Financial contributions at state schools

[mrsmootoo]

Has anyone's secondary school asked for a contribution to general funds (books, materials, IT etc)? My eldest left Year 11 in the summer (it only goes to 16) and we were asked for a donation. No sum specified. We haven't been asked before, but I thought it might make more sense to ask from year 7 onwards then at least your child gets the benefit. The state 6th form college our eldest just started has asked us for £36 this year.

Our PTA offers parents the opportunity to set up a standing order and I pay £5 per month. If every parent did it, they could do fantastic things for the children.

It is voluntary and shouldn't be necessary.

DS went to a Grammar who demanded £100pa (he has just left, this was 7 years ago). The girls school made it sound like a forced contract.

At frist I thought it was awful, but one year we were skint and didn't pay and no-one mentioned/chased. It was voluntary. However, the money was used to heavily subsidise trips eg a coach trip to London cost £5, some were free, so it was all used for direct pupil benefit.

We also had to buy ALL his text books in 6th form. DD went to the comp and they never asked for anything and provided all 6th form books except Eng Lit texts - but trips were expensive.

We paid £100 a year per child at local comp, all 6th form books, art materials, cooking ... had to pay for them all.

At the RC comp, families are asked for £120 pa, but we started off paying £60 pa and are still doing that (even through redundancy) as we know that there are many families who could easily afford it, but pay nothing.

At the state grammar, we are asked for £20 pa which we have, obviously, paid.

At dd's former cofe school there was a maintenance fund of £100 per year. I didn't have a problem with that but I did when the governors decided to raise it and suggested £300 per year. The sense of entitlement at that school was incredible though and I am glad we left at the end of the year 8.

Schools must have a fees and remissions policy but often need to raise money to help pay for overnight stays when parents are on qualifying benefits because accommodation is not educational! Many schools fund raise to help with this. Also schools I know have specific projects and fund raise by voluntary contributions for that. I tend to oppose fund raising for books and lockers which should be provided by the school but fund raising has been going on for generations. My parents were asked to contribute for additional tennis courts at my grammar school. We were poor and I felt like shit as my parents did not/could not pay. I think it is better to raise money via the PTAs because at least no-one feels they are being hassled to pay when they cannot afford to do so.