To suggest our head teacher starts asking for parent contributions?

[OperaStation]

It seems as though many of you pay a regular sum or money to your schools to help with their finances. Our primary school has not requested this but I think they should. The school is in a wealthy area with very well off parents.

I read on a thread earlier that someone was paying £30 per year. This seems very low. I would happily pay a few hundred (obviously not everyone can afford this - I do realise that - but the demographic at our school mostly could).

Would I be unreasonable to propose to the school that they introduce an optional annual contribution from parents? I imagine they will have considered it but it must be a difficult thing for them to raise.

Also, how many of you with school age children are already doing this?

My local primary had a "voluntary fund", which was not monitored or chased. It was set at something like £50 a year per child, but better off parents could and did pay for "an extra one" to relieve pressure from the less well off.

It's a bloody terrible idea to ask with the cost of living crisis. If you want to pay a few hundred, go ahead.

And I say this as kindly as I can, you need to get out more and stop focusing so much on running the school from a voluntary position. If the headteacher, who has full sight of a darn sight more than you of the school finances and the image of the school, wanted to ask for this, they would have. Stop backseat driving.

Our primary school had a parental contribution each year £30 per child they ask for in the summer term. And they chase you several times as if it's compulsory. In the fine print it was voluntary. I struggled to pay it (£90, 3DCs) before I found out it was voluntary and they wouldn't return it or even part of it. I'm. Or a fan of these "charges" but if it's made very clear it is voluntary and school doesn't harass parents who don't or can't pay it, yes I guess it is done .

My school is in a really affluent area. But some of us aren't. Any some people have their money tied up in their home and bills and not much else is left particularly now. I've helped out at PTA events all through my DCs school career so have some more than my fair share of fund raising.

I always read fine print now whether it's voluntary. Secondary school and even college (A levels) ask for payments to classes and materials, that are part of the curriculum. Not even design subjects. Sometimes it's £100s per child. The language trips are invariably £800+ (we've never been able to afford one). When you simply don't have that, it's easier to ignore it.

I meant I'm not a fan of these charges

I have a standing order of &20 a month to my dds secondary school. Every parent that can afford to should.