Charging Policy
Hunsbury Primary School
Charging Policy
Charging Policy
1
1.1
Introduction
We do not charge for any activity undertaken as part of the National Curriculum.
2
2.1
Voluntary contributions
When organising school trips or visits to enrich the curriculum and the educational experience of the children, the school invites parents to contribute to the cost. All contributions are voluntary. If we do not receive sufficient voluntary contributions, we may cancel a trip. If a trip goes ahead, it may include children whose parents have not paid any contribution. We do not treat these children differently from any others. If a parent wishes their child to take part in a school trip or event, but is unwilling or unable to make a voluntary contribution, we do allow the child to participate fully in the trip or activity. Parents have a right to know how each trip is funded, and the school provides this information on request. Sometimes the school pays additional costs in order to support the visit. The following is a list of additional activities, organised by the school, which require voluntary contributions from parents. These activities are known as 'optional extras'. This list is not exhaustive: Visits to museums and galleries; Sporting activities which require transport expenses; Outdoor adventure activities; Visits to or by a theatre company; Musical events. Artists in residence Life Bus Super Learners Events Visiting poets and authors Snack System in Foundation Stage and Key Stage One.
2.2
2.3
3
3.1
Residential visits
If the school organises a residential visit in school time, we do make a charge to cover the costs of board and lodging, travel expenses, theatre tickets, venue entry although parents who receive state benefits are exempt from this charge. School residential visits are an optional extra rather than part of our teaching of the National Curriculum. Wherever possible the school will attempt to cover the additional costs from a specific hardship fund set aside for this purpose. If we cannot raise sufficient funding the visit may have to be cancelled. Any trip which is an addition to rather than part of, the National Curriculum charges to cover the cost are required in order for pupils to be able to participate unless the parent/carer proves they are in receipt of specific state benefits. If we cannot raise sufficient funding, or cover the shortfall for those deemed unable to pay through the hardship fund, the visit may have to be cancelled
4
4.1 4.2
Music tuition
All children study music as part of the normal school curriculum. We do not charge for this. There is a charge for individual or small-group music tuition from the peripatetic Music Service, since this is an additional curriculum activity, and not part of the National Curriculum. These individual or small-group lessons are taught by peripatetic specialist music teachers. We make a charge for these lessons, but parents in receipt of state benefits are exempt from payment. Disadvantage Subsidy Funding may support some of the pupils identified by our Family Worker/Learning Mentor. We give parents information about additional music tuition at the start of each academic year. Parents who repeatedly fail to pay for their childs peripatetic music tuition will be asked to settle their account or their childs tuition will be stopped and offered to another pupil on the waiting list.
5
5.1
Swimming
The school organises swimming lessons for some of the children in Key Stage 2. These take place in school time and are part of the National Curriculum. We make no charge for this activity, but we sometimes ask for a voluntary contribution from parents to cover the cost of transport. We inform parents when these lessons are to take place, and we seek the parents' written permission for their children to take part.
6
6.1
Extra-Curricular Clubs/ Coaching
The school offers additional coaching and extra curricular activities before school, at lunchtime and after school. Clubs organised by the school staff invite contributions for resources only. Qualified coaches, Dance and Drama Teachers, French Assistants and Language Teachers who are not members of the school staff, run and organise many other sessions. They make charges for these sessions. These charges are passed directly on to the pupils. Disadvantage Subsidy Funding may support some of the pupils identified by our Family Worker/Learning Mentor.
7
7.1
School minibus
We invite contributions for the upkeep of our DSP minibus. We normally charge if children are transported in the minibus to an extra-curricular activity. However, we use these charges only to cover the expenses of the trip, and not to make a profit.
8
8.1
Snacks4U
In Key Stage Two pupils opt into a half-termly payment scheme for a Healthy School Snack Shop. This system was set up following a full consultation with parents.
9
9.1
Hardship Fund
In order to afford to subsidise activities where parents have not contributed sufficient monies and to assist pupils whose parents are in receipt of:
Income Support (IS) Income Based Jobseekers Allowance (IBJSA) Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
Child Tax Credit, provided that they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income, assessed by Her Majestys Revenue and Customs, that does not exceed 16,040 for the year 2009-10 The guarantee element of State Pension Credit; and th An income related employment and support allowance that was introduced on 27 October 2008
The school has set up a Hardship Fund resourced by income received from letting the premises to extra- curricular club providers.
10
10.1
Monitoring and review
This policy is monitored by the governing body, and will be reviewed annually.
Signed: Alastair Brenan Date approved by the Governing Body: 22nd May 2012 Date of Review: May 2013
