Date accepted by Governors: Autumn 2019
Review Date: Autumn 2022
Education in a maintained school is free as are the vast majority of exciting day to day learning experiences for children. We want to provide additional opportunities for children to enrich and extend their learning, which have additional costs which we ask parents to make a voluntary contribution towards, without these contributions optional extras will not take place. In addition to this there may be experiences that parents want us to provide for children where specific costs are involved; parents are expected to meet the cost of these activities. Any cost is calculated to the exact cost of the activity, no profit will be made on an activity. If a child damages school or another child’s property parents are liable for these costs.
The Governing Body reserves the right to make a charge for:
a) Residential visits to cover the cost of transportation, lodging, insurance and non-national curriculum activities.
b) Trips - Costs for travel, insurance, entrance or non national curriculum activity.
c) Swimming – parents make a half=termly contribution to the running costs of the pool.
d) Milk is available to purchase e) Before or after school childcare.
f) Holiday childcare
g) Music lessons - costs for teachers, books or instruments for 1:1, small group lessons that are not part of the National Curriculum.
h) Clubs - costs for resources that are needed for the specific club by specific children, e.g. cooking Costs for specialist provider who runs the club.
i) Visiting Groups - From time to time various theatre groups, musicians and speakers are invited into school and there may be the need to ask parents for a contribution to offset costs.
j) Cycling Proficiency - through the County, we are able to offer the older children the opportunity to undertake a course of playground cycling and/or road cycling proficiency, and this now requires payment in advance to the County.
k) School Photographs - each year individual and family photographs of the children are taken in the Autumn Term and made available for sale to parents. In the Summer Term, class photographs are taken.
l) The Freedom of Information Act 2000 took full effect on January 1st 2005, establishing a general right of access to information held by all public authorities, including maintained schools. Ash Grange School has discretion to charge applicants a fee in accordance with the Fees Regulations. Photocopying 20p for an A4 sheet. Postage the amount required to post any information.
The school reserves the right to charge the full cost of any breakages or damage to school property e.g. a window, or to school equipment including books.
New opportunities may be added to this throughout the year, details of costs are given to parents through letters, newsletters or the website
Where parents are in receipt of income support or family credit or suffer any other financial hardship, the school will make every effort to offer partial financial support. Information on how to access funds from local and school charities and other sources of funding will be shared so that parents know how to access these funds. It is the intention of the Governing Body that no child should be prevented from taking part in a school organised educational visit purely on financial grounds.
Voluntary contributions are sought for additional activities within school hours that enhance the curriculum and which are important for the teaching and learning. The terms of any request for contributions must make it clear:
a) that there is no obligation to contribute; and
b) that registered pupils at a school will not be treated differently according to whether or not their parents have made any contribution in response to the request.
There is no limit to the level of voluntary contributions which parents or others can make to school activities, nor is there any restriction placed on the use which can be made of such contributions, provided they are used for the purpose specified in the request for them.
Parents are asked to indicate their willingness to make a voluntary contribution for a given activity/event. If such contributions are sufficient to enable a firm booking to be made, then the activity/event goes ahead; otherwise it may need to be cancelled.
The school is careful to avoid making constant demands for money but the parental contribution is vital to the event taking place.
This policy is available to parents/carers so that they are informed of school practice.
All financial decisions will be made upon an equal opportunities basis, seeking best value for children in every instance.