Does your STATE school ask for a regular donation?

[TeenTimesTwo]

Prompted by some of the feedback on the what are London state schools really like.

I am wondering how commonplace it is for schools to ask for regular donations, and how much this varies by school type, area, or whatever. Part of me thinks DD's school might be missing a trick, and part of me thinks it is nice that people aren't being pressured.

So, if anyone would care to answer the following I'd be interested. The bits in are my suggestions, feel free to add any categories I've forgotten:

Type of school:

Is school part of an academy:
Type of area:

Contribution:

Your views:

My DD's school is:

Comp, non faith
Single convertor academy
Prosperous small town
£0 contribution requested

I think they should consider asking for something like 'If you feel you can afford it we would like to ask for contributions from parents, perhaps £500 if you think you may be in the top 10% of wealth in our school, £200 if you are in the 10-20%, and £20 if you are in the 20-50%'

With 1000 parents that could nett (100x£500+100x£200+300x£20)=£76k. Wow that's a lot! Perhaps I'm pitching too high.

When the parents don't pay the child gets handed an envelope with their name on to give to their parents. In that envelope is a reminder to pay the voluntary contribution. This happens each term.

That's just all shades of wrong.

One request of the type 'if it is possible please .... but if you can't or don't wish to then fine' per year is about all I think would be acceptable.

I agree Teen.

When the parents don't pay the child gets handed an envelope with their name on to give to their parents. In that envelope is a reminder to pay the voluntary contribution. This happens each term.
I'd love to know how that complies with data protection
as teachers SHOULD NOT know about the finances of parents

That is so wrong and just shows how out of touch with reality some schools become.
I would immediately on receiving such an envelope make a formal complaint to the chair of governors as to how this is being allowed to happen. It is bullying.

I suppose it's the office staff who produce the list of non-payers and stuff the envelopes Tiggy. I'd imagine the SMT and governors would have a list or how can they tell who has paid and who hasn't? There must be list of who has paid for class trips, isn't this similar?

The class teachers don't necessarily know what's in the envelopes. Although as it's been going on a whiles do some of the teachers and TAs are also parents at the school I think it's an open secret.

Tbh I was a but surprised at receiving the first "non-payment" letter. I suppose I'd assumed all the voluntary contributions would be anonymised-the school would know how much money they had but not who have it. I don't know why I thought that though.

@donquix precisely as @yvest said. Not to derail the thread but employees do pay 45% and to suggest the only way to fund public services are to increase this rate is simply picking on a small proportion of society, many of whom (not all by any means) make alot of sacrifices to enable this amount of gain. And their current higher rate is a significant proportion of the public purse.

I do think letters can put undue pressure on families that can't afford donations.

I say as a society we aim for higher wages and more people in work, to fund the quality of life we desire (excellent free education and health)

MarigoldLoveHotel. This is the post I made earlier:
There are Dept of Ed rules as to how a UK school should act in asking for donations, such as "The governing body or head teacher must make it clear to parents that there is no obligation to make any contribution". Also, "When making requests for voluntary contributions, parents must not be made to feel pressurised into paying as it is voluntary and not compulsory. Schools should avoid sending colour coded letters to parents as a reminder to make payments and direct debit or standing order mandates should not be sent to parents when requesting contributions." I complained to the Dept of Ed and got the direct debit forms posted to parents stopped."

Marigold - your school is not allowed to send reminders in this way. You can complain to the Dept of Ed, Ofsted and the EFSA. You can state that you wish to remain anonymous and they will speak to the school without using your name. In your position I'd do this, but don't tell the other parents, keep it to yourself. You'll be doing all the parents at that school a favour and the school will have to think of another way to raise funds that is within the rules.

I would immediately on receiving such an envelope make a formal complaint to the chair of governors as to how this is being allowed to happen. It is bullying.

Yup, it's bullying. You choose your battles and await your youngest child to turn 11 with this school admissions . And. Keep. Thinking. Happy. Thoughts.