Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Choking on costs fo sxith form education

127 replies

Piggywaspushed · 07/09/2017 17:31

So DS1 has come home from college today with a book list. Books are marked essential or recommended.

The essential books alone amount to £150 just for year 1!!

I teach English and we do always ask students to buy set texts so they can annotate them - but his list includes £35 text books. This is in addition to the £180 per term bus fares.

Is this in line with everyone's experiences of a 21st century education?

OP posts:
LoniceraJaponica · 07/09/2017 17:37

No. I think it depends on the subject.

DD is doing biology, chemistry and geography. The school have provided the science books, but I bough the geography book. She did AS psychology, and the school provided her with a textbook for that, but I had to pay a returnable deposit for it.

Schools nowadays just don't have the funds to provide all the textbooks students require - and it will get worse at university.

Laniakea · 07/09/2017 17:46

yes :( It is eye watering.

We're only managing because my lovely MIL gave us £200 towards books & stuff. So far we've had:

£1000 a term on bus - private bus as we're out of catchment & there is no public transport.
£350 a term railcard - to get her from home to the bus pick up point.
Biology - books = £40 + £15 lab book
Physics - books = £65
Chemistry - books = £15 + £15 lab book, but I haven't ordered the text book yet (that'll be about £30)

The books are only for year one & we've also been provided with a long list of revision books but I'm not buying any of that yet. Change in spec etc means that there's not much around second hand yet.

She could have moved to the local (walk-able) grammar school for 6th form - it is excellent & I begged her to consider it. We would have saved about £9000 over two years which would then go towards university and driving lessons. As it is she wouldn't move & will be working in her gap year & not having driving lessons as a result.

Bobbins43 · 07/09/2017 17:49

I'm doing a distance learning course for a year at university. It's £2500 fees and 6 of the essential books (not all of them) come to almost £100.

Laniakea · 07/09/2017 17:50

The train pass doubled in price when she turned 16 & there are no discounts available despite her being under 18, in full time education & travelling to school

woodhill · 07/09/2017 17:56

Could you look on eBay for Books?

Stickerrocks · 07/09/2017 17:58

I've looked on the cover of one of my books from 1987 - £19.95. £35 is probably keeping pace with inflation.

Ta1kinPeece · 07/09/2017 17:58

Does the school / college have a second hand books shop / swap system?
Could he ask on FB if any A2s will sell him their books cheap?
Have you checked your local Oxfam bookshop?

Its the way of it now.
Austerity has cut education to the core
(other than the salaries of unaccountable Academy SLT)

DCs college always expects them to buy their own books
and the bus pass is £670 this year

YellowPrimula · 07/09/2017 18:00

Has she got a Railcard ?

It does seem ridiculous that they have to be in education until 18 but they then make it prohibitively expensive

ILostItInTheEarlyNineties · 07/09/2017 18:06

I'm choking too! It's adding up to a lot.
I actually think the bus pass should be funded as it's now law to remain in education until 18. Nothing is provided in my son's 6th form, not even lined paper.

There are discretionary grants available but it appears you need to be on full benefits (income support) to be eligible. Low income families will don't seem to be considered.

Original poster
Piggywaspushed · 07/09/2017 18:06

I do know about education cuts (being a teacher) and we can afford these books... I don't think they'll be on Ebay as they are for all the new specs.

I don't rely on the students having text books (or use one myself to teach) but guess it is different for some subjects.

I do know it is the way of the world but it's crazy money! The college wants a textbook and tow other books besides for two of the subjects! The set texts for MFL I was expecting but not the £35 textbooks!

It's not so much the place wanting the students to have books,as the cost of the books themselves! Wowzer!

It's a he by the way and £180 it's the cost of a one term students 'saver' travel pass...

OP posts:
BarbaraofSevillle · 07/09/2017 18:06

£180 a term bus fees just sounds like the normal cost of using the bus. But can you get the books second hand/cheaper on Amazon etc?

Original poster
Piggywaspushed · 07/09/2017 18:09

To be fair, I give my students exercise books but I do generally expect sixth formers to have paper.

I genuinely feel for those on low incomes who don't get bursaries or grants.

I don't think the official government line is that students should provide their own books but since they live in a parallel universe, what would they know?

OP posts:
Original poster
Piggywaspushed · 07/09/2017 18:11

Yes, the 'student saver' bus is a trick . Basically, it allows them to travel at weekends, half term and several times a day and that's how they calculate is to be value for money. if you use it just twice a day in term time and not at weekends, it works out £1.80 cheaper than not having one!

OP posts:
Original poster
Piggywaspushed · 07/09/2017 18:12

Barbara the £150 is what the college has researched the cost as being. Some of the books are cheaper on Amazon; some are dearer!

Can't get them second hand because they are all brand new (reformed A level specs...)

OP posts:
Original poster
Piggywaspushed · 07/09/2017 18:17

Can I also apologise for the typos in my title? Obviously choking affected my typing...

OP posts:
Ta1kinPeece · 07/09/2017 18:26

Can't get them second hand because they are all brand new (reformed A level specs...)
Sadly then you have to think long term ....
THey will cost a lot now but you'll get a load back when you sell them next year

LoniceraJaponica · 07/09/2017 18:28

"Could you look on eBay for Books?"
"But can you get the books second hand/cheaper on Amazon etc?"

The books may well be out of date. The syllabus for many A levels has changed and it would be a false economy to buy the wrong book.

Re bus/train fares. Don't the local councils do some kind of young person's/student card to get discount fares?

DD has a 16-18 South Yorkshire travel pass which gets her cheap fares on buses, trams and trains. She also has a 16-25 rail card as we are doing some uni open days by train.

Original poster
Piggywaspushed · 07/09/2017 18:29

Guess that is true!!

OP posts:
Original poster
Piggywaspushed · 07/09/2017 18:29

Sorry that was to peece!

OP posts:
Original poster
Piggywaspushed · 07/09/2017 18:30

lonicera£180 is the alleged discounted rate...

OP posts:
Ta1kinPeece · 07/09/2017 18:34

Don't the local councils do some kind of young person's/student card to get discount fares?
Never heard of that down south .... only OAPs get cheap travel round here

ILostItInTheEarlyNineties · 07/09/2017 18:48

My son is attending the 6th form of his secondary school so can continue using the (previously free school bus). Unfortunately it's £430 per year for 6th formers. No discount here. Sad

LoniceraJaponica · 07/09/2017 18:54

DD uses the previously free school bus and pays 80p per journey (£8.00 per week - £312.00 per year)

poisonedbypen · 07/09/2017 19:04

I've just spent over £100 on books & £60 on a special calculator. I managed to get one book second hand on Amazon but 2 of the subjects are new syllabuses. £600 for the bus.

Original poster
Piggywaspushed · 07/09/2017 19:09

It is slightly galling that DS couldn't go to his own school because of subject combinations. he would have been able to get there free!

OP posts: