 I don't feel I need to justify my choices to my DD as she knows my feelings and involvement in the campaigning I do. I just have a different view point to you that's all.

Nancy74 · 14/03/2019 08:59

schoolcuts.org.uk/ this is a useful website for getting information on real term changes to school budgets if any of you need it.

twosoups1972 · 14/03/2019 10:30

Or is it a case of 'I'm alright Jack'?

Well you are clearly all right with the 'middle class' school your dd attends.

wizzywig · 14/03/2019 10:32

Is that you felicity huffman?

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 14/03/2019 10:49

There are also significant numbers of pupils who do qualify for FSM but their parents don't claim it and so the school doesn't get the PP. There was athread not that long ago with someone getting annoyed at the school asking them to claim FSM so they could get the PP. The poster said they didn't need the FSM so refused to claim it despite that money maybe helping another child or the school as a whole even if she didn't ant it for her own child. Others won't claim it because they believe it will stigmatise their child.

greathat · 14/03/2019 12:35

If you can afford to, then pay, if not, don't. Schools are making staff redundant, cutting subjects from the syllabus. Cutting back on activities in subjects that need things photocopying. Stuff like work experience is disappearing coz it costs too much to organise. State education is fucked financially

Orangecake123 · 14/03/2019 14:15

If you can afford to pay= awesome. If you can't don't. But it would be less than paying out for private school.

Al2O3 · 14/03/2019 17:51

If you can afford to pay= awesome. If you can't don't.

And it ain't more complicated than this ^

PerfumeandOranges · 14/03/2019 18:34

Schools are there to offer a free education and that's what they should do.

We are already helping the future of this country by actually having children in the first place. We bear the cost of that but the country should provide free-every aspect of it-education and healthcare for every child up to 21.

Non-parents could be asked to make contributions to local schools as the children attending them will benefit the society they live in.

Why should parents have to pay every single step of the way for providing the children that will enable society to carry on?

Al2O3 · 14/03/2019 18:46

Non-parents could be asked to make contributions to local schools as the children attending them will benefit the society they live in.

That's an interesting approach. A non-parent living in the Borough of Windsor could contribute to Eton School for example. When their own kids leave school and they are not parenting anymore.

PerfumeandOranges · 14/03/2019 18:49

I meant state schools!

clairemcnam · 14/03/2019 19:12

Why would adults who are not parents donate to state schools?

PerfumeandOranges · 14/03/2019 19:20

Because everyone-parent or not- benefits from children when they are adults but its just parents who bear the additional cost...requests from money here there and everywhere...trips, cooking ingredients, even pens! Every school term, money for something.

It could be done through a one off payment a year from those who don't have children or parents could be given extra tax breaks.

Stinkycatbreath · 14/03/2019 19:40

Part of me thinks that as parents we should not be paying or contributing to basics for a free state school education. If we all keep cough up it masks a problem. My son is not at school yet and I'm not sure where I stand.

AveEldon · 14/03/2019 21:48

Non parents are already contributing to schools via tax & NI

clairemcnam · 14/03/2019 23:19

Parents are already given extra benefits for kids.

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.