Charging and Remissions Policy

The education we provide wholly or mainly during school hours will be free but on some occasions a ‘voluntary’ contribution towards the cost of an activity may be requested by the school. Parents are free to decide whether or not to contribute. This policy sets out the principles upon which the school will operate charges and remissions

Objectives

1. To make clear what will be provided without charge and what will be offered with a charge being made.
2. To clarify what is meant by any request for voluntary contributions.

Strategies

1. No charge will be made for admitting pupils to school.
2. Transport or admission costs for swimming lessons or for visits to museums, etc. during school hours will be met by the school.
3. The school may request voluntary contributions towards the cost of some activities planned during school hours.
4. Where parents are asked to make a voluntary contribution towards the cost of an activity which takes place during school hours, or to school equipment or school funds, the contribution will be genuinely voluntary. Pupils of parents who are unable or unwilling to contribute will not be discriminated against.
5. When there are insufficient voluntary contributions to make an activity possible, and when there is no way to make up the shortfall, it will be cancelled.
6. On residential trips that take place wholly, or mainly, during school hours, the school will charge for the cost of board and lodging at the actual cost of the provision.
7. Children whose parents are in receipt of some specific support payments will, in addition to having a free school lunch entitlement, also be entitled to the remission of these charges. A similar entitlement will apply when the trip takes place outside school hours but where it is necessary either as part of the national curriculum or the syllabus for religious education.
8. Where music tuition or singing tuition is not an essential part of the national curriculum, charges may be made.

Outcomes

The funding of activities will be a clear and open process understood by all. We intend that our charging and remissions policy will be in line with that of the LA and that it will meet the requirements of the law.

Revised and adopted by the Governing Body ....2013....