School seem to think we have a money tree at the bottom of the garden!

jellyhead

supersuzie50 wrote: »

Non-uniform days cause so many problems. It has nothing about creativity as the parents compete by hiring costumes.

Do they? :eek:

Not here they don't. We all make do with what we've got, and scour the charity shops for extra bits, borrow off each other etc.

I sorted out book day for 5 friends purely from what we had in the dressing up box, and had fun hunting through charity shops with the other mums to find clothes I didn't mind cutting holes in for my son's costume.

Costumes only become a big competitive thing if that's what the mothers want. If parents don't want to buy or hire proper costumes then don't do it. Simple

claire16c

jellyhead wrote: »

Do they? :eek:

Not here they don't. We all make do with what we've got, and scour the charity shops for extra bits, borrow off each other etc.

I sorted out book day for 5 friends purely from what we had in the dressing up box, and had fun hunting through charity shops with the other mums to find clothes I didn't mind cutting holes in for my son's costume.

Costumes only become a big competitive thing if that's what the mothers want. If parents don't want to buy or hire proper costumes then don't do it. Simple

I agree. I used to look after 2 children whose parents were pretty well off, but hiring costumes- are you having a laugh? :rotfl: Their outfits came out of their dressing up clothes they already had, or random bits and pieces from their wardrobes pulled together to look like whoever they were supposed to be- Peter Pan or whoever!

POPPYOSCAR

jellyhead wrote: »

Do they? :eek:

Not here they don't. We all make do with what we've got, and scour the charity shops for extra bits, borrow off each other etc.

I sorted out book day for 5 friends purely from what we had in the dressing up box, and had fun hunting through charity shops with the other mums to find clothes I didn't mind cutting holes in for my son's costume.

Costumes only become a big competitive thing if that's what the mothers want. If parents don't want to buy or hire proper costumes then don't do it. Simple

I hired a maid outfit for my daughter once for 'Victorian Day' it was £10 and much easier than faffing about making something, which would have cost me more in the long run anyway.

I have made the book day costumes though. Daughter once went as a dalmation (took me hours to sew those spots on!!) and son went as Denace the Menace again hours of sewing black stripes on to a red jumper.

I am so glad those days are over!

jellyhead

POPPYOSCAR wrote: »

I hired a maid outfit for my daughter once for 'Victorian Day' it was £10 and much easier than faffing about making something, which would have cost me more in the long run anyway.

I have made the book day costumes though. Daughter once went as a dalmation (took me hours to sew those spots on!!) and son went as Denace the Menace again hours of sewing black stripes on to a red jumper.

I am so glad those days are over!

:rotfl: My friend sewed spots on this year

4 and 5 year olds don't need perfect costumes but I can see why you hired a victorian costume.

As for the other things ... why spend £115 on a package of photographs? It costs around £10 for a single photo - scan it in and print your own copies.

Raffle tickets - why buy more than one?

School fete donations - give them something from Poundland (a large bar of chocolate or a box of maltesers) then give your children just a pound or 2 to spend while there.

Non-uniform/charity days - it's what, a fiver per YEAR ?

Theater trips are once a year and cost a lot less than taking the whole family - usually less than the ticket for your child would be, if the PTA is subsidising the coach.

End of year trips are cheap too - people moan about paying for the coach but it generally costs less than the train fare for an adult and child would be. Last year was a trip to the seaside for just £6 :T Some of those 5 year olds had never been to the seaside, believe it or not. These trips are so special to some children whose parents don't drive, etc. and I still remember being taken to the seaside by sunday school when I was a child.

I'll admit I'm not keen on the book fayres that charge full price for softback books, but it's one of those things you can say no to, or browse then buy a book cheaper elsewhere. I've been to one today but the book will be his easter present off us. They get so many eggs from family (and one from the bunny) that I buy them a book instead. His book from the December fayre was to be his present off his big brother. The Summer one will be his birthday present off his big brother. I'm such a meanie :rotfl:

jellyhead

silvercar wrote: »

Wait until you get requests for art equipment (saying no means your child can't do art gcse), geography field trip (again saying no means they will get marked down on data collection for their gcse coursework), english literature trips to see the plays of the books they are studying. Then comes the revision notes and past exam papers sent by email, so you have to print them out at home.

Free education has gone. If you want your child to have the same chances at gcse as the other children you need to pay.

High school has been pretty much free for my eldest ... perhaps due to parents complaints? They simply don't bother with trips, not even to see the plays they are studying. They get a DVD in the classroom instead.

He didn't take art of geography ... but the materials they use in electronics seem to be free - I wonder why, when students have to pay for materials in other subjects such as art? He goes through a lot of materials because he is so shaky.

POPPYOSCAR

jellyhead wrote: »

:rotfl: My friend sewed spots on this year

4 and 5 year olds don't need perfect costumes but I can see why you hired a victorian costume.

As for the other things ... why spend £115 on a package of photographs? It costs around £10 for a single photo - scan it in and print your own copies.

Raffle tickets - why buy more than one?

School fete donations - give them something from Poundland (a large bar of chocolate or a box of maltesers) then give your children just a pound or 2 to spend while there.

