To think school shouldn’t be charging for this?

[Indella]

Our school has a habit of expecting parental contributions for everything possible but the latest 2 things we’ve had letters about I don’t think falls under what a school can charge for.

The first one is my child has now started the compulsory school swimming lessons. These are part of the curriculum and so can’t be charged for. However parents have to pay £3 per child, per week for the transport to the swimming lessons. Is this not the school’s responsibility to fund as the swimming lessons are compulsory?

The second one is an “art and crafts day”. Letter says children will be spending the day, still in school, doing Christmas themed arts and crafts. They have asked for £12 per child for the materials. This is being held at school, in school hours and is instead of the normal lessons. I legally have to send my child to school so it’s compulsory. Letter doesn’t say voluntary contribution so I assume again we have no choice but to pay but surely the school can do arts and crafts with the children that don’t cost so much. 28 children in the class so £336 of art supplies! Sounds like they are using parents to re-stock supplies for the year.

I know they are not huge amounts but add that to the fact we paid £3 each entry to the school Christmas fair (including having to pay for the accompanying parent) and £10 each for tickets to watch the Christmas performance. Plus the never ending non-uniform days it’s really starting to add up and it feels like the school are simply using parental contributions to fund what should be covered by the school.

AIBU to think these things shouldn’t be charged for?

£12 is a lot. I suppose the swimming is like a school trip. Your child could stay behind with another class. However, £3 is not that much. Bus hire is expensive and schools have no money. My school had no paper last year.

One of our local primaries charges £60 for the swimming term. (I'm not even sure what year they do it in now...)

I agree the art day and charging for performance is unreasonable. They gave way over charged. My kids are also expected to give £1 for swimming that’s fine. I think the school is clearly trying to get money to cover the lack of funding. It’s such a shame it’s come to parents paying when it should be the government.

That seems quite a lot. Maybe, as others said you should tell the school that you can’t afford it.

I come from South America and normally to get good education people have to pay and that could be like another mortgage (per child), it’s awful. I always feel that my children are very privileged here in UK to be able to go to a decent state education without the extorsionate amounts to pay so I tend to just pay but that’s me... as the amounts asked in state schools here don’t compare at all with the amounts people have to pay back home. Having said so, It’s such a shame the lack of school funding in recent years and I sympathise with you if you can’t afford it.

It is very sad that schools are SO underfunded that they are obliged to do this. We have a chance to make changes to this on Thursday.

Not sure what the issue with composite classes is. My son was in a mixed Y1/Y2 class and the school also had a joint YR/Y1 class too.

It’s such a shame it’s come to parents paying when it should be the government

Yes. Rather than wasting millions/billions on Brexit/this pointless election. The government has plenty of OUR money and should be spending it wisely, not on its own vanity projects.

Unfortunately schools are woefully underfunded which is why they charge extras. With swimming they are able to charge for transport - the alternative would be for parents to have to take their child and then drop them back at school.
Some schools in my area are charging £20 a term for art supplies rather then just to cover Xmas crafts (which parents seem to expect). A schools duty is to provide education, they do not have to do the nice activities such as art and craft but children do not learn well sitting behind a desk being talked at they need activity to be stimulated and interested.

Tbh I would take it on the chin. The system is hugely underfunded but on the other hand you're getting free childcare.

I feel sorry for those who make huge sacrifices to send their children to independant school yet still have to pay towards state schools. At least you're getting something in return even if you do have to top up!

We pay for swimming transport. I have, however, stopped contributing to fundraising after the school got a CIC in to run a sponsored sports day but ended up with just over £100 after the company had taken the lion's share of the money raised to cover operating costs (we raised over £40 ourselves). That took the piss and I'd rather just have been asked for a tenner directly.

