First child in school - shocked that school wants money.

[Ablepsia]

My boy has just started foundation/reception and as my first child it is a learning curve for me too! One thing I am disgusted at is that the school is asking for £10 towards the snack table AND items for the "malleable table". The snack table I can sort of buy into but asking for money for school supplies seems just wrong! What do I pay taxes for??

On a similar theme, they are having a day when school uniform is excused. Great, seems like a bit of fun I thought. But, no, YOU HAVE TO GIVE MONEY TO CHARITY!!!! Jeez, the charity blackmail begins with using children now does it?!

Obviously I have to build and maintain a good relationship with the school so am loathe to complain. But should I? Is this normal?

It's completely normal. It was normal when I was at school too.

In lots of countries you have to buy your own text booksbooks and copy books.

English schools don't ask for very much, and you can opt out if the charity stuff.

Yes it's normal. Dress down days for charity have been going on for decades- it's just a pound for charity. If you don't agree with it then send your dc in school uniform.
Unfortunately government cuts to state funded schools are very severe/ schools are struggling to pay costs and have simply asked parents for a donation. You can say no to this although I would pay it in a heartbeat to my dds school - they do wonderful work on limited, crappy government funding.

Round here it is.

There's no money in schools. I've had to buy, with my own money, my class sets of scissors, highlighters, pens and glue this year as there's no money left in our budget. Display stuff, backing paper? Paid for by me. One local school has had to cut the length of its teaching day because of budget restraints.

Totally normal at my kids' primary school, yes. Sorry.

Just wait til they start secondary school and you get regular letters saying that their 'suggested' monthly donation to the school 'Voluntary Fund' (the irony!) is £xx, but it would be lovely if you could up the to £xxx as they need a new sports hall, chairs, textbooks, windows, you name it...

It's normal. Wait until school trips, music lessons and residentials kick in.

It's called government cuts

I remember charity non-uniform days and having to take money in, even when I was at school 20 years ago.
It's for charity ffs

Coming from a different country I was surprised school provide book bags, reading books, all stationery... elsewhere in Europe you get a shopping list an arm long at the start of every year. I just find it tedious to pay a pound here and there and having to remember. £50 upfront and be done with it would be easier for me...

In Ireland we pay a fortune for books, all stationery and no such thing as free school meals. Also have to help fundraise for the school.
You are lucky to get free education and I wouldn't be complaining about the few pounds here and there you have to pay

You have an issue with £1 for charity non uniform day?

Send your kid in uniform and use the £1 to buy yourself a fucking grip

Yep entirely normal

And as an aside yes you fo pay tax but look at what you get for that and then school cuts and realise why they are asking

Send your kid in uniform and use the £1 to buy yourself a fucking grip

The charity is to teach children social responsibility and care for the weaker and vulnerable from a young age. All part of a healthy and holistic approach to education I would have imagined, no?

I teach in a school in a deprived area.
We don't ask. I pay for the ingredients for play dough etc out of my own money.

Another vote here for £50 upfront & then nothing else to have to remember. But realistically I know this would never work

You are under no obligation to pay, but if you choose not to provide a charity donation then the school can make your children wear normal uniform.

I am confused you are as shocked as you state since it isnt a new thing and your parents will have done the same also.

I am a school governor, in a small one form entry school.
Government cuts this year, combined with normal incremental pay rises and a change in the NI rules (or something) mean that our school, with no significant changes will be £80,000 short this year.

That is why school asks you for stuff. It is a case of donate the maleable stuff or

1. that play won't happen or
2. we can do malleable play etc, but will have to loose a TA.

BUT there are a variety of families in any school, with a variety of incomes.
Our incoome is small, I can rarely donate to this stuff. But to compensate I volunteer my time as much as I can (eg the govenor stuff)

Send your kid in uniform and use the £1 to buy yourself a fucking grip

There go the pelvic floors again!

When will people start to understand that yes you do have to pay for some things for your children. Not everything is free. This is not a new thing schools in the 70's requested charity donations for mufty day.

Already this week I've been asked for sponsor money for a walk and a £1 a week paid either weekly termly or one off for whole year for school equipment. I can't pay it all but assumed it was because of the cuts

When I was at school in the 1970s, non-uniform day was 50p. It's now usually one pound, so it's a bargain really Do you have a problem with supporting charities and withyour child learning how it is kind to help others?

I hope that's your biggest gripe with school - you've got a long way to go until your youngest leaves Year 13.