£50 a month parental contribution for schooling

[noblegiraffe]

Apparently £50 per month is what some schools are asking parents to contribute to school funds.

How much does your school ask for, and do you actually pay it? Do you know if it goes into general coffers or is it for the PTA to buy ‘extras’?

And does the school ask you to pay for textbooks?

Just being nosy, really. My school doesn’t ask for anything, neither does my DCs’ primary (outside of PTA cake sales etc) so I have no idea how common this is.

I stand with a foot in each camp. I have been that parent paying to a state school and I have paid for an indie. There is no comparison, of course not.

But the most important point is that most state schools are asking for money per month just to keep their heads above water, not for better facilities.

My old state school asking for funds for paying the bills and buying stationery/textbooks was not bettering its facilities. Those were basics. It was barely coping.

Our DC1's secondary (super-selective) suggested a monthly payment of £30 which we dutifully paid until Year 12 (so £1.5K in total). We only stopped because it was in part to pay for the brightest to do four (or more) A Levels which our DC isn't doing.

DC1's school looks very shoddy around the edges for all that it's excellent. The monthly voluntary contribution money goes to enrich the pupils' education. The PTA also makes a very tidy sum which goes towards things like a new school coach, DT equipment, cameras etc...All necessary to the curriculum but not really 'nice little extras'. When I compare DC1's 'computer room' compared with some of the state of the art ones in the local comps, there is clearly some type of mismatch...

DC2's school asked for an annual contribution of £25. Mind you, that could be because they don't seem to do the same type of enrichment activities that DC1's school does. Maybe they just offer pupils an education 'within their means' rather that one that goes that bit beyond?

By ‘better facilities than it would otherwise have’ I’m not saying that the facilities would be great, or even good, just that the school would be improved by the money compared to if the money was not paid.

Obviously if a school is being funded £4600 per pupil, then taking that to £5100 (and I doubt many parents would pay full whack so in reality it would be lower) isn’t going to transform it to private school level facilities or give teachers a massive pay rise. Average private school fees are about £14,000.

Secondary state schools cannot provide what is needed for each child for £4,600 per year. I know I saw it first hand. At indie I have paid well over £14,000 per child pa and I cannot see how state schools are expected to do it for a third of that. Another £500/600 per year from parents is very helpful but it is unfair system where some parents are paying their state school and some are not. There is no good regulation of such voluntary contributions and, as I saw, it could sometimes be used for purposes parents had not intended it for and which were not related to the children's education. A state education system which is adequately funded with no voluntary contributions from parents must be preferable. A dream at the moment, but definitely preferable to the mess we currently have.

DD's grammar asks for £50 per year and doesn't chase as far as I'm aware
They do guilt you a bit by comparing to other local state schools (including other grammars) who ask for £50 per month

I was offered a place at a primary school that asked for a four figure annual 'voluntary' contribution. The letter made it clear that it wasn't really voluntary. I didn't take up the place.

And whilst DD’s school struggle for funds etc, there is one school near us who begged Parents repeatedly for years for funds and it turns out they never spent it and now have a fund of £1.4m. ????

Previous school asked for £10 per month. Current school fees are around £13k pa. Previous school had textbooks but I now teach in better facilities (i.e. temperatures in classrooms meet the legal requirements every day), with a wider range of subjects, more extra curricular activities and smaller class sizes. I didn't want leave the state sector but couldn't mentally cope with knowing I was delivering a substandard education every day.

Our secondary asked for £90 voluntary donation which I paid. Then we pay £2.50 when they do cooking each week for a term, also £12 each for an art kit and a textiles kit.

On top of that I have paid £60 for day / theatre trips, £300 for a residential and £800 for next winter's ski trip.

Then the vast amount that seems to be spent in the canteen.

£870 a year for the school bus....

Free education , just very lucky we can afford it.

PettsWoodParadise. I've heard the same rumour about the £1.4m. Is that the school that were asking year 12s to leave if they were scoring Bs but then had to climb down when the parents threatened legal action?

My dd is about to start secondary, super selective, and we've been asked for £65 per month minimum.

