GOLFTYN CP SCHOOL

CHARGING AND REMISSION POLICY

Introduction

  • The Governing Body recognises the valuable contribution that the wide range of additional activities, including trips, clubs and residential experiences can make towards students’ education.
  • The Governing Body aims to promote and provide such activities both as part of a broad and balanced curriculum for the students of the school and as additional optional activities.
  • The Governors wish to ensure that all students have access to all areas of the life of the school regardless of the parents’ ability to pay.

Charging for Visits

  • Education provided wholly or mainly during school hours is deemed free for students at the school. The school may not impose a charge on parents for any visit during school hours. The Headteacher may however, ask for a voluntary contribution. The visit may not proceed without sufficient funding.
  • Parents should be aware that the contribution is not compulsory, and the children of parents who do not contribute may not be discriminated against. It is permissible to ask parents to contribute more than the minimum amount in order to subsidise those students whose parents have not contributed.
  • The school may, however, charge parents for board and lodging on residential visits as well as the full costs when a visit is deemed to be an optional extra. An optional extra:
  • Falls wholly or mainly outside school hours
  • Does not form part of the Curriculum for Wales
  • Permission should be obtained from the parents to meet the costs of an optional extra before the visit is planned in detail.
  • Charging parents for an optional extra visit may not include an element of subsidy in respect of other students whose families do not meet the full charge.

Remissions

  • Financial support may be given to families who receive free school meals or who are having financial difficulties at the discretion of the Headteacher.

Other Activities

  • The Governing Body reserves the right to make a charge in the following circumstances:
  • Instrumental Music Tuition – a charge will be made by FCC but school can pay this, at the discretion of the Headteacher, from the Pupil Deprivation Grant if the child meets the grant criteria e.g. free school meals.
  • The cost of materials, ingredients (or require them to be provided) if the parents have indicated that they wish to own the finished product.
  • The Headteacher and Governors will ensure that no child is excluded from participating in the activities because of non-payment of the contribution, but it is necessary for a substantial number of parents to contribute before the activity can go ahead.
  • The Headteacher and Governors will consider sympathetically cases of genuine financial need and remit charges where appropriate.

Debt Collection

  • If school dinner payments go above arrears of £10 meals will be stopped until payment in full is made. Parents will be contacted by letter, text and phone when they are in arrears.
  • If a residential trip is not paid in full by the deadline given pupils will not be able to attend and may lose any monies paid. If a payment is not made by the parent/guardian’s bank after the trip has taken place parents/guardians will be contacted by letter and telephone to obtain payment. If payment is not received pupils will not be able to attend any future residential trips.