Does your school ask you for money?

[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.

This is £15 for D&T but not to cover the Home Ec. bit...so we will have to pay some more after Christmas when DS does that....

Did I mention £5 for earphones too for Music lessons?

I think DS's school has to ask for these extra monies because it's got scarcely any boys on FSM so doesn't get much the way of Pupil Premium subsidies.....which suggests that much of this is absorbed into general costs in schools with much higher rates of pupils on FSM! Do you think that is the case?