DD is in S6 and is taking a Nat 5 in practical cake craft. School has been running this course for several years and it is very popular with s6 students who have a decent set of Highers in the bag and want something a bit more light hearted. We have never been asked to contribute anything towards cost of ingredients, although when DD was doing Home Ec in S1/2 we were asked for around £15 per pupil per year to cover supplies.
DD reports that as of next year, school are no longer going to offer practical cake craft as it's too expensive. And that school are not allowed to ask for money from parents to cover costs. This, apparently, is a Scotland-wide thing? (DD has form for getting the wrong end of the stick so thought i'd ask for clarification).
School - which is in one of the areas which probably immediately springs to mind when you say "leafy middle class suburb" - has already had to stop offering Fashion/Textiles at Nat 5 and Higher because they can't get a teacher, and because of materials. This is an area where there is a very low percentage of families on free school meals, and where parents are happy to stick their hands in their pocket to the tune of £20, £50 or £100 a year. Many are paying £20+ an hour for tutors. I totally understand that in other areas this is not the case and there should be a discussion about funding these "expensive" subjects for schools with a deprived intake. But it could also be argued that these practical subjects are incredibly important for some young people - thinking of a child in DD's year who has significant academic disadvantages, is unlikely to get Nat 5s in English and Maths, but who is thriving in Cake Craft and Practical Cookery classes.
There has to be a better way of doing this than simply saying "if some children can't do it, then none can".