Voluntary contribution of £120 for school

[Voiceofreason92]

My son’s school have always asked for a voluntary contribution of £35 per year per child. This year they have decided to up it to £60 per child. I have two children. In the past it’s never been clear what that £35 is going on so have always reluctantly contributed. This year they have asked for money for revamping the year 1 toilets, building a ‘summer house’ style cabin as an intervention room and to support their staffing structure.

since September, it’s been in the newsletter every week saying they still don’t have 100% of families contributing and they would really like it. (Only 50% have) This week a letter came home in my kid’s book bag from the head teacher saying that they noticed I havent paid my £120 contribution and they really think it’s time I contributed for my boys.
AIBU unreasonable for not contributing out of principle that I feel hounded and it’s meant to be voluntary.
(this is a state primary school not a private one)

Does the actual wording say they ‘really think it’s time’?

That’s really rude.
I’d be sending a copy of the letter to offstead! They have no idea of peoples circumstances either I think thats really inappropriate.

Absolutely not.

Does this mean they don’t do endless bake sales, tuck shops, stupid sponsored ‘read-a-thins’ that are just fucking homework etc etc?

If so, do it now.

The slow drip of a fiver a week is far worse as it requires a lot more work.

Sadly no, still constant bake sales (one on Monday in fact), dress up days, sponsored events, bring a bottle etc

Send them an email reminding them what voluntary actually means.

I would forward the letter to the Director of Education at the Local Authority!

Being asked, once, for a small, voluntary contribution is one thing. Being asked for £60 and then sent a nagging reminder is completely unreasonable.

Those are pretty horrible tactics.

Schools are desperate and at breaking point and the school fund is increasingly paying for the basics because the government funding doesn't go nearly far enough.

But your school's tactics are something we've agreed we won't ever do at our school (I'm a governor) but we are definitely trying to raise awareness of the fund and what it's used for. But pressure on individual families massively crosses a line (and no state school should ever expect 100% of families to be able to contribute.

Wow, really surprised to hear this. Is the school in a very affluent area? I have worked in state schools for many years and never heard of this happening
They absolutely cannot pressure you about this.

Wow, do you live in an extremely affluent area? Not that that definitely means people are swimming in cash! I absolutely get schools are hard up but that is very presumptive of the head. £120 is an awful lot.

Our school does raise a lot of funds from parents, but it’s usually via contributions of things to sell back to kids and their parents as prizes at the 2 fairs per year/Xmas performance etc. At least that way it is a choice - if you don’t want or can’t afford to contribute cash it’s fine to stay at home. We probably end up giving at least £60 per child per year but it’s spread out and it’s part of a fun activity. I feel happier with that than handing over cash!

In Ireland, one friends school has a voluntary contribution of 60 euros per family, another has no voluntary contribution and my daughters school is 235 per child. Its a brilliant school but really does sting.

Ofsted won't be interested.

If you can afford it why not do it?

Don't pay it if it is voluntary.

Write a formal letter back.
" I fundamentally disagree with the principle of voluntary donations being asked for state education, which is free to every child. I especially disagree with hounding parents when you have no idea of their financial position. Shame on you"

If you can afford it then pay. If not then don’t

Our state school is £1600 per child "voluntary" contributions 😅

But no one should be hounding you for payments!!!

my kids are adults, leaving school over 10 years ago. We used to get the same letters home and I paid it every year. Tbh we were finding it harder every month/every year to find the money, money was just so tight generally.I can remember telling my then elderly nan and she was absolutely disgusted. She asked me what on earth what was it for and I couldn’t really tell her. She asked me in turn how much I’d paid already etc and she was so shocked. Even back then it wasn’t far off, if the same as what you’ve quoted above. She asked me what my local council tax was being paid for, if it wasn’t the local school amongst other things. And I never paid it again. They used to ask my kids for it in their tutor group which was awful but I just wasn’t going to be bullied into like that. My nans shocked face was enough. She said never in her day would anyone have to pay to go to state school.

Our primary school asks for 55 pounds per term per child. It's 25 for class supplies and 30 pounds for the school infrastructure. They ask once per term and say they purposely do not send chasers since it's voluntary.

Our school is in a relatively affluent area but gets around 50% of people who contribute I believe.

Yes I’d tell the teacher that voluntary means just that and that you’re not able to contribute so stop asking, please.

In the UK?!?

What a sorry state of affairs that schools are increasingly having to find ways to fund much needed resources. Ive been taken aback by the sort of things they have to raise money for, which you'd expect would all be part of a school's budget (library/books etc).

At my DCs' school they raise a lot via events and its a nice way to get involved if you want ( but you don't have to either).

I don't agree with your children's school's tactics at all though. What are you planning to do/say?

I was at school in the 70's just as Pta's were becoming a thing.
My df said then that it was the thin end of the wedge and the LA anf government would reduce funding accordingly.
How right he was.
It really annoys me that the government(s) have wasted billions on HS2 but have no money to properly fund health, education and housing.

Is it a church school?

Yup! It's a state faith primary school that requires multiple full-time guards because of the insanely hateful world we live in.