Non-uniform/charity days - it's what, a fiver per YEAR ?

Theater trips are once a year and cost a lot less than taking the whole family - usually less than the ticket for your child would be, if the PTA is subsidising the coach.

End of year trips are cheap too - people moan about paying for the coach but it generally costs less than the train fare for an adult and child would be. Last year was a trip to the seaside for just £6 :T Some of those 5 year olds had never been to the seaside, believe it or not. These trips are so special to some children whose parents don't drive, etc. and I still remember being taken to the seaside by sunday school when I was a child.

I'll admit I'm not keen on the book fayres that charge full price for softback books, but it's one of those things you can say no to, or browse then buy a book cheaper elsewhere. I've been to one today but the book will be his easter present off us. They get so many eggs from family (and one from the bunny) that I buy them a book instead. His book from the December fayre was to be his present off his big brother. The Summer one will be his birthday present off his big brother. I'm such a meanie :rotfl:

Your are right about all this of course but there just seems to be so many things especially in high school.

In the last week alone I have paid £31 for prom, £22.50 for year book and £12.00 for GCSE revision day. That is £65.50. I can afford this but not everyone can.

My daughter does drama and recently had a trip to the theatre to see a play they were studying, this was over £30. It all adds up/ I always pay for her to go on these things but I feel for the children
whose parents do not for whatever reason.

Janepig

jellyhead wrote: »

:rotfl: My friend sewed spots on this year

4 and 5 year olds don't need perfect costumes but I can see why you hired a victorian costume.

As for the other things ... why spend £115 on a package of photographs? It costs around £10 for a single photo - scan it in and print your own copies.

Raffle tickets - why buy more than one?

School fete donations - give them something from Poundland (a large bar of chocolate or a box of maltesers) then give your children just a pound or 2 to spend while there.

Non-uniform/charity days - it's what, a fiver per YEAR ?

Theater trips are once a year and cost a lot less than taking the whole family - usually less than the ticket for your child would be, if the PTA is subsidising the coach.

End of year trips are cheap too - people moan about paying for the coach but it generally costs less than the train fare for an adult and child would be. Last year was a trip to the seaside for just £6 :T Some of those 5 year olds had never been to the seaside, believe it or not. These trips are so special to some children whose parents don't drive, etc. and I still remember being taken to the seaside by sunday school when I was a child.

I'll admit I'm not keen on the book fayres that charge full price for softback books, but it's one of those things you can say no to, or browse then buy a book cheaper elsewhere. I've been to one today but the book will be his easter present off us. They get so many eggs from family (and one from the bunny) that I buy them a book instead. His book from the December fayre was to be his present off his big brother. The Summer one will be his birthday present off his big brother. I'm such a meanie :rotfl:

I agree, you can make it as expensive or reasonable as you like. I bought DD/DS school photo this year, it was £18 for a pack with loads of photos in but no mounts (which I never use anyway) and they come as an extra present for the grandparents. They also took photos of DD and DS separately, but I didn't buy those.

For the Christmas fayre, DS's class were asked to donate christmassy mugs, so I got two mugs from the pound shop that had little soft toy father Christmases in them, I spent another pound on a box of hot chocolate sticks and then wrapped them in cellophane I've got in the house anyway. Looked like alot more than I'd actually paid.

They've had two book fayres since September, one Welsh and one English, but I didn't go to either!

DD is going away on her first overnight trip with the school next Thursday, which has cost £65, but we were told about that not long after she went into year 4 in September and the school were willing to let you pay in instalments. We had a letter telling us to pay the balance by the end of February, but I forgot and didn't pay until last week, but I didn't have anyone chasing me up.

I don't know whether it's because DD and DS got to such a large school so people don't know/aren't interested in each other's business like they would do in a small school, but there's never any tittle tattling about who gave what or any competitiveness or anything.

Jx

jellyhead

Poppyoscar mine has not mentioned prom or year book ... perhaps I should raid his schoolbag?

POPPYOSCAR

jellyhead wrote: »

Poppyoscar mine has not mentioned prom or year book ... perhaps I should raid his schoolbag?

I get letters brought home, sent in the post and sent by PDF in emails - it is so confusing!! Some can only be paid by parentpay some by cheque/cash(even though school supposedly cashless now).


What with her dancing and karate emails, letters and payments, I must admit I do lose track of it all at times!!

Perhaps I am just getting old!!!!!!!!

claire16c

I really find the OPs post very depressing to be honest.

Im watching Sport Relief and some kids are doing back breaking work having to make bricks from mud to make money for their families. Others cant afford to go to school let alone eat.

Yet you dont agree with where your 1 quid goes??

And then with your own children - who are lucky enough to live somewhere like the UK - when you only need to pay a few small amounts to help enhance their learning experience - not provide it, or even their FOOD, you are having a rant about it?

And Im pretty sure if you decide to send your kids to an after school club, then yes YOU need to pay for it. Who exactly do you expect to pay for your childs care?

How is decorating an egg expensive? Get some felt tips out for goodness sakes.