What are the hidden costs of a state education?

[belledechocolatefluffybunny]

Ds's first school:
Trips times 2
chairs
fundraising-plants, books, charity (red nose/book day/children in need)
school uniform
lunch
reading books for ds as the school did not have any that were appropriate for him.

DD1's first school we had to pay £3.50/£4 every half-term for "snack" - they got government funded fruit and milk, but they gave them another snack and juice in the afternoon paid for by parents.

Also went towards any cooking lessons and the end of term/christmas parties.

I forgot about the after school care. Doh!

It's not a free education if they are needing money. I can't believe ds's school needed to ask parents for money so they could buy chairs!

You didn't need to contribute to fundraising if you feel this is a hidden cost and you certainly didn't need to buy reading books - I assume you considered the school books inappropriate not the school and you surely don't think state education should fund your child care!

He's not there now. I'm a tad sick of threads moaning about how much better a state education is and how stupid parents are for going private when they can get a free education.

He'd read all the reading books, they didn't have any more.

Still a damn sight cheaper than private
as to buying reading books

belle that doesn't look like any more than £100 for the year!

It's not the cost, it's the principle. It's not free is it.

It was an infants school, he could read very well before starting school so they found that they didn't have any books for him to read Was too much effort to go across the road daily for a new one for him.

I would say trips are the only 'hidden' costs as they vary so much. But even then they are rarely compulsory. Uniforms and lunch??? At home would they be fed and clothed wouldn't they?

school uniform.

1 school trip.

1 book day dressing up costume.

I chose not to give £15 to the school fund. (I gave it to the junior school instead, as they have spent so much on DS, and I'm very grateful)

Milk for DD has been free all year, as she is still 4, and they receive free fruit for snack.

Free assessment by psychologist X 2. (cost £170 per time when we went private)

I would, have to give her lunch if she were at home, I've avoided the fund-raising plants, but chose to go to the fund-raising bingo. My choice.

Over all it's minimal.

Most of the things you mention are optional, no one could force you to buy chairs, plants, books, or contribute to charity events (many of our parents can't or won't) and I'm still about the reading books. Lunch isn't part of your child's education you could always take him home if you don't want to pay.

£1 a weeky for fruit
fundraising - every couple of weeks
costumes
any cooking they do
trips

We do pay but have come to realise school rely on those that do to fund these things to offset a number that can't be arsed (school make provision for those on low income) The cant-be-arsed know the events are going ahead anyway, they're quite frank about it and think we're fools for coughing up.

I had to pay for tickets to see ds in a school play at one school , £10 each!

Golf trip £5

2 school trips at £10 each

Swimming lessons £54!!!!! still debating whether to pay it even tho DS goes as it is compulsory and I just know that there is a pot of money in school to pay for it!

I buy ds1 reading books too as the books he brought home were mucky and smelly and he didnt want to read them. Must raise this again at school.

Buying chairs surely wasnt compulsory but part of fundraising in school.

Trips
Charity events
School Fates
Discos
School Dinners
Cooking
Book fairs
After school clubs like gardening group
School plays
Costumes
It surprising how many hidden costs there are

Compared to the ISC estimated average private school fee of £4090 per term or £12270 per year plus many of the extras you mention

hidden costs for school? to pay for food???
I'm very much against schooluniforms, butstill they do need to waer something???

Reading books, uh, they read books for reading (free from library)

afterschool clubs here still cheaper than other clubs they go to ha-ha

I'm dreading the holidays because it will be so much more expensive, with childcare or other "entertainment" (well, not the main reason I'm dreading the hilidays.....)

the real hidden cost lies in the lack of networking opportunities and access to the elite jobs that often seem to go to those of a private school/oxbridge background. but do continue to obsess about the lunch money instead

I dont have an issue with paying for things but I do wish the school was a bit more organised. Why cant they state at the start of the year what will be spent on school trips then work to that budget? It is the constant drip, drip, drip which annoys me. A pound for this, five pounds for that. Add to that a residential trip which costs over £100. I know that these are in theory optional but the head puts an enormous pressure on parents to pay up.

When we lived abroad we paid a fixed fee at the start of the year for each child which covered all extras including trips. The school had the money in then had to work to that budget.

sanfairyann - spot on, sadly.

Good point, SanFairyMum.

I'm always at them financially average mums who complain abut being asked for £2 for a theatre group to visit the school.

Private schools would ask for all the money for extras on top of fees.

I would imagine there are loads of "hidden costs" when HEing. Like giving up working, and earning a wage.

I wanted my son to have more reading books than the school was prepared to give him. The teacher was only prepared to change his book once a week.

Solution: Go to the public library. Your child's teacher will be less pissed off by than a parent buying half the school reading scheme. Your child will also have a more interesting and varied experience of reading.

Outings and special days are expensive. What about all those "mufti days" where kids dress up, or damn victorian day where your child tells you the night before that they need to dress up. Worst still they charge you for the pprivilage of your child looking stupid. Yes, you can refuse, but your child feels left out.

Prehaps the biggest cost is that they don't stand a cat hopes in hell chance of getting a place at the grammar school because the places are taken by less able, but heavily hot housed private school kids.

They find it harder become doctors because the local state secondary only offers combined science.

Everything you're complaining about is optional. If you don't want to pay for snacks or lunch, write a letter to the school and tell them. Of course your child would still need to be fed, but then, they would if they were at home. Same for uniforms. Presumably your child needs to be clothed at home too? As for trips - tell your child he/she can't go. Or tell the school you can't pay (or don't want to) If the trip is compulsory in terms of the child's education, then the school cannot force you to pay. Indeed, every school I've taught at has said very clearly that the "cost" of a school trip is a "voluntary contribution" and therefore the parents do not need to pay if they can't. I have never refused to take a child on the grounds of lack of payment. Don't go to the summer fair. Avoid the school play. Let your child go in in his/her uniform on Book Day/Red Nose Day/Children in Need. None of this is compulsory, and none of it will affect your DC's education.

However, if you want to compare it to private school, have a look at a school website (any school will do) and check out things like the cost of exam entry. You won't be asked to pay for that at a state school.

Hidden costs? Purlease.

Hmm. Yes, it's not completely free. But if you are suggesting that the "hidden costs" (actual financial ones) add up to anything like hte cost of a private education, you need to look at your sums.

Combined Science? Do you mean double award rather than triple? Very unusual for a state school not to offer triple to the highest achievers IME.