Ours is £1.50 per week for swimming but often doesn't happen due to pool being broken or bad weather (UK is kinda known for rain 🤦‍♀️ )... so many people have stopped paying coz it's not consistent and they have to swim, 1 lady couldn't do all the extras but kid still swims, as does mine and havent paid since september 🙈

Schools are underfunded. They have no choice but to ask for voluntary contributions. If everyone refused where would that leave them? If you can't afford it let them know, if you can, pay it and help your child's school out.

This is education under the Tories, schools do not receive the funding they need and so have no choice but to ask for donations from parents. My kids school ran out of paper the end of last summer term so asked kids to bring their own it! If Boris gets in on Thursday it will only get worse.

YANBU but school budgets are insane now. I'd guess this is out of desperation more than anything else. Vote out the Tories if you want this to change.

School plays cost a lot to put on. The play scripts have Royalties to pay so can cost hundreds . Materials for backdrops and props have to be funded . Who pays the caretaker for the evening performances ? You will find that the teaching staff are probably volunteering to do unpaid overtime but perhaps in your school they might have to fund this ! £10 is exhorbitant but if the performance rights belong to the like of Andrew Lloyd Webber he will want his cut! Coach hire is expensive but maybe if the children walked as you suggest perhaps they would be missing valuable lesson time . Trust me School has thought long and hard about this before charging parents . Perhaps form a PTA or help on an existing one to help with fundraising so school isn’t left with the only option but to ask for money !

www.gov.uk/government/publications/charging-for-school-activities

Page 6 of this states that a school cannot make a compulsory charge for transport. However the guidance states that a voluntary contribution can be requested.

Similarly a voluntary contribution can be requested for optional extras to enhance the curriculum.

When asking for a voluntary contribution, schools should state tgat it is voluntary.

I never pay for non-uniform days. It is phrased as a "donation" but there should be no cost associated. We give to charities we research carefully and choose to give to. Usually smaller ones that really spend every penny with very specific goals. We do not agree with 'Save the Children' on some issues. Schools assume they know us well enough to know that we will support this charity- and perhaps that we require their prompting to give to charity at all.

I am also reconsidering the "optional" pocket money for snacks since the School does not seem to be listening to parental opinion of matters of concern. If this was not the case I might be more willing to cooperate with request for funding - but if it's just to free other funds for the Headteachers' pet political agenda - then no.

I suggest you write a letter to the Head requesting that letters be clarified in line with their legal obligations to request or actually "charge" parents. Then take it to the Council Education department to check.

Ours is also a fairly affluent school but our school plays are free. As for the £3 entry for the school fair, that is ridiculous!!! We contribute to the upkeep of our school pool but if we didn’t have one, I’d be happy to contribute towards the coach instead.
With regards to the arts and crafts day......why can’t they use materials donated by parents from the recycling bin at home.

I wish schools would be better organised and present parents with a budget for the year to include all of these and how they’ve calculated the costs. The art supplies cost sounds very unreasonable as does the school performance (if there are recorders involved - demand a discount 😂 😂). A budget would show where the supplies are from and the economies of scale the school can avail of. Transparency is important.

But sadly, that doesn’t happen and parents have to react to requests for money without notice. It’s not acceptable.

In my neighbourhood those who live in Labour run councils seem to consistently seem to experience far worse issues on education than those in Conservative run councils...just to offer a counter thought to some of the political points stated in comments : )

Hmmm I understand the transport.

I don’t get the materials day, but your school sounds under funded.

But you get what you vote for.

Schools have no money. It might be the alternative to stopping the swimming lessons etc

My sons school was very upfront about it being voluntary and made it clear that FSM wouldn’t need to pay at all. Friends daughter school is totally opposite and have not allowed her on trips, etc because she couldn’t pay and gets FSM... that’s taking it a bit too far

YANBU.

It should all be funded but it's not and it's become particularly bad in the last 5 years, much like the NHS.

Your vote is coming up. Don't waste it.

Perhaps a suggestion of using your vote wisely on Thursday would assist how state education can evolve & improve