School making constant demands for time and money?

tee_pee_2

i may be being nasty here so you can shoot me down in flames if you wish, but I honestly think that 1/2 the stuff the schools do to "further our childs education" is just to win league tables.

There is no way on this planet when my DD starts school I will bw paying out money left right and centre.

Also did I read it correctly that kids from parents on benefits don't pay for trips? Who does then?

Spendless

tee_pee wrote:

There is no way on this planet when my DD starts school I will bw paying out money left right and centre.

Also did I read it correctly that kids from parents on benefits don't pay for trips? Who does then?

Someone will prob explain better than I can but when son has gone on school trips the wording of the letter is something like

there will be a voluntary contribution of £x. Only if we receive enough voluntary contributions can the trip can ahead

My son is yr1 and so far only gone on 2 school trips both to free admission places and the contributiona asked for this year was around £6to cover the cost of the coaches.

my friends kids go to school in a more deprived area than mine, and she is always asked for a higher contribution for similar trips.

rammy007

[
Also did I read it correctly that kids from parents on benefits don't pay for trips? Who does then?[/QUOTE]
Yes thats true the ones who are paying are the suckers like us,my lad had only come back from a trip which had just cost us £82 when 4 weeks later he bought another trip home for £92,there is no way we can afford that so soon especially as we have got three other kids as well.

Prudent

tee_pee wrote:

i may be being nasty here so you can shoot me down in flames if you wish, but I honestly think that 1/2 the stuff the schools do to "further our childs education" is just to win league tables.

There is no way on this planet when my DD starts school I will bw paying out money left right and centre.

Also did I read it correctly that kids from parents on benefits don't pay for trips? Who does then?

This depends on the school and is very much a matter for their own discretion. There are some parents who will try unfairly to get a free trip, whilst others who genuinely can't afford are afraid to ask. Usually the teacher or head teacher will have a quiet word with the parents if children are withdrawn from a trip. Mostly places are funded by money from fund raising activities. A lot of schools subsidise trips in this way anyway.

I like the 'bank' system where parents get good advance warning and can pay in small amounts. Most people can afford a regular 60p per week.

tee_pee_2

the bank system does sound fair and like you say everyone can afford that. My OH works ft me PT and we are on the bones of our ar*** just for a change)

There seems to be an assumption that prents in employment can afford to pay for their own child and pos someone elses which is not always the case. I my DD was at school now I would be struggling to pay for her.

Careful_girl

As a teacher I totally agree with you about the amount of money requested from some schools. I have worked in a number of schools and don't do anything with money. Education is free. I will not collect or count money. I teach. My 4 year olds are taught to get their own envelope and put their name on ( I teach this, it is my job) and then they sort out their lunch money and put it in the folder for the office. I will put out a tin for trip money (1 trip per term) I refuse to charge my parents any more than £5 for a trip. We have an enrichment budget for this or PTFA funds from a few events. If a parent does not pay then I will not chase them for money. I do not know their circumstances. It can only be a voluntary contribution. I chase them for permission slips to go on trips.
I think parents need to feel able to contribute if they want to gifts but I have never given out a letter requesting donations.
I am sorry to hear that some schools act like this and suggest you make a complaint to the governors.
Just as a note I took my class out this week. We had the coach paid for by the enrichment budget. 4 children forgot packed lunches. I bought one a packet of sandwiches and shared my lunch between 2.My assistant gave a sandwich to another. I had no lunch. I then bought icecreams and ride tickets for those who had no money. They are all getting a tennis ball when they leave my class as they are really into tennis. The school is in a deprived area.
All th best,
CG:j

Zziggi

tee_pee wrote:

i may be being nasty here so you can shoot me down in flames if you wish, but I honestly think that 1/2 the stuff the schools do to "further our childs education" is just to win league tables.

The cynical side of me agrees that this is probably true to some degree. Although i'd like to think that they are genuinely done with the kids in mind.

tee_pee wrote:

There is no way on this planet when my DD starts school I will bw paying out money left right and centre.

I agree. My DS starts school this september and there is simply no way I will be paying out over every little thing. I know schools need money but they also need parental support and active interest. After attending the introductory days with DS, my DH has already been collared by the Head and asked to come in regularly to school after september as he has some specific skills they want to make use of. He is more than willing to do this on a weekly basis as it is clearly for the benefit of the children. However he has made it perfectly clear to the Head that he is providing his time and skills but the school must provide the materials. We'll see what happens. No doubt if it takes off, it'll be used when it's time for OFSTED/league tables:rolleyes: . But at least he'll have seen the kids benefit on a weekly basis and know it is not just done purely a league table.

purplepurple

so... my department gets an annual budget of just under £2500... that's to buy tools, equipment, stationary, text books, wood, metals, plastics, fabric, food etc.. I have to maintain four technology rooms, stick to Health and Safety guidelines... give pupils from yrs 7,8,9,10 and 11 the opportunity to make 3 projects a year each (about 1000 pupils)...... and still compete in the same league tables as the Grammar School less then a mile away who gets over £20,000 a year funding for the same number of pupils, the same projects, the same exam board etc etc

What would you do? I HAVE to ask for parental contributions of a quid a project (material costs probably twice that) or my department would grind to a halt... yes schools have to ask for money because the funding is just not there... the blame should not be directed at the schools, but at the politicians and other bodies who dictate what we should be teaching....

I recently had a conversation with a parent who said they wouldn't be paying for a cushion their child had made in Textiles (using materials bought and paid for from my budget... cost to dept probably £3, cost to pupil/parent £1) because the music department were going on a trip to Venice, costing £500 or so. The same parent who lastyear joked about the age of the machines we have to use (40yrs old some of them) and how the technology dept was in the dark ages....

I ask you again..... what would you do? Lets have some constructive ideas for how to run a successful school.... how would you do it?

patchwork_cat

Hi
Just ignore them. The letters will be standard letters to all kids. As far as the cheque donation is concerned maybe they have problems with cash. That was probably really meant for children who have been taught by this teacher.

I must be honest we also get a lot of requests some years more than others, but I have just become apathetic towards them like a lot of other parents at our school. We are always have a fundraising for something.

In the last 5 years our primary school have built 2 large extension, made over the infant playground and is now starting on the junior playground.

At times it has been ridiculous and being a bit short of money I haven't been able to give much money.

However our school was very behind the times with a head that had been in place for 20 years or so and had not developed the school. All this has been sorely needed for a long time, as other schools in the area have lots of equipment in playgrounds and we had none.

Penny_Watcher

purplepurple wrote:

I ask you again..... what would you do? Lets have some constructive ideas for how to run a successful school.... how would you do it?

I am in the very lucky position to be a stay at home mum by choice. My husband earns enough to cover our outgoings and my wage was not enough to make a big difference to our standard of living (and my kids HATED the childcare during the holidays).

Although we're worse off financially and can't contribute as much as the schools would like I am very fortunate to be able to offer my time to school. This usually takes the form of helping with trips out of school. This has been great fun :j In the past we've had a guided tour behind the scenes at the local cinema, around the recycling centre and also a trip to the theatre. Without the input of parents these trips probably wouldn't have gone ahead because the children would have needed to be supervised by paid staff.

This option isn't open to everyone and I know I'm really lucky, but try donating your time if you can.