to think we shouldn't have to buy the set book for GCSE English Lit?

[chomalungma]

We have been asked to buy the book that DS is currently studying for GCSE Eng Lit.

Yes - I can afford it. But that's not the point. There are many families who are on tight budgets. Apparently other subjects require the parents to buy equipment as well.

English is a compulsory GCSE. The school should have sets available to read.

I know that schools are on very tight budgets. I am not blaming the school at all. It's not an academy.

I blame the Conservative party. I hope people remember these cuts and the effect they have had on their children for the last 10 years when it comes to the election.

I went to a grammar school and had to buy my English Lit books, cookery and art supplies. (Inthe 70's). I had free school meals but still had to buy books. We also had to pay 5p towards each new exercise book we got throughout the year (first ones were free). If we forgot our pencil case we had a detention, no such thing as borrowing from teacher!
My DDs also had to do the same in the 90's and 00's.

Hi OP I don’t know how you go about it but I do know that in the Uk If you defer starting they tend to skip reception start them in year 1 then (which is insane!) here in Ireland a child can start at any age between 4 to 6,most start school at 5

Be thankful you’re not in the US where schools send out lists for supplies like paper, pens, glue sticks etc. It’s a whole “ thing”

That's pretty standard in the Republic of Ireland. Some books can be borrowed by paying yearly "book rental" but pens, pencils, colours, glue sticks, erasers, sharpeners and many textbooks and workbooks still have to be bought. Along with paying a donation to the school to cover photocopying and arts and crafts for the year.

Wrong thread sorry!

Born in 1964, the school supplied all of our books and we had to cover them with brown paper or wallpaper or similar to keep them clean. We had separate exercise books for annotations - I think..? Actually I can't recall properly. We'd have been pushed to buy them financially and bookshops weren't really all that abundant.

Love all the people calling me entitled.
Clearly they haven't read all the thread.
Maybe they should read all the thread, print it out, make annotations, reflect carefully on what the OP has said in follow up, and then comment

@hushnowthanks

That's a very good point about the usefulness of a printout.

Maybe I should get the book and do a printout as wel.

That's a good

In Ireland we buy everything. Primary about 300 and secondary 500.
We also pay contributions photo copying lockers art and craft supplies.
School uniforms include jackets and special shoes and a pe uniform.
Parents budget for it . I hope that the new government in the UK can continue to support education as far as I know you are only country that receives free education.

Talking about glasses my dgd who has such a large deficit between her eyes cannot wear conventional glasses and wears contact lens ( which she will soon have to pay for)

🙄

My Dad bought me books for secondary school and that was years ago under the Blair government. I can’t see much of an issue with it tbh, schools won’t let the underprivileged children suffer.

We also have to provide lunch.

OP I know you've now acknowledged YABU but just wanted to point out one other thing... how would you feel if DS came home with a text to study, provided by the school, with pages missing and the front cover falling off.
That's what happens with school resources, especially when it's sat in a teenagers backpack for a few months.

The whole fact that this is a thread shows how much the Tory government have fucked with the education system (and yes the previous blairite government was pretty bad too) but OP is right. People have no money, schools have no money. Particularly in wealthy parts of the south east maybe you don’t see it but poverty in many northern towns and cities is the worst it’s been since Victorian times - really is pretty shit 😕

Oops pressed button too early and she wears special glasses that are digital which has cost us £273. The NHS do not pay all cost for her lens. We have to foot the bill. This is a necessity to enable her to see. Books are a necessity to learn. Money has to be found for these things. Schools cannot perform miracles. Its bad enough that children without special needs attend school not even nappy trained or able to hold a pencil or how to use a knife and fork.! It should not be that schools do everything for your children or taxpayers pay for everything. Parents DO have to contribute. By participating in your school and fund raising no child should be without equipment and books needed to reach their potential. If you are lucky enough to afford these things, don't moan about paying for them, turn your attention to those that can't afford it and help them access the things they need.

Be thankful you’re not in the US where schools send out lists for supplies like paper, pens, glue sticks etc. It’s a whole “ thing”

And by no means a shocking thing, in fact pretty standard in many countries! A lot of British people seem to think their taxes should cover literally everything but the UK is not a high tax country. The horror that parents might be expected to buy some of what their children will need is ridiculous and there are plenty who actually can afford it. If those who could actually did then perhaps the schools budgets could stretch to providing these items for those who can't.

@keepingmum1that can be solved by using sticky notes and tabs inside the book. Or write the relevent section with annotations onto flash cards or other paper

It can also be done digitally now on kindles

To think how great schools could be if they truly were a community helping the school and pupils by every parent contributing in different ways. We know we can't rely on governments for our children's education. So what a great idea if we all took it upon ourselves to prioritise our children's education and improve it for all pupils.

Growing up in nz we got a stationary list at beginning of every year - kit, exercise books etc - parents have to buy it. I've never had to buy so
Much as a pencil for my dc in uk. I find it incredible the schools budget covers this.

how would you feel if DS came home with a text to study, provided by the school, with pages missing and the front cover falling off. That's what happens with school resources, especially when it's sat in a teenagers backpack for a few months.

Yes and the fact they're returned in that state suggests that people don't give a shit because it's free. If the parents had to contribute to the cost or pay X upfront at the start of the year, which they would only get back if items were returned in good condition, it might be different. People often take for granted what they get for free, particularly true of the UK education (and health) system imo.

In France, parents have to buy exercise books too.

I did O Levels in 1982/1983 we had to buy the set text and were encourages to annotate - I can't bare to deface books so I didn't.

We also had to buy log tables anda calculator which was abou £20. A We also had to buy some art supplies.

I actually wish I’d had my own copy at school, I would’ve found one second hand happily. I remember having books you couldn’t annotate for exams (not being a rule breaker me despite most copies being graffitied to shite). Covers half off etc, couldn’t flick pages fast due to dog ears and missing corners.

For french/ history we had to cover the text books in either wallpaper or brown paper to make them last more. Few posh kids had plastic wallets for theirs, some of us cheap wrapping paper.

I'll be proud to buy my DC's upper school books when the time come. And I'll work hard to do so. My DC1 has just started school and I felt so proud purchasing the uniform. Which is MY responsibility to buy. I knew children cost a lot when I had one.

Really? I've clothed, bought necessary books/equipment through the years and am about to start giving financial support for a four-year degree - can't say I've ever felt pride when buying a school sweatshirt or a copy of Lord of the flies, it's just what you do.

We had to provide our own books in the 1970’s. This is hardly a new thing.