Charging and Remissions Policy


Aim

The aim of this policy is to set out what charges will be levied for activities, what
remissions will be implemented and the circumstances under which voluntary
contributions will be requested from parents.

Responsibilities

The Governing Body of the school are responsible for determining the content of this
policy and the Headteacher for implementation. Any determination with respect to
individual parents will be considered jointly by the Headteacher and Governing Body.

Prohibition of Charges

The Governing Body of the School recognise that legislation prohibits charges for the
following;

  • Education provided during school hours (including the supply of any materials, books, instruments or other equipment).
  • Education provided outside school hours if it is 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.
  • Tuition for pupils learning to play musical instruments if the tuition is required as 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.
  • Entry for a prescribed public examination, if the pupil has been prepared for it at the school.
  • Examination resits if the pupil is being prepared for the resit at the school.
  • Education provided on any trip that takes place during school hours.
  • Education provided on any trip that takes place outside school hours if it is 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.
  • Supply teachers to cover for those teachers who are absent from school accompanying pupils on a residential trip.
  • Transporting registered pupils to or from the school premises, where the local education authority has a statutory obligation to provide transport.
  • Transporting registered pupils to other premises where the governing body or local education authority has arranged for pupils to be educated.
  • Transport that enables a pupil to meet an examination requirement when he or she has been prepared for that examination at the school.
  • Transport provided in connection with an educational trip.

Charges
  • Board and lodging on residential visits (not to exceed the costs)
  • The proportionate costs for an individual child of activities wholly or mainly outside school hours, to meet the costs for:
    • Travel
    • Materials and equipment
    • Non-teaching staff costs
    • Entrance fees
    • Insurance costs
  • Vocal and musical instrument tuition.
  • Re-sits for public examinations where no further preparation has been provided by the school.
  • Examination fees where a pupil fails without good reason to sit the exam
  • Any other education, transport or examinations where no further preparation has been provided by the school
  • Any other education, transport or examination fee unless charges are specifically prohibited
  • Breakages and replacements as a result of damages caused willfully or negligently by pupils
  • Extra-curricular activities and school clubs
  • Any extended school activity
  • Damage/vandalism/loss to and of school property
  • Community Use / Lettings. (Arrangements for the letting of school premises and charges are contained in the Letting Charges Policy)
  • A school lunch - of a child has forgotten or is unable to find their lunch, a meal will be provided by the kitchen and the charge should be paid by the parent on the next working day.

Remission

Children whose parents are in receipt of the following support payments will, on addition to having a free school lunch entitlement, also be entitled to the remission of:

  • Charges for board and lodging costs during residential school trips. This does not apply to the exchange trip to Italy. Where the cost of board and lodging cannot be determined, the Headteacher will decide on the contribution to be paid (normally 50%)
  • Items listed below known as ‘optional extras’

    The relevant support payments are;
     
    • Income Support
    • Income Based Jobseeker’s Allowance
    • Support under Part 6 if the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
    • Child Tax Credit, where the parent is not entitled to Working Tax Credit and whose annual income (as assessed by the Inland Revenue) does not exceed £16190 for 2014-15 (in respect of this item account will need to be taken of any revision to the amount)
    • Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
    • An income related employment and support allowance.

Voluntary Contributions (‘optional extras’)

Parents will be invited to make a voluntary contribution for the following;

a) Trips and visits arranged during the school day, including transport.
b) Special activities arranged at school e.g. Time zones, Animal Man, theatre groups
c) outdoor adventure activities
d) Musical events not funded by school
e) Swimming and associated travel costs
f ) Materials and ingredients where the child is able to take the finished article home


Pupil Premium (ever 6)

The school receives funding, known as Pupil Premium, which is to help raise the achievement of children who have been in receipt of Free School Meals (FSM) within a 6 year period (not necessarily current).

The Governing Body will treat families, for which the school receives Pupil Premium, the same as those on FSM in regards of voluntary contributions for school trips, and remit the costs of same.


Parents should be aware:

a) that the contribution is genuinely voluntary and a parent is under no obligation
to pay
b) If insufficient contributions are made, the trip may need to be cancelled. The individual cost of a trip is calculated using the number of children eligible to attend and non- payment may make that trip not viable.
b) that registered pupils at the school will not be treated differently according to whether or not their parents have made any contribution in response to the request
The responsibility for determining the level of voluntary contribution is delegated to the Headteacher.

Voluntary contributions will be used to;

• Offset additional costs to the school in offering the enhanced opportunities listed above


Refunds

Refunds for trips where a child was unable to attend will be considered but may not always be possible, e.g. when theatre tickets have been purchased. Refunds are not guaranteed and will be considered on an individual basis.


To be reviewed: September 2023

Charging and Remissions Policy

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