oops i think i have unwittingly started a war with dd's school

[cremolafoam]

i have certainly stirred some proverbial!

go on then cremola..what have you been up to?

...............and..............

the school sent us the annual bill in October
it reads:
Science and Home Ec. Materials £10
Other materials: £36
School Magazine £6.00

so we paid for the science and other materials (£46) , but thought well we are not really going to read the school magazine ( which last year had pages of photos of sports teams, none of which dd are in) so lets not pay for that-
save a bit of the ever dwindling cash on something that will go straight i the recycling not to mention the cutting down of trees etc etc

Nasty letter from bursar this morning demanding the £6
ihave just phoned the school to be told by 'the secretary' that the purchase of The Magazine is COMPULSORY! (hA!!!)
I told her that I didn't wat to buy it thankyou.
She says THE BURSAR will contact me by phone directly.

Oh arse

how odd.
surely they can't make you buy something you don't want?

troublemaker

hyave you signed A Contract of any kind? stick to your guns - £6? i owuld expect an exclusive with gordon brown for that kind of dosh

cremola - is this an independent school, surely the school magazine is covered in the general fees?

well that was a bit awful
the bursar phoned and started into a 'set piece' about the school fees being very low and that the governers had decided 16 years ago that the magazine would be a compulsory purchase for all parents.
i stuck to my guns and said it was ridiculous sending me something that would end up in the recycling and would cost me £6
i also said it would be fairer to actually ask parents if they wanted to buy it instead of presuming and charging them anyway.
he didn't take the point but kept saying that it was a prerequisite for parents who sent their child to this school, that all the fees were compulsory.
Feel like I have been in a welter weight fight with a moron

I would stick to my guns and not pay it!!

well i asked what would happen if I didn't pay it and he was very unforthcoming.he said if a child attended the school the bill was mandatory and it was a condition of admission that it should be paid.
I then asked him waht would happen next if I chose not to pay it-would dd be expelled- but i couldn't draw him out.
i siad i would be writing to the governers and may have to seek legal advice-which was a bit strong but i am feeling very principaled today.

FFS

Surely glossy brochures should be included in the fees as self-hyping puff?! Ds's school ones are.

Do you have the paperwork anywhere stating that it is compulsory? Otherwise I wouldn't have thought they could enforce it unless you have signed something agreeing to pay it.

I've always given the school mags back. Absolute load of old wank. I also don't buy the special drinking bottles that are part of the school kit and (as far as I know) am the only parent to rebel.

I think I must either look rough as a welders bench or really broke. When I went to the school uniform shop for the first time, I was immediately directed to the second-hand box. It's a talent.

Fgs for £6 - just pay it! Do you reallly have nothing more important to worry about?

Stick to your guns cremola, thats the most stupid thing I've heard of, or tell them you can't afford it and you'll pay them 10p a week

I bet you find that one of the school govs runs a printing business.

Don't give in! Ridiculous that they are demanding this and as far as I know school fund type things can only ever be voluntary. Stick to your guns!

So, the bursar is prepared to lose a pupil and associated fees for future years over £6. I don't think so somehow.

I can't believe that in 16 years they haven't thought to absorb £6 in the £13,000 that I'm guessing the fees are. It would cut down on admin if nothing else. How bizarre. Sounds like they need a wake up call.

Actually I can't believe they charge seperately for science/cookery equipment? do you have to bring your own eggs???

I once demanded DD's school refund me £3 for afterschool clubs, DD had only been given half a term of said club was oversubscribed but they charged me for the full term.

I got it too.

yes she brings in her own eggs and other ingredients.
it is not a private school- just an ordinary grammar. i will go with the theory that the school mag is printed by one of the governers companies. dh says he will not pay.
the bursar nade some very impertinent comments about our income and our ability to pay. he thinks we chose the school as it is perceived as being inexpensive compared with other schools in the area.
fucking accountant!. it never occured to him that i might have chosen the school on any number of criteria-like- oh- that dd wanted to go there, it has a good reputation,it is near us, I liked the teachers, etcetcetc
Duh! no i chose it cos the fees were 'cheap' and if i don't like it dd can fuck off

RANT ALERT!

ordinary grammars don't charge though, only private schools charge fees surely?

not that that has anything to do with their ridiculous demands for money, I hasten to add!

Sounds like an unreasonable charge to me.

I do not understand how it can be a state grammar that is fee paying though.

Are you in the UK OP? Also confused by paying grammar thing...