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Original poster

School fund compulsory... Cheeky???

89 replies

justdeserves · 14/07/2015 12:31

Hi
My hubby went to the new parents meeting at the school my son attends and my twin girls will be attending from September, and suddenly instead of paying £15 per family for school fund they are now stating its compulsory and £15 per child. It may not seem a lot however with school dinners snack funds (which are £7 a week... Sky high) school trips,fundraising for this and that every other week, non uniform days which we have to pay for etc etc I think it's cheeky to suddenly demand this money and then also say if you can't pay you need to explain why! Why should I? Am I being unreasonable? Any thoughts...

OP posts:
00100001 · 14/07/2015 17:02

Your example of "Not Going to Private School" is the same as Not buying the Eggs and Lentils from Waitrose

Heels99 · 14/07/2015 17:29

As I said from the start, £30 per year is a cost saving compared to paying school fees at market price. It is a comparison relative to something that has a market value should the op choose to purchase it on the open market.

Jo4040 · 14/07/2015 17:35

Heels, really simply. I think part of the problem her is that you have just gone farrr to into it. Just bloody agree that the school OP is talking about is taking the piss.

Heels99 · 14/07/2015 17:47

Oh yes totally agree

mrsdavidbowie · 14/07/2015 17:48

Our sixth form school fund is £120.

00100001 · 14/07/2015 18:15

Its not a cost saving... Yes, its less than private, but that doesn't make it a saving!

Heels99 · 14/07/2015 18:22

Oh read thE bloody post, it's a cost saving COMPARED to the market value of a private education. Key is in the word COMPARED. Look it up.

titchy · 14/07/2015 18:37

But OP isn't considering private so the comparison is totally irrelevant. If she was considering state vs private it would be valid, but she's not. At all.

Maybe you rub your hands with glee at the amount you're saving by not sending your kids to Eton.

Jo4040 · 14/07/2015 18:42

Where the hell did all this talk of the cost of privert schools come into this and their fees. Bloody hell, we were just talking about abit if voluntary baking money wernt we?! Shine a light

Jo4040 · 14/07/2015 18:44

Privare #

Jo4040 · 14/07/2015 18:45

Private ## shit phone. Looks like my kids won't be contributing to baking money next term...

YonicScrewdriver · 14/07/2015 18:46

Heels, do you consider it reasonable to charge hospital patients for meals as it's cheaper than going private?

Heels99 · 14/07/2015 18:54

I would happily pay for a decent meal in hospital rather than the crap they serve for free.

Jo4040 · 14/07/2015 18:57

Have you stayed in every hospital then heels?

Heels99 · 14/07/2015 18:58

I was in hospital for a month after my dcs were born and when I left I was a stone lighter than pre pregnancy. That's how bad the food was.

Pico2 · 14/07/2015 19:03

Is part of the reason that they are trying to charge you because some faith schools have to contribute to building maintenance? Not that I think this is ok.

Also - Heels £15 per child may be nothing to you, but there are definitely people for whom it isn't nothing. People are using foodbanks, if they had £15 per child don't you think they'd feed their children before giving it to the school?

YonicScrewdriver · 14/07/2015 19:25

Mmm but OP doesn't have the option to send in her own snack and she is still getting crap she pays for.

Not everyone could afford to pay for meals in hospital.

Heels99 · 14/07/2015 19:26

Pico that's exactly why schools shouldn't make requests for compulsory donations. It's not acceptable. I agree with you.

Pico2 · 14/07/2015 19:29

Then why did you say £15 is nothing? And start a tedious derailment?

Hellionsitem2 · 14/07/2015 19:39

It's not compulsory, it's just worded in such a way that you feel you have no choice but to donate.

Original poster
justdeserves · 15/07/2015 06:53

They are composing a letter to send out to all parents apparently so we will see what it says! Had a chuckle at the daily mail article as ours is an outstanding school too... I've no idea where all the monies paid go they have a school fund/building fund there was a diocese fund too and I'm not sure if the church gives money to the school or not. Nothing is ever mentioned of where the money goes that we give and I shall be saving myself £45 a year by not paying that! No idea why we are talking about private school fees though. I don't feel like I'm saving cash by not sending my three to private schools and I suspect neither would anyone else!

OP posts:
JassyRadlett · 15/07/2015 07:05

It's s catholic school. It's for repairs to the building they said and if you don't pay it would have to come out of their budget and therefore now compulsory. I just think it's cheeky.

These are the faith schools who claim special privileges and treatment when it comes to choosing who they'll provide a state funded education to, on the basis that the church makes such a contribution to the provision and upkeep of their buildings, is it? Hmm

00100001 · 15/07/2015 07:08

Ahhh, I just saved myself £250 by not staying in the Hilton last night.

mummytime · 15/07/2015 07:31

I can tell you where the money is going - most schools have seen their budgets slashed massively.

BUT your school sounds totally unreasonable. I have never heard of a school charging for compulsory snacks. Most provide free fruit or maybe ask parents to bring fruit in to share or ask children to bring their own snacks.

£15 for the school fund seems a low ask (I assume that is per year). DD applied to 2 sixth forms one asked for £75 the other £200. And £10 a month is quite usual as a suggestion.

However in all cases it has been clear that this is a voluntary donation.