Gosh, £780 per annum. I hope the school stated they were asking for a "voluntary" donation. They are also required to state in the request that you do not have to pay. I'd wait until your DD is at the school in September. If its similar to our grammar school you will find that many parents do not pay it before their child starts. It's a good time for the school to grab you though, in the summer before starting, whilst you're still happy about gaining a super selective place.

I work at an outstanding comp. lots of support staff were made redundant about a year ago. Class sizes are going up and teachers are not being replaced as they leave (not that any apply when we advertise) so teachers are having to teach outside specialism. We can't do any More photocopying this year as budget is gone. Also out of exercise books and kids who finish are having to write on scrap paper... maybe we need to ask parents for money

@Astronotus yes spot on. It isn’t a rumour about the £1.4m unspent it has been verified as accurate. olavesunofficialnews.wordpress.com/2018/01/25/voluntary-fund-bombshell-school-has-over-1-4m-in-the-bank-unspent/

Wow that's outrageous @PettsWoodParadise....

Thank you PettsWoodFiona. I would urge everyone to read the link you posted. I know of this school and some of the names mentioned within the link. They have a high proportion of wealthier parents, although not necessarily smarter parents! Feels like you're reading a novel, only this one is not fiction.

Highlights: They cut Spanish and Drama lessons and yet had 1.4m in voluntary donations from parents in the bank, plus another £1m in reserves. The emails show they told their PTA they did not have funding for 30 lessons of Computer teaching. The school stated they were going to be running a £100k deficit for the first time - why? They increased the School Business Manager's salary from advertised £56k to £100k. Why? They evicted the poor Scouts from the hut on school land - just plain mean.

This school is not a good example of a school struggling to work with a very tight budget. The head has been pushed out now but not for financial reasons. How much was he paid off? The Diocese of Rochester, who are Governors, have a lot to answer for - where was the financial oversight and correct governance? I see they have three vacancies for Governors at present. I'm not surprised.

Our grammar did not have sound financial management, nearly no money and badgered us for large donations. The Dept of Ed really needs to get its act together on requiring schools to be completely transparent on demanding voluntary donations from parents and what they will and are used for. The school in PWF's link had lots of money and yet is the same reason the Dept of Ed needs to act. Parents should be protected from manipulation.

Greathat. I read your post with sadness. Your school's struggle is much more familiar to state school parents. It's happening all over the country.

I am overall surprised that not more parents are aware of the budgetary pressure that schools are under with the new funding formula coming in and cuts being made to their budget year after year after year.

I am on principle against parents funding schools directly but the government we have elected is making massive, drastic cuts to education. There is a reason why schools ask for parental contribution and it's not greed, not mismanagement, it's 'austerity measures'. Looks to me like it's the elephant in the room for this entire thread to be honest.

Can I add, I contribute to my children's school PTA (charity) through my work payroll giving scheme - it's tax efficient because effectively the school/charity recover the tax instead of it going to HMRC. It's really easy to set and lots of big organisations offer it as a scheme 'charitable/payroll giving'. I like the idea of my school getting money that would otherwise have gone to the taxman !!

I like the idea of my school getting money that would otherwise have gone to the taxman

What a daft thing to say! How do you think education, health, social services and everything else is funded? By the taxes that you want to avoid paying because you'd rather the money went to your PTA to buy nice extras!

Fuck off would they be getting £50 a month. What if you have like 3 children, that's £150 a month.

My DCs go to a Catholic School and we are asked to contribute 320 per term for the 'building fund'. Entirely voluntary though and you aren't chased if you don't pay it.

Gosh sorry that was supposed to be £20 not 320! I'd have a fit if I was asked for £320 per term

£15 a month plus other bits and bobs.
Don't begrudge a penny of it - they do an amazing job.

DS1's grammar school promotes donations to their 'Annual Fund' frequently. It's mentioned in most newsletters and we get glossy fliers with details posted out every couple of months - plus verbal reminders at school events.

As pushy as they are, their suggested donation is £10 a month. And it is in no way compulsory (I've never donated as I've been well below the poverty line, no one has said anything to me about it). I do know that some parents and alumni donate a lot more than £10 a month.