Paying for extra curriculars?

[RunningOnHope]

My first DD will be starting primary in 2025 so just starting to look this term.

One thing that surprised me was the first couple of websites I've seen had lists of extra curriculars which were all for a fee. I don't remember that being the case when I was at school so just checking if it's standard now?

Obviously I'd expect it if an outside company coming in to do a club but was surprised for eg a teacher doing a lunch time year 2 choir or gardening club.

Not trying to debate whether teachers should be expected to under clubs! Just about whether it's standard to pay for them all or not.

That was meant be at the end, *expected to put on clubs...

Well the gardening club (foe example) will need soil, pots, seeds, tools etc, which aren't free. Often these clubs are also staffed by TA's, who are paid by the hour not salaried. I think when schools were properly funded, they could afford to absorb the costs for this kind of extra, now they can't so the choice is charge fees or cancel the club.

All my daughter's clubs in school are paid. She does gymnastics, dance and Spanish lessons in school. And then does ice skating, swimming and other dance lessons outside of school. It's very expensive!

However, my older DD used to go to a choir after school and it was completely free so strange they make you pay for that especially as it is at lunch. But I am guessing they have reasons.

Paying for clubs after school is normal. We budget for football, netball, hockey, and music. Then there's beavers on top. ''Twas ever thus, I'm afraid. Just wait for the school trip costs...

The club may well have to pay a fee to rent the hall (or whatever) outwith school hours and/or need to buy supplies. Did you expect it all to be free?

We had clubs run by the school that were either free or cost £1 a week (for example, choir was free, but art needed paying for materials).
Then there was external providers who used the school grounds, which cost more (about £5 a week)
Then the after school care, which ran to 5.30pm

Not 'expecting' in the sense that I feel it should be or that I am entitled to send my kid to clubs for free!

Just trying to get the lay of the land, as I didn't remember my parents paying for clubs run by the school, and I am new to it from a parents perspective.

The difference in how underfunded schools are now makes sense of the change. Thanks.

It was a mix at our primary, some where free some you had to pay for. They had some free sports clubs that they had additional funding for, which would have limited places. Normally if your child did one one term then they wouldn't be picked first off the list the next term to give everyone a chance to do them.

Then there where clubs run by outside companies, like tennis and rugby. Which you paid for.
Music was free in year 5 and 6 (they got to bring home their own wind instrument), they did pay for piano tuition at some point (we didn't take that up it was expensive).

They got swimming included for 3 years at our school but not all schools do that much.

Singing club during lunch was free.

So a bit of a mixed bag, depends on what the school can aford to offer really.

At state primary we had to pay for French and music lessons (both held during school lesson time).. After-school chargeable activities on school premises immediately after school were tennis, fencing, cookery and Lego. Outside people came in to teach these but you signed up and paidc through a letter from school. There was also an 'after-school club' but that was childcare.

The most annoying thing was French during the school day. The teacher said she couldn't teach much to the rest of the class during that time as the French group would have to catch up afterwards. So the children whose parents couldn't or wouldn't pay for French effectively twiddled their thumbs until the French group came back. 😵

It's not a change where I live tbh - you maybe got a week or two free trial but from then clubs and activities had to be paid for.