Charging Policy

 KILDWICK CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Learning to Live, Living to Love, Loving to Learn

School Charging Policy

Introduction

The Governors of the school have agreed the Charging Policy be adopted in accordance with DES Circular 2/89 on charging provisions of the Education Reform Act which came into being on 1^st April 1989.  This states that no LA or Governing Body may charge for any activity that takes place in school times, with the exception of instrumental tuition, before or after school clubs run by outside organisations and costs incurred for the teaching of swimming (transport/insurance/specialist instructor) or public examinations not prescribed by the LA or the Secretary of State.

Voluntary contributions

The Circular also states that although charging is forbidden for the school-time activities, there may be occasions when the school wishes to enhance national Curriculum delivery by organising educational visits.  When organising such events the school invites parents to contribute towards the cost of the event.  All contributions are voluntary.  If we do not receive sufficient voluntary contributions, we may cancel an event.  No pupil will be excluded from such activities because parents are unable to contribute towards the cost. 

If a parent wishes their child to take part in a school activity, but is unwilling or unable to make a voluntary contribution, we do allow the child to participate fully in the activity.  Sometimes the school pays additional costs from the voluntary school funds and PTA accounts in order to support the activities and events.  This will depend on the amount of funds in the account at the time.  Parents have a right to know how an activity is funded.  The school will provide this information on request.

If parents wish to pay in advance or pay in instalments, then a Parent Pay service will be implemented with a reducing balance.

Payment for an activity must be complete, where possible, six weeks before a visit is due, to allow decisions to be made on whether the visit should be cancelled due to lack of contributions.  This will not apply to swimming lessons.

All school visits or activities administered by the school can be paid online via ParentPay.

The following is a list of additional activities organised by the school, which require voluntary contributions from parents.  This list is not exhaustive:

• Visits to museums
• Sporting activities which require transport expenses
• Outdoor adventurous activities
• Residential visits
• Theatre visits
• Musical events
• ‘experts’ in school eg sporting, arts, etc

Music tuition

All children study music as part of the National Curriculum.  We do not charge for this.

There is a charge for instrumental tuition if this is not part of the National Curriculum.  The peripatetic music teachers teach individual or small group lessons.  The Local Authority or individual teacher makes a charge for these lessons.

The school also has arrangements with outside sports clubs where a payment is paid direct to the organisation.

Fixed charges may be waived in individual cases where the Headteacher is aware of hardship that would prevent a pupil taking part in an activity which is of benefit to that pupil. In these circumstances the Pupil Premium / School Sports Funding will be used to cover costs.

Lettings  

Please see separate policy