Secondary School - 'Donations'

[smithyssister]

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 Keeping up with the Jones' starts here..?!

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

Well, it's not enough especially when schools start asking for donations on top for trips, clubs and even cooking ingredients.

The financial burden of education should not fall on parents alone. Non parents should have to make a direct contribution to local schools as everyone benefits from children in the future. I have to contribute directly.

People without kids already contribute through taxes. That is right. Lobby Government to increase taxes so schools have more money. That is the solution.

And the poorest people are low waged childless single adults.

I also wonder if you would make donations to other essential services that you don't use? I have paid a lot in hospital parking and taking food in. Why should the burden of that fall alone on those with disabled or ill family members?

Another way that this may entrench inequality is when parents think about school applications. you are a parent on a low income and see the comprehensive that does raffles etc or the (state) grammar school that has a letter about £15 per month and a calculator. Even though there is no obligation it may be off putting, and grammar schools are already considered elite.

I also wonder if you would make donations to other essential services that you don't use?

We do and I think it might be a cultural difference between the US and the UK. In the UK, people expect the government to provide services; in the US, we know that the government doesn't provide much in the way of services so there's a tendency to donate. Most people I know support various institutions and charities - schools, nonprofits serving the homeless and/or lower income groups, libraries, environmental groups, medical research, etc.

Of course, some people "donate" for a reason, if you've heard about the recent university admissions scandals here!

We pay £10 a month which I think is reasonable given our income- which I know is not as high as other families at the school as many of the kids came from private prep schools.

Certainly nothing is enforceable or mandatory, OP, however badly they have worded it. Pay what you can.

Interestingly it was a new Christian free school locally who asked parents to stump up for a payment plan for new iPads as soon as their child started there. IPads that they have barely used, according to parents. The allegedly elite superselective grammar DD1 goes to has never required anything so expensive.

My DC isn't at school yet so I'm genuinely clueless, but do schools publish accounts to show parents where their money has gone?

Unfortunately sign of our times, schools are seriously struggling and chronically underfunded.

I’ve lived away from the UK for 14 years, and this talk of top-up donations for mandatory schooling, extra costs for NHS patients, food banks and ‘period poverty’ is staggering. When did the UK get so poor, and how? Even France is doing better. Sure, I have to buy stationery for my kids in secondary, but I control the purchasing, and poorer families get a back-to-school grant. The UK has signed up to free secondary education under international law. Why is it OK for the government to weasel out of its commitments? Where is your (and my, still) tax money going? On the Brexit shitshow?

This last half term I have spent about £60 of my own money so the pupils can have things to enrich their learning. I don't have a problem with asking for donations from parents.

We have a compulsory fee of £200 per year, then they ask for a voluntary donation of £15 per month by standing order. But it's not really voluntary at all because if you didn't pay they'd chase you until you cough up.

Having said that, it is made very clear before you even apply for a place that this is how it's going to be. Between uniform and fees I reckon we've spent about £1500 since September. Secondary school is not cheap.

@brizzlemint, I can see that. But can anyone explain what the government is doing with all the money, and why everyone is so resigned to practices worthy of a banana republic?

Anyone seen the news today? The government is asking schools to make up the shortfall with poor and neglected children with food shoes and clean clothing where is that going to come from

Compulsory fee at a state school - is that legal? I mean it’s a bargain given what education costs, but strange. I guess the likelihood of getting a different govt is not v high and the choice on offer is awful (magnified by first past post system).

Legal, no, I don’t believe it would be, if anyone cared to challenge it.

I get what you're saying about the socialist in you. We had this conversation the other day about donations.

I said I thought it would be great if there was a way a donation system could be centralised and distributed between schools. Really is just an idea And no idea how it would work in practice or how many people would donate if it didn't directly benefit their own child's school.
We also discussed things like children being asked to bring in packs of pens or pencils (a pack per child) on a yearly basis and all children get a stationary pack and from there on in provide their own.

In an ideal world schools would have enough funding. Every school.
But they don't and the difficulties seem to occur at the point of what and how we ask/ provide the donations.

My DS went to an outstanding comprehensive. Even when he started, back in 2005 the school asked for a voluntary donation. We gave £10 a month, and considering how much trouble he gave them it was the least we could do.
At the same time our local comp asked for £200 up front every year.for trips and extra curricular activities. It really isn't anything new.

This is not about one or two schools being short, though. It looks systematic. People, wake up, the state is ripping you off. And if it’s me that the previous poster was labelling ‘socialist’ , I’m far from it. The state has obligations. Why are people letting this happen?

To counter the inequality you could research a school in a poorer area and support them with donations or as a governor etc. Supporting the education system doesn't have to be just the school your child attends.

Compulsory fee at a state school - is that legal?

It's in N Ireland, it's legal here. There are various different types of school here which are all state funded, but some have additional compulsory fees on top.

And we have no government so our schools are in utter financial crisis

Thisvis one of the many reasons why o don't vote Tory.
Or people vote for them because they think they are good for the economy. People cannot seem to see that we are all poorer in a Tory society. Thwy still vote for them!

Typos...sorry!

In lreland most school have this voluntary contribution of say 250 a year. That also allows schools get tax back on it from taxpaying parents. We also buy all textbooks and stationery at about 400 in First year and Fifth year as they begin a new cycle then. We also pay exam fees.
Education is one of the most important things you do for your children and l hate the mentality of expecting government to do everything. Just pay unless you genuinely can't. I would be happy to support my child in Education to the tune of 15 a month and see it as money well spent.
Here we also pay for doctors visits and medications, dentist etc. Its just life.