Nursery 'educational supplement' payments

apesxx

the nursery my DS starts at in september asks for 50p a week to help cover the cost of materials. £420 a term seems awfully steep. i would be wanting to know exactly what this covers before i even consider paying it.

apesxx

madison-nyc wrote: »

wow , my kids go to a church school and i would be shocked if we were asked to pay such a large amount! the fact that they are a church school means that they get more money from the church to maintain the school etc. doesn't it? mine does so school trips are subsidised etc. It costs enough for all the trips , raffles , charity auctions , cake days , bottle days etc. not a week goes by without me sending in a couple of pounds for this that and the other.

my dd's primary school is exactly the same as this too, there isnt a week goes by that a letter doesnt come home asking for money or donations for this or that, and usually the most expensive stuff comes a week before payday when i am completely skint!

thegirlintheattic

madison-nyc wrote: »

wow , my kids go to a church school and i would be shocked if we were asked to pay such a large amount! the fact that they are a church school means that they get more money from the church to maintain the school etc. doesn't it? mine does so school trips are subsidised etc. It costs enough for all the trips , raffles , charity auctions , cake days , bottle days etc. not a week goes by without me sending in a couple of pounds for this that and the other. How can a state school ask for 'fees' may aswell make it a private school , very naughty as a lot of parents will just pay it to save face.

Is your DCs school voluntary aided?

Most voluntary aided schools ask for some kind of parental contribution, often a maintenance grant. They don't get more money than other schools but have less money from the government and the church is mean to pay the rest. Therefore the church (through the school) often ask for a contribution to costs. My school asked for £150 a year; my cousins school asked for £75. You didn't have to pay but most did.

susancs

ringo_24601 wrote: »

Nope, Hertfordshire

OP, as you are in Herfordshire the following applies to the 15 hours free Nursery entitlement (taken from Herts Early years handbook pg 14)
http://www.hertsdirect.org/infobase/docs/pdfstore/eyhandbook2011.pdf

9.8 What providers can charge for

The Free Place Entitlement cannot be subject to conditions such as additional charges or the requirement to purchase additional provision. Parents should also not be required to pay up front and be refunded at a later date.

[FONT=Courier New,Courier New][FONT=Courier New,Courier New]o [/FONT][/FONT]Providers may make reasonable charges for specialist services such as foreign language lessons or music lessons.
[FONT=Courier New,Courier New][FONT=Courier New,Courier New]o [/FONT][/FONT]Parents may be asked for a voluntary contribution but these must be entirely voluntary and parents who are unable or unwilling to pay should not be penalised.
[FONT=Courier New,Courier New][FONT=Courier New,Courier New]o [/FONT][/FONT]Parents can be charged for meals as long as they are given the option to provide a packed lunch.
[FONT=Courier New,Courier New][FONT=Courier New,Courier New]o [/FONT][/FONT]Uniforms can be charged for as long as the uniform is not compulsory
[FONT=Courier New,Courier New][FONT=Courier New,Courier New]o [/FONT][/FONT]Parents should be charged for any additional hours they choose in excess of the Free Place Entitlement

9.9 What Providers cannot charge for
[FONT=Courier New,Courier New][FONT=Courier New,Courier New]o [/FONT][/FONT]Providers cannot charge parents for any part of the Free Place Entitlement
[FONT=Courier New,Courier New][FONT=Courier New,Courier New]o [/FONT][/FONT]Providers cannot charge ‘Top up fees’
[FONT=Courier New,Courier New][FONT=Courier New,Courier New]o [/FONT][/FONT]Invoices for additional services must not show the flexible entitlement as having a monetary value or being a subsidy. It must be shown as being a free part time place.

dizsiebubba

OH went to catholic school and they were asked to pay £250 a term at primary and £1,000 a term at secondary...

I went to normal state school and they asked for £50 a term at both