Charges, Voluntary Contributions & Remissions

Download Voluntary Charges and Remissions Policy

We recognise that all activities offered during normal teaching time must be made available to all children regardless of their parents’ ability or willingness to help meet the cost.

We recognise the valuable contribution that the wide range of additional activities, including clubs, educational visits and residential experiences, can make towards pupils personal and social education.

It is our intention to promote and provide such activities both as part of a broad and balanced curriculum and as additional activities.

Therefore, any activity which takes place mainly during school hours or is an essential part of the curriculum will be provided free of charge.

We are aware that we are able to ask for voluntary contributions from parents when organising educational visits which will enrich the curriculum and the educational experiences of children.

We wish to work closely with the School Council and to hear their views and opinions as we acknowledge and support Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child that children should be encouraged to form and to express their views.

We as a school community have a commitment to promote equality. Therefore, an equality impact assessment has been undertaken and we believe this policy is in line with the Equality Act 2010.

Aim

• To outline what the school can and cannot charge for.
• To outline the school policy for voluntary contributions and remissions.
• To work with other schools in order to share good practice in order to improve this policy.

Responsibility for the Policy and Procedure

Role of the Governing Body

The Governing Body has:

• delegated powers and responsibilities to the Headteacher to ensure all school personnel and visitors to the school are aware of and comply with this policy;
• responsibility for ensuring that the school complies with all equalities legislation;
• nominated a designated Equalities governor to ensure that appropriate action will be taken to deal with all prejudice related incidents or incidents which are a breach of this policy;
• responsibility for ensuring funding is in place to support this policy;
• responsibility for ensuring this policy and all policies are maintained and updated regularly;
• responsibility for ensuring all policies are made available to parents;
• the responsibility of involving the School Council in the development, approval, implementation and review of this policy;
• nominated a link governor to visit the school regularly, to liaise with the Headteacher and to report back to the Governing Body;
• responsibility for the effective implementation, monitoring and evaluation of this policy

Role of the Headteacher 

The Headteacher will:

• ensure all school personnel, pupils and parents are aware of and comply with this policy;
• work closely with the link governor and coordinator;
• provide leadership and vision in respect of equality;
• provide guidance, support and training to all staff;
• monitor the effectiveness of this policy;
• annually report to the Governing Body on the success and development of this policy

Role of the Nominated Governor

The Nominated Governor will:

• work closely with the Headteacher;
• ensure this policy and other linked policies are up to date;
• ensure that everyone connected with the school is aware of this policy;
• report to the Governing Body every term;
• annually report to the Governing Body on the success and development of this policy

Conditions when charges cannot be made

Charges cannot be made for any books, materials, instruments, equipment or transport for use in connection with education if the education is:

• within school hours;
• for the National Curriculum programme out-of-school hours;
• part of a syllabus for an agreed examination for a pupil;
• for statutory religious education;
• for musical tuition as part of the National Curriculum;
• for education provided on any educational visit during the school day;
• for education provided on any educational visit outside school hours;
• for the cost of supply teachers substituting for absent teachers on residential visits with pupils;
• for the entry to public examination which is on the prescribed list;
• examination re-sits

Charges for transport cannot be made when:

• transporting pupils to or from the school premises;
• transporting pupils to other premises where arrangements have been made for them to be educated;
• a pupil needs to sit an examination;
• an educational visit has been planned

Conditions when charges can be made

 Charges can be made when:

• a parent/carer wishes their child to own any specific materials, books, instruments or equipment;
• a pupil fails to meet any examination requirement of a syllabus;
• the school has not prepared a pupil for an examination;
• property or equipment has been damaged as a result of a pupil’s behaviour

Charging for Optional Extras

Charges may be levied for:

• optional extra activities if parents are willing to accept a charge for the costs;
• an activity that takes place outside school hours;
• any activity provided they do not exceed the actual cost of the activity;
• any materials, books, instruments, equipment or tuition fees for providing education that is not part of the National Curriculum or of a syllabus of a prescribed examination or part of religious education;
• the cost of board and lodging on a residential visit;
• transport provided for any activity;
• musical tuition that is not part of the National Curriculum 

Support for Parents/Carers

 The Governing Body will:

• support any parent/carer in paying for any activity for an individual pupil if they are experiencing financial difficulties;
• inform parents/carers that if they can prove they are on state benefits (Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance, Family Credit, Disability Working Allowance) then they will not be charged board and lodging fees for any residential visit;
• create a school fund with the assistance of the PTA that will support parent/carers who are unable to pay voluntary contributions

Voluntary Contributions 

We are aware that we can ask for voluntary contributions from parents/carers that will benefit the school or any school activity.

We will inform parent/carers:

• if planned activities depend on voluntary contributions for part or all of the cost;
• that there is no obligation on them to make voluntary contributions;
• that an educational visit or activity will be cancelled if sufficient costs are not raised via voluntary contributions;
• that no pupil will be excluded from an educational visit or activity if a parent/carer is unwilling or unable to pay;
• that a school fund created by the parents association will assist those parents who are unable to pay voluntary contributions

Remissions

We will remit any charge wholly or partly if any activity takes place:

• mostly within school hours or;
• partly within and partly outside school hours

Role of the School Council

The School Council will be involved in:

• determining this policy with the Governing Body;
• discussing improvements to this policy during the school year;
• organising surveys to gauge the thoughts of all pupils;
• reviewing the effectiveness of this policy with the Governing Body

Raising Awareness of this Policy

 We will raise awareness of this policy via:

• the school website
• the Staff Handbook
• meetings with parents such as introductory, transition, parent-teacher consultations and periodic curriculum workshops
• school events
• meetings with school personnel
• communications with home such as weekly newsletters and of end of half term newsletters
• reports such annual report to parents and Headteacher reports to the Governing Body
• information displays in the main school entrance

Training

We ensure all school personnel have equal chances of training, career development and promotion.

Periodic training will be organised for all school personnel so that they are kept up to date with new information and guide lines concerning equal opportunities.

Equality Impact Assessment

Under the Equality Act 2010 we have a duty not to discriminate against people on the basis of their age, disability, gender, gender identity, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief and sexual orientation.

This policy has been equality impact assessed and we believe that it is in line with the Equality Act 2010 as it is fair, it does not prioritise or disadvantage any pupil and it helps to promote equality at this school.

Monitoring the Effectiveness of the Policy

The practical application of this policy will be reviewed annually or when the need arises by the coordinator, the Headteacher and the nominated governor.

A statement of the policy’s effectiveness and the necessary recommendations for improvement will be presented to the Governing Body for further discussion and endorsement. (See Policy Evaluation)