POLICY ON:  Charging

PRINCIPLES:
We are committed to free school education for all.

We Aim to:
• Ensure that education in school is free.
• Ensure that activities offered wholly or mainly during normal school teaching time should be available to all pupils regardless of their parents/carers’ ability or willingness to help meet the cost.
• Ensure that there is no statutory requirement to charge for any form of education but the school has the discretion to charge for optional activities provided wholly or mainly out of school hours.
• Ensure that the school has the right to invite voluntary contributions for the benefit of the school or in support of activities organised by the school, whether during or outside school hours.
• Ensure that the school has a right to request reimbursement of the repair or replacement cost of doors, windows, books etc when damage wilfully – or contribution towards same.

PRACTICE:
With the aforementioned aims in mind, it is the Policy of this school:

• To continue to request voluntary contributions from parents/carers towards activities organised by the school during school hours.
• The Governors of this school are willing to support the funding of some activities.  Subsidies may be available for children whose parents/carers are unwilling or unable to make voluntary contributions.
• If insufficient voluntary contributions are forthcoming for an activity and insufficient subsidies available, then the activity will be cancelled.
• Optional trips wholly or mainly outside school hours will be charged at full cost.  These visits will not proceed where costs are not met by all those who wish to partake in the activity.
• Board / lodging, travel costs and activities on residential trips will be charged to parents/carers.
• Invoice parents/carers for damage reimbursement.

T Spencer – October 2006

Reviewed by Kirsty Holmes June 2009