Sustainability & Charging

In order that extended services becomes embedded in the life of a school and are not fleeting activities, it is important that they become sustainable, whether through charging for activities or through finding alternative funding streams. There are many rules that govern what schools can and cannot make charges for a guide to these allowable charges follows. (read more…)

Schools must ensure that they inform parents on low incomes and in receipt of the following benefits of the support available to them (this includes exemption from board and lodging costs on residential visits).

Child tax credit where working tax credit is not being received and family income is under £15,575

Income support
Income based Job Seekers Allowance
Support under section vi of the immigration and asylum act 1999
Guarantee element of state pension credit
Income related employment and support allowance introduced 27^th October 2008

Chargeable	Non-chargeable
Any materials, books etc where the parent wishes the child to own them	Admission application to a maintained school
Music and vocal tuition where the teaching is not an essential part of the national curriculum, public examination or the first access to the key stage 2 instrumental and vocal tuition programme.	Education provided during school hours including resources
Education outside of school time that is not part of the national curriculum, or part of a syllabus for a prescribed public examination that the pupil is being prepared for at the school or part of religious education.	Education provided out of school hours if it is part of the national curriculum, public examination preparation or religious education
Examination entry fees if the registered pupil has not been prepared for the examinations at the school	Tuition for musical instruments if tuition is required as part of the national curriculum, religious education or a public examination
Transport that is not required to take the pupil to take the pupil to school or other premises where the local authority/governing body have arranged for the pupil to be provided with education.	Entry for prescribed public examination
Board and lodging for residential visit not to exceed actual cost	Examination re-sits if the pupil is being prepared for this at the school
	Supply teachers covering for teachers away on residential visits
	Transporting pupils to or from the school premises where there is a statutory obligation to provide transport
	Transporting children to other premises where arrangements have been made for pupils to be educated
	Transport that enables a child to meet an examination requirement
	Transport in connection with an educational visit

Voluntary contributions

Where an activity relies on voluntary contributions, this should be made clear to parents. It should also be made clear that the contribution is not obligatory, and parents should not be made to feel pressurised into paying. No child should be excluded from an activity simply because their parents are unwilling or unable to make the contribution.

If insufficient funds are raised to fund a visit then it must be cancelled, this must be made clear to parents. Schools should make it clear to parents at the outset what their policy is for allocating places on school visits. Colour coded letters reminding parents of payments should be avoided as should sending direct debit or standing order mandates when requesting contributions.

No charges can be made unless the governing body of the school has drawn up a charging policy giving details of optional extras or board and lodgings they intend to charge for and a remissions policy. The remissions policy must set out any circumstances in which the school or authority might remit (wholly or partly) any charge that would normally be made under the charging policy.

Charges made in respect of individual pupils must not exceed the actual cost of providing the activity. Costs must be divided equally between each child participating; therefore it must not include an element of subsidy for any other pupils whose parents are unwilling or unable to pay the full charge.

Where the activity takes place during school hours charges cannot be made for cover costs for those who do not wish to participate in the activity.

For further information, guidance and advice on charging for activities please contact the Fair Access Division of DCSF, or see http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/atoz/c/chargingforactivities/index.cfm?code=main

For help in considering whether current or future activites are sustainable, please see the TDA Cluster development tool: http://www.tda.gov.uk/upload/resources/pdf/e/es_cluster_development_tool.pdf

Walsall Children's Services

Links