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Charging & Remissions Policy

NEW INVENTION JUNIOR SCHOOL

CHARGING & REMISSIONS POLICY

The Education Reform Act 1988 states that there are no statutory requirements to charge for any form of educational activity. The principle is that of free education.

AIMS:

To identify and clarify those areas where schools may either charge or seek financial contributions from parents.

The Governing  Body of New Invention Junior School is sympathetic to the letter of the law as outlined below, but also wish to support the school in its policy of providing educational visits and having educational visitors into school.  This is seen as vital in extending the educational provision in school.

Unfortunately, the finance received by school is not sufficient to provide for this element of education.  The Governing body, therefore, have instituted a policy of requesting voluntary contributions form parents to enable such a valuable part of pupils’ education to continue.

The following are the main areas of additional activities which New Invention Junior School attempts to provide, together with our legal and moral position regarding their funding.

RESIDENTIAL VISITS – defined as – ‘One which requires the pupils taking part, to spend one or more nights away from their usual overnight accommodation’. Part vi, Chapter iii, 462 1996 Education Act.

  1. The school may charge parents for the cost incurred for board and lodgings for residential visits.
  2. The schools may only charge for travel costs and other expenses incurred if they take place outside school hours.
  3. Participation in any optional activity will be on the basis of parental choice and a willingness to meet such expenses will be on a voluntary basis (see below)
  4. Where a charge is made, it will not exceed the actual cost of providing extra activity, divided equally by the number of pupils willing to participate.
  5. The cost for residential trips can include an appropriate element for:
    – travel costs
    –  board and lodging
    –  materials, books, instruments and other equipment
    –  non-teaching staff costs
    –  both teaching and non-teaching staff board and lodging costs
    –  entrance fees to museums, castles, theatres etc.
    –  insurance

NON –RESIDENTIAL VISITS:  – trips within school time and/or visitors into school

  1. No charge will be made for visitors or non-residential activities taking place during school hours
  2. An activity is deemed to take place during school hours if 50% or more of the time occupied by that period, together with any connected travel time falls during school hours.
    School hours do not include the break in the middle of the school day.

NON-RESIDENTIAL ACTIVITIES:  –  trips outside school time (optional extras)

  1. If the visit takes place outside school hours, schools may charge parents for travel and other expenses
  2. A charge will be made for optional extras
  3. Participation in any optional activity will be on the basis of parental choice and a willingness to meet such expenses will be on a voluntary contribution basis (see below)
  4. Where a charge is made, it will not exceed the actual cost of providing the optional extra activity, divided equally by the number of pupils willing to participate. Nor in cases where a small proportion of the activity takes place during school hours, may it include the cost of alternative provision for those pupils who do not wish to participate.
  5. The cost can include:
    – travel costs
    –  materials, books, instruments and other equipment
    –  non-teaching staff costs
    –  insurance costs

PRACTICAL SUBJECTS:

Practical subjects such as sewing and baking require substantial levels of consumable resources.

Parents may be charged for or required to supply ingredients and materials if they have indicated in advance a wish to own the finished product.

TUITION IN THE PLAYING OF A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT:

  1. A charge may be made in respect of individual tuition in playing any musical instrument, even if such tuition takes place during school hours, except where it is provided to fulfil the requirements for a syllabus for a prescribed public examination or the requirements of the National Curriculum, when it must be provided free.
  2. Schools will charge individual parents for any hire charges incurred.
  3. Where there is a charge to be made for musical tuition or the hire of instruments, parental consent will be obtained before a pupil is given that tuition.

TRANSPORT:

No charge shall be made in respect of transport provided during school hours by the school or the LEA where transport is incidental to a pupils education.  A charge will be made for any transport incidental to an optional extra activity.

VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS:

  1. Voluntary contributions may be sought from parents for any school activity.
  2. Any request for a voluntary contribution will make clear:
    – that there is no obligation to contribute
    – that pupils will be treated equally, regardless of any contribution received
    – the contribution per pupil which is required in order that the activity takes place
    –  the implication of possibly cancelling the visit or activity if sufficient contributions are not
  3. Where major expense is involved or when deposits have to be paid by the school to secure future activities or events, a deposit may be requested from parents. This should be in the region of 10% of the total cost.  This will only be refunded to parents if the school or relevant outside agency decided to cancel the event.