I've decided I can't wait until the end of school year to write the letter................(very long sorry)

[FAQinglovely]

about the short notice given for money that the school wants. Today is the final straw, DS1 started violin lessons at the start of this term. We were sent a letter near the end of last term saying the money ("only" £10 - but still it's the principle that makes me cross) needed to be in at the end of the week. The letter was sent out on Thursday afternoon.

I went in on Friday to query it and was told no no - that's just the letter from the LEA, it means the end of next week. However the "next week" (before the Friday) we got letters home reminding us that if we hadn't paid and wanted our child to have the lessons the money should have been in.

Today he brought a letter home from school - dated today - money for the lessons for next term has to be in by Friday! I will send the money in by Friday - because thankfully this week I have £10 to send in as this weeks money isn't all "accounted for" in other places.

It's the not the first thing we've had short notice for money for either, and despite things being "voluntary" (people coming into the school to do demonstrations) we've had "reminder" letters home in the past that the money hasn't yet been paid.

I'm f*cked off with it and want to write a letter to the school, but I don't want it to sound like a "one woman rant" - as it doesn't directly affect me as I do set aside a little each week for school stuff - but many people can't/don't and it creates pressure on those that can afford it the least.

Of course the Violin lessons are optional, but imo giving less than one weeks notice for the money isn't on, especially as not all parents have magnificent memories that remember their child's first term of lessons had to be paid for before the end of the term prior to it.

But it's not just that I want to include - we've had instances where the school has provided transport for the choir to go and take part in something - but then the parents are expected to be able to travel to whereever the event is and pick them up.

I've since checked - and other schools in the area provide transport back to the school (sometimes at a small cost to parents - but that's fine) in instances where the school has taken them to the venue so that parents can collect from the school.

Speaking to other parents at the school it's not just Choir events that this is common practice for, the sports clubs often have the sane arrangements and there are other children who have missed out because while the parents can arrange to pick-up from the school picking up from locations around the county is quite often impossible for them for varying reasons.

I feel this is putting certain groups of children at a disadvantage and feel it's something the school needs to look at. Either say "parents have to take children to and from the venues" or the school does it - even if it's at cost to the parents (I personally would quite happily pay for the coach fare for him to be dropped back at the school on such occasions)

Problem is I need to put this into a letter and I haven't got the foggiest how to do it . I've tried speaking to the school in person and get fobbed/waved off as if I'm a deluded maniac (ok maybe I am - but other parents I've talked to think I've got a point ).

What on earth do I put in the letter? How do I word it????

Try to be as positive as you can about the fact that they are doing extra curricular activities and that you support them, etc etc, but that perhaps there are a few practical issues to consider from the parent's view. A balanced letter with both positive and negative works best imo.

You are right to bring this to their attention (again!) and it is obvious they are not thinking about problems that people may face when trying to suddenly find money or transport.

Hope you get some feedback too and they don't try and fob you off again.

I think you've got some very valid points, both about the money, the short notice and the assumption that everyone has their own transport.

They sound very disorganised imo. I don't think it is uncommon for schools to expect parents to collect from sporting/concert venues. They do that at ds's school so he either won't be going or I'll be hoping someone else can collect him.

I tend to put things in my calendar the first time they are requested so I know that the request is likely to come at the same time in the following term. Helps to avoid being caught out. I think very few schools are run as efficiently as they might be. We had a cake sale last week that was on a Friday. It separated the sahms from the wms as the sahms could do baking on a Thursday day whereas us working mums had the choice of buying or baking when we got home from work. I don't think the school gave any thought to that dilemma at all but it was mentioned amongst all of us.

MolliO - the other schools in the area (in not so "nice" areas) when the school organises to take the children somewhere straight after school, they also organise to get them back to the school so parents can collect from there.

Fair enough if they can't do that for logistical purposes (not sure why they couldn't if other schools manage it but hey ho) , but there's also no system in place to try and arrange lifts for those children who would miss out the opportunity to participate with their group in such activities.

The school "prides" itself on its large variety of after school activities allowing children to do all sorts of different things (that may parents otherwise couldn't afford) and there providing "equal" opportunities for all the children.

. However by not having any sort of system in place for parents who for whatever reason can't get their children to/from venues then it means that child constantly has to miss out - it's not very "equal".

The money thing for the Violin- well given that the first letter I received on the Thursday told me the money was due the next day. The school when I queried this told me "no it means next week". So I left it until the next week, and then we got snotty letters home on the Wednesday saying that if we wanted our children to have the violin lessons we needed to get the money is as it was due the previous week .

I had no idea when the money was actually due then - so therefore had no idea when the money was due this time.

They also like to think that 1 weeks notice is adequate for asking for money up to around £10 for other things - where the payments are voluntary. Then when the money isn't in by the date that they've said on the letter actually send notes home saying that money "needs" to be paid.

The infant school down the road - which I've now dealt with for 3 1/2yrs has no such issues, it considers anything less than 1-2 weeks notice for £1 events the norm and 2-3 weeks (quite often 4) for larger amounts of money. There's emphasis in the letters that the money for these things are voluntary - and there's no snotty letters sent out in book bags basically saying "you haven't paid what youu should have done".

They do discreetly speak to you about it and explain that if you can't afford x/y/z not to worry, but please just let them know in the office if our child will be taking part.

Of course no school is run perfectly - but the Junior school (where I have the issues) has a recent Ofsted report deeming them to be "outstanding" in every single area of the school...........and quite frankly if their communication with parents is outstanding I dread to think what the parents with children with "good" or even "satisfactory" have to put up with.