Paying for school swimming lessons?

[chicaguapa]

We've received a letter from DS's school saying that swimming lessons are part of the National Curriculum and that all DC have to take part. The cost of the pool and tuition is being covered by the school but the parents are being asked to pay for the transport to the pool.

This isn't a moan about the school but more about budgets. Surely if something is on the NC and mandatory the school should be given enough money to be able to provide it without having to ask the parents to pay?

Part of me wants to refuse to pay it on principle and say that I don't agree with having to pay towards the compulsory education. But I realise this won't actually help the school try to balance its books. I feel like I need to say something though as it irks me that schools are struggling to provide the bare bones of what they're supposed to be providing.

DH is a teacher btw (always feel I have to caveat any school-related moans with that so it doesn't look like I'm anti-school/ education etc) so I do understand how difficult it is to stretch the budget to do everything.

My dc 1 primary used to ask for £15 per term for their weekly swimming lessons. They didn't require transport. The class just walk half a mile to a local secondary school. My dc2 school asks for £10 per term and the school bus takes the children to a secondary school that is about 5 miles away. Both schools asked for the fees as voluntary contributions but we do get a chasing letter if you don't pay. It is the same for other school trips and even building work etc. For us we can afford these fees without struggling. However I do feel for those parents who are less fortunate financially.

We had to pay £25 per term for the two terms our school go, and like a previous poster, our children walk to the pool!! We also had to pay £11 for compulsory recorder lessons in Y2, which I shall refuse for ds2.