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Original poster

Am I within my rights to withold payment for in-school activities?

45 replies

QueenEagle · 30/06/2006 22:32

ds1 and ds2 have brought letters home today stating that next week is fun week and the normal curriculum is suspended.

Instead there will be (amongst other things)
a trip to the local swimming pool,
Sports Day,
sports activities,
craft sessions,
cooking an African arts day - this is a workshop coming into the school,
workshops by the students of another school.

I know that all requests must be on a voluntary basis - firstly the letter does not make it clear that this is the case, that's my first gripe.
Secondly, we are being bombarded by requests for money for trips from 3 of our kids at the minute. dd's year are going to a theme park next week, that is costing £30, also the week after she is going to a science trip costing £20 and we need to find £275 for a residential trip for her after xmas.

I am thinking of declining to pay the "voluntary" contribution on principle. I usually stump up but we are feeling the pinch (but only a little bit if I'm honest) and more importantly I feel that as they are doing these things within school hours, we shouldn't have to pay.

Any advice?

OP posts:
Original poster
QueenEagle · 30/06/2006 22:37

bumping cos I'm off to bed soon!

OP posts:
TooTicky · 30/06/2006 23:01

Probably within your rights but may make you unpopular. It does sound expensive. My gripe is with so-called subsidised music lessons - still a lot of money for very little tuition.

hunkermunker · 30/06/2006 23:04

I think that's a bit much.

But I have a 2yo and a baby so I know nothing.

I do know that I will educate them in a small hut in the woods if the school keeps asking for that sort of money though

Blu · 30/06/2006 23:05

Going to a theme park for £30? In school time? Mad!
QE - is this a state school or private?

mrsnoah · 30/06/2006 23:23

i read that and i think those trips are rather expensive tbh. I have dds going on trips a lot at the mo but they do have an element of education to them which makes it better value in some sense.

Those are really pricey trips.

charliecat · 30/06/2006 23:25

how much are they asking for?

olivia35 · 30/06/2006 23:32

I would write a snotty letter to dd's school saying that you feel there should be more consultation before expensive, non-educational activities are arranged.

Even if you were happy to pay there will be other parents who find it a struggle, so definitely log concern.

Wouldn't be so concerned about the dss' week - that all sounds quite interesting & I personally wouldn't mind chipping in. Would be p*ssed off on principle about the keeping quiet re: voluntary nature of contributions. BUT the reality is, sadly, that if the school don't cover their costs (allowing a budget for kids whose families genuinely can't afford it), that they won't book workshops etc.

fattiemumma · 30/06/2006 23:36

your not obliged to pay for anything that is educational.
If it is on the curriculem then you do not HAVE to pay for it, but if not enough parents do pay then the trip would need to be cancelled.

from your list i would imagine that these trips are purely for the entertainment and enjoyment of the kids and therefore if you dont pay she would miss out.

its a pain. i usually end up paying for trips in advance and he doesnt go....or he goes and i end up having to pick him up fom the place where he has had a meltdown.

mrsbang · 30/06/2006 23:40

Write a letter expressing your concerns by all means, don't think it needs to be snotty though, does it?

olivia35 · 30/06/2006 23:48

Well, it probably needs to be assertive. OK maybe not snotty!

mrsbang · 30/06/2006 23:51

Lol, assertive would be ok.

thewomanwhothoughtshewasahat · 30/06/2006 23:56

I agree with blu and Olivia. A school trip to a theme park is a bit crap imo. and I think you have a good case for requesting consultation - perhaps not snottily, but as a constructive suggestion - and also not suggesting consultation on every trip but suggest they ask parents to complete a survey asking what kinds of trips they would like and how much they think would be a fair voluntary contribution - that way the school can tailor their trips accordingly and the majority of parents should be happy - even if it's not exactly their preference they will feel they've had their say.

edam · 30/06/2006 23:59

Blimey, that's no notice at all, is it? How much are ds1 and 2s school asking for?

