School want me to pay for something my child broke? Can they do this?

[MaterGator]

My child broke an instrument during a music lesson at school. It's a state primary school, he's Year 2 - six years old. The school offers violin lessons as an extra. The lessons are arranged by the school, happen during the school day and are taught by an outside teacher whom bills us directly. The school purchased a small supply of violins for prospective violinists to borrow during their first term. My son came home with one of these and has had lessons for a term. There was no 'engagement letter' or hire contract etc.

He has accidentally damaged the violin and the music teacher sent it home with a note saying I had to take it to be repaired and pay for it. Can they do this? I was never told I was responsible for the instrument in this way.

If a child breaks something in the classroom parents wouldn't be asked to replace it would they? Is this different?

Why on earth would you not pay for the damage your child did? That's one less vioin for another child to borrow.

Oh, just reread your OP! Ignore most of my other post - but you should definitely have been given a hire agreement for the violin. If you weren't given one/didn't sign one then don't pay for it.

The school need to sort themselves out or, better still, insure the violins themselves.

So how exactly did the child manage to break it during his lesson?

Because there would, I imagine, be a huge difference between him chucking it on the floor on purpose and twanging a few strings a bit roughly.....

To me it would be a no-brainer anyway. You would I think just offer to pay anyway. Or I would.

And you've already been verbally abused by the Head about other things.......okaaaaaaaay.

Did the school check parents were able to pay for expensive instruments before they handed them out?

How did he break it? That comes before 'can they make me pay?'

So the OP doesn't want to tell us how he broke it- but does want to tell us a hard to believe story of being abused by the Head.

I wouldn't question it - if my child broke something I wouldn't wait to be asked to pay for it.

Which bit of the violin is it? I have had one ds break a bow and seen several snapped strings and a broken bridge in my time watching his classes. Broken bridges look v dramatic but don't cost too much to fix.

If its the violin teacher that has sent the note home I'd check with the school as he is an outside teacher and it may be that as he damaged it during a lesson that the school insurance would pay . Having said that I would feel obliged to pay if my child broke it ( accidentally or otherwise) . If you dislike the HT so much why are you still at the school ?

Or if Dirk hit him over the had with it............

Who the feck is Dirk ?

Um, I wasn't refusing to say how he broke it - I was out collecting children for a bit there. I think that needs to be noted by several people here.

He dropped it on the floor, the bridge - wooden support thingy under the strings about halfway along them - has snapped off. That's the only thing damaged. I was told it was 'his fault' but this is of course highly debateable. Especially given the problems I have had at the school previously. (At the end of a term where I being particularly viciously laid into by the head I was told that my son had been badly behaved all term - despite not one word being said to me about this by any staff member on any occasion. Yes I complained, the Governors told me I was mentally ill - you see what I'm up against here)

I signed no agreement for lessons, no hire contract, was given no verbal direction about the violin at all. My son simply said he wanted to try the lessons and off it went. My older child has the same lessons, has done so for some time, but there were no school violins when her started, so he has his own. I told the teacher I would buy one for my younger son one but she simply said 'don't bother to start with - we now have school ones'.

My first impulse was to make the time to take it to be repaired tomorrow, I even looked up the opening times of the place etc, but then the nagging doubts crept in. I have been FAR too quick to 'do the right thing' where the school is concerned. I have been incredibly generous with my time and money and in return I was victimised by staff and parents. Hence I'm now more cautious. I don't think they can legally force me to pay without written agreements etc. I'm planning to call the LEA tomorrow and stir trouble about this, aham, I mean ask where I stand.

To curlew, why do you find it hard to believe that the Head verbally abused me? I assure you it happened on several occasions. I now have to ask for a witness to be present during any conversations he wishes to have with me. I am not his only victim.

I wouldn't pay up in that situation. Accidental breakage of school equipment in school time while under supervision, and with no agreement that you have taken responsibility at any point for it.

why on earth do you still send your children to the school if it is so bad?

Not doubting you ,but if he's been verbally abusive to several people how has he kept his job ? You can't all be mentally ill ( not implying you are BTW ) .

I arrange to remove them. They cried, screamed and begged to stay there. I walk them in and out of that place every day because they insist it's what they want. I have no issues with the teaching, the only issues were with how I was personally treated (bullied) and the things said about my family. It was all stirred and encouraged.

eg, I make legitimate complaint - whole school is told what it was, all told I'm insane and to laugh at me/not speak to me, etc
Somebody says they dislike my family, they are treated to hour in the office with various staff, tea and biccies, told that everyone knows how awful we are and we all have to grin and bear it, etc etc

Bullying. Plain and simple.