Do you pay for your child to play on a state school sport's team?

[RefuseToWorry]

We received two identical letters today: one addressed to the parents of DD, one addressed to the parents of DS - both letters were from their school PE department (in a local state comprehensive, now an academy).

The letters informed us that, from September, there would be a 'voluntary contribution' to pay for our children to travel to/from inter-school sports' fixtures. We were asked for £10 per child, per sport, per term to, "reduce the burden of costs on the PE and Sport Faculty and ensure that we can continue to provide regular opportunities to play against other schools." This would have cost our family £190 last year.

Whatever happened to 'Sport For All'?

The money is not being mismanaged, but the school is in a new building and the mortage repayments are crippling.There are several schools in our LA with a budget deficit, including mine.

The school is not an academy BTW so gets its funding from the LA.

In our LA every secondary school is in budget deficit. We have 40% PP students, so get a lot of PPG BUT we're still getting £1,500 per pupil less than schools in the next borough, so the PPG gets eaten up pretty quickly. £1,500 per pupil, or £1.5m per year for a small-midsize secondary school funds a lot of extra staff, petrol, photocopying... It means the chances of getting good science, mfl and maths teachers is just that bit harder, when a school 5 miles away has a lot more to spend.

The LAs still set the formula for the devolved funding though. The overall budget comes from the Government so all the LA does is divvy it up according to the agreeed formula. The big agenda is "closing the gap" though so more money might go to schools where this is deemed necessary leaving less for others.

Also, no-one ever cites children whose parents have to pay for textiles, art and design materials. Mine were not sporty so never got the near the school mini bus for sports teams. Why can't parents make a contribution if they can afford it? Why is sport exempt? Or, they could get their own car out and make the time to do the match day taxi runs. It is probably cheaper to pay the mini bus charge.

I live in one of the lowest funded Shire counties. Our school budgets are dire - in the bottom 6 nationally. Schools are not supposed to run deficit budgets. I am not aware of LA schools paying loan repayments. Normally the LA supplies the building and the "loans" are their problem because they own the property. Foundation and Trust schools are different and they do own the buildings as do academies.

Whilst I probably wouldn't want to pay it, the sports teams tend to involve the same children in each team. The less able are not given a chance and therefore remain lower achievers. A lot of resources go into improving the sports ability of the more sporting-able which is not replicated, in my experience, in academic or artistic subjects.

If your kids are benefitting from being shuttled around to matches by teachers in their own time, then if you can afford to pay, then why wouldn't you pay?

If you don't pay out of principle, then I hope you don't moan when these opportunities are no longer offered.

then if you can afford to pay, then why wouldn't you pay?

I wouldn't pay for a mixed ability team. Or, rather, DS wouldn't play for a mixed ability team. At Secondary you play to win, in the appropriate league, or you don't bother.

Sorry, who do you think should pay for your child to be transported to their hobbies? I think £10 is pretty reasonable. This is extra curricular stuff, and school budgets are being constantly cut. They won't have asked for this contribution without considerable forethought and discussion. Will they be able to continue to fund these activities if parental contributions are not made?

Well if your DS wouldn't play for the team then he wouldn't be asked to pay, would he?

No, he'd play for club instead.
And the school would be left saying "come to us because we pass exams and ... um" whereas the school next door would be saying "we pass exams and play sport and take part in music festivals and art competitions etc etc."

Like I say: own-goal on behalf of the school. There has to be a better way to raise the money. For example, a supermarket bag-pack is quite effective and creates team bonding, too.

"And the school would be left saying "come to us because we pass exams and ... um" whereas the school next door would be saying "we pass exams and play sport and take part in music festivals and art competitions etc etc.""

Someone has to foot the bill. Its not as if extra curricular activites are essential.

"Like I say: own-goal on behalf of the school. There has to be a better way to raise the money. For example, a supermarket bag-pack is quite effective and creates team bonding, too."

I would rather pay the £10 a term and be done with it than accost strangers for money in return for squashing the eggs. I bardly hate it when kids offer to pack my bags badly for money to pay for some poncy activity. If you want your kids to do sport, music or whatever then pay for it yourself.

If you don't want to pay the £10 then tell your kid to get a paper round.

Crikey senua you appear to think your kids are irreplaceable.

you appear to think your kids are irreplaceable.

Doesn't everyone? But, honestly, he was quite good and part of the attraction of his school was that they took his sport quite seriously. It wasn't just sport - they took a whole raft of extra-curricular stuff seriously. It was part of the reason why they were so popular and oversubscribed.

Millymollymama - the OP is in an academy though so the LA doesn't divy up their funding.

"It wasn't just sport - they took a whole raft of extra-curricular stuff seriously. It was part of the reason why they were so popular and oversubscribed."

90% of kids never get the opportunity to be in the school play, play competitive sport or represent their school because fundermentally they are not good enough. It matters little how they work because they lack the basic talent. They are never going to represent the school in a million years.

A school needs to balance the needs of the top 5% with the less able 95%. The parents of less able children have to pay the full price if they want their children to sport beyond a basic PE lesson. Ironically the unfit children need the extra free/ subsidised sport more than the really fit chidlren.

Who is a school for?

Gosh, you are a bit grumpy today ReallyTired.
I would say that 90/95% of the DC did get to represent. If not at School level then at House level. They all learned that they were useful to the unit (School or House) and valued by them for their talent, whatever it was.

God I didn't know what Ladymuck dd s school is 1600 pupils. I can see where they would take money

Dd2 competes for the school team.Training sessions off site are free but competitions we pay transport and entries. School fundraise to subsidise costs and have a sponsor but they compete nationally/internationally and can't afford to pay it all themselves.