Tortington · 01/07/2006 00:19

they will have a hardship fund. you have to go and ask for it - yes you have to go begging to the school staff so that you can pay for these fucking trips when they should be bastard well fucking teaching the kids english and fucking maths. fuckers

i withheld my kids from a trip wrote a letter complained about the begging - having twins is a PIA when your asked for this money. so understand completely.

thing is - your kids feel utterly ashamed, left behind in school or in another class. allt heir mates end up going and you have to balance your sense of ethics and fairness with your kids emotional wellbeing.

ayla99 · 01/07/2006 09:55

Our school uses this paragraph:-

We are asking for a contribution of £x per pupil. The 1988 Education Act requires us to ask you to contribute voluntarily to this. However, in the event of insufficient fund being raised the school may have to decide that the trip is not financially viable and to refund any contributions.

I've always paid, but not always by the date requested.

Original poster
QueenEagle · 01/07/2006 10:00

dd's school is a state faith school (although we are not of any faith). The science trip was suggested as good for those doing double science from next year - gcse course. So we felt this was maybe A Good Thing. The theme park trip is on a Saturday and includes all rides and transport costs, so on balance I'm ok with that too as it is a day out for her with her mates and as she got pretty impressive test results I feel she deserves this.

It's my 2 ds's that I am objecting to as a during the whole week they each have one outside workshop troupe coming into school. The rest of the activities are cookery, includes their sports day (how can they charge for this?), other sports activities and ceramic tile painting and a digital storytelling session.

They are asking only £6 each for this but my objection is that lots of these activities, if they were during the normal school day, wouldn't be charged for. ds1 is also going on a swim trip but as he hasn't had any curriculum swim lessons, why should I pay for it?

dh is a governor at the boys' school and feels they have not worded their request for payment right - "blah blah blah, we would ask that you make a contribution to the cost of this." No mention of it being a voluntary payment. In the governors handbook it says no child will be exluded purely on their inability to pay this.

So dh is wanting to test it out, and I kind of agree so thought I'd get some views first.

OP posts:
Celia2 · 01/07/2006 11:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
QueenEagle · 01/07/2006 11:51

I've totted up trips we have been asked to pay out for during the last couple of weeks:

ds1 £6 for the in-school activities week.
ds1 £30 for day trip to Ourdoor Adventure Sports place.

ds2 £6 for the in-school activities week.
ds2 £30 for day trip to Sulgrave Manor.

dd £20 for science museum trip
dd £30 for theme park outing
dd £275 for Blue Peris trip next Easter

Total: £122 paid up front in the last 2 weeks.
£275 to be found by xmas.

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 01/07/2006 11:57

Does the swimming take place on or off site? If it's off site, you will be contributing towards the cost of safe transport to and from the pool.

SoupDragon · 01/07/2006 11:59

"lots of these activities, if they were during the normal school day, wouldn't be charged for."

If they were during the normal school day they would be paid for out of the budget at the expense of something else though wouldn't they?

Obviously sports day shouldbet be charged for though. And I suspect it isn't really, it's just listed with all the other activities.

Original poster
QueenEagle · 01/07/2006 13:49

swimming is off site. In year 5 they went swimming as part of the curriculum. In the gov's document it states they are not allowed to charge for transport (I think, will check that though).

I will end up paying it but am having a hormonal rush, that's all.

OP posts:
Blandmum · 01/07/2006 13:51

There has to be a hardship fund (equal ops), however if enough parents can't pay, trips are often suspended.

SoupDragon · 01/07/2006 13:52

I can see that they can't charge for transport if it's for a curriculum lesson but if it's not (and this isn't, then they can and surely have to.

Original poster
QueenEagle · 01/07/2006 13:56

mb - is it normal to charge for an activities week which includes their sports day?

I don't mind being given the option of paying to see a workshop african tribe dance group (and having the option to withdraw if I wanted) but I object to paying extra for sports day and cookery, cookery incidentally is paid for by parents anyway so I don't get it. Or am I being thick?

OP posts:
cece · 01/07/2006 13:58

Most schools have a cap on the amount of money that can be asked for for a single trip. However, if not enough parents contribute sdaly a trip would have to be cancelled. I do feel that they should have given a bit more notice though (especially if it id expensive) so that parents can get the moeny organised. We usually send out letters about a month in advance becasue all the other paper work has to be done by then anyway.

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