Aims

Crampton Primary School is an inclusive school offering equality of opportunity to all pupils within the school. We aim to provide a broad and varied range of experiences for the pupils. This may include trips, visits and the use of visiting groups. The Governing Body recognises the valuable contribution that a wide range of activities can make to a child’s development.

Legislation and guidance

This policy is based on advice from the Department for Education (DfE) on charging for school activities and the Education Act 1996, sections 449 to 462 of which set out the law on charging for school activities in England.

It is also based on guidance from the DfE on statutory policies for schools and academy trusts.

Definitions

• Charge: a fee payable for specifically defined activities
• Remission: the cancellation of a charge which would normally be payable

Roles and responsibilities

4.1 The governing board

The governing board has overall responsibility for approving the charging and remissions policy, but can delegate this to a committee, an individual governor or the headteacher.

The governing board also has overall responsibility for monitoring the implementation of this policy.

Responsibility for approving the charging and remissions policy has been delegated to the  Co-chair of Governors Linda Austin or Mary Boole and the Head Teacher Marian Kennedy.

Monitoring the implementation of this policy has been delegated to Head Teacher Marian Kennedy.

4.2 Headteachers

The head teacher is responsible for ensuring staff are familiar with the charging and remissions policy, and that it is being applied consistently.

4.3 Staff

Staff are responsible for:

• Implementing the charging and remissions policy consistently
• Notifying the head teacher of any specific circumstances which they are unsure about or where they are not certain if the policy applies

The school will provide staff with appropriate training in relation to this policy and its implementation.

4.4   Parents

Parents are expected to notify staff or the head teacher of any concerns or queries regarding the charging and remissions policy.

5. Where charges cannot be made  

Below we set out what we cannot charge for:

5.1 Education

• Admission applications
• 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
• A syllabus for a prescribed public examination that the pupil is being prepared for at the school
• Religious education

• Instrumental or vocal tuition, for pupils learning individually or in groups, unless the tuition is provided at the request of the pupil’s parent
• Entry for a prescribed public examination if the pupil has been prepared for it at the school
• Examination re-sit(s) if the pupil is being prepared for the re-sit(s) at the school

5.2   Transport

• Transporting registered pupils to or from the school premises, where the local authority has a statutory obligation to provide transport
• Transporting registered pupils to other premises where the governing board or local 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 visit

5.3   Residential visits

• Education provided on any visit that takes place during school hours
• Education provided on any visit that takes place outside school hours if it is part of:

• The National Curriculum
• A syllabus for a prescribed public examination that the pupil is being prepared for at the school
• Religious education

• Supply teachers, covering for teachers who are absent from school, accompanying pupils on a residential visit

6. Where charges can be made

Below we set out what we can charge for:

6.1   Education

• Any materials, books, instruments or equipment, where the child’s parent wishes him or her to own them
• Optional extras (see section 6.2)
• Music and vocal tuition, in limited circumstances (see section 6.3)
• Certain early years provision
• Community facilities
• Examination re-sit(s) if the pupil is being prepared for the re-sit(s) at the school and the pupil fails, without good reason, to meet any examination requirement for a syllabus

6.2   Optional extras

We are able to charge for activities known as ‘optional extras’. In these cases, schools can charge for providing materials, books, instruments or equipment. The following are optional extras:

• Education provided outside of school time that is not part of:

• The National Curriculum
• A syllabus for a prescribed public examination that the pupil is being prepared for at the school
• Religious education

• Examination entry fee(s) if the registered pupil has not been prepared for the examination(s) at the school
• Transport (other than transport that is required to take the pupil to school or to other premises where the local authority or governing board has arranged for the pupil to be provided with education)
• Board and lodging for a pupil on a residential visit
• Extended day services offered to pupils (such as breakfast clubs, after-school clubs, tea and supervised homework sessions)

When calculating the cost of optional extras, an amount may be included in relation to:

• Any materials, books, instruments or equipment provided in connection with the optional extra
• The cost of buildings and accommodation
• Non-teaching staff
• Teaching staff engaged under contracts for services purely to provide an optional extra (including supply teachers engaged specifically to provide the optional extra)
• The cost, or an appropriate proportion of the costs, for teaching staff employed to provide tuition in playing a musical instrument, or vocal tuition, where the tuition is an optional extra

Any charge made in respect of individual pupils will not be greater than the actual cost of providing the optional extra activity, divided equally by the number of pupils participating.

Any charge will not include an element of subsidy for any other pupils who wish to take part in the activity but whose parents are unwilling or unable to pay the full charge.

In cases where a small proportion of the activity takes place during school hours, the charge cannot include the cost of alternative provision for those pupils who do not wish to participate.

Parental agreement is necessary for the provision of an optional extra, which is to be charged for.

6.3   Music tuition

Schools can charge for vocal or instrumental tuition provided either individually or to groups of pupils, if the tuition is provided at the request of the pupil’s parent.

Charges may not exceed the cost of the provision, including the cost of the staff giving the tuition.

Charges cannot be made:

• If the teaching is an essential part of the National Curriculum
• If the teaching is provided under the first access to the Key Stage 2 instrumental and vocal tuition programme
• For a pupil who is looked after by a local authority

6.4   Residential visits

We can charge for board and lodging on residential visits, but the charge must not exceed the actual cost. 

7. Voluntary contributions

As an exception to the requirements set out in section 5 of this policy, the school is able to ask for voluntary contributions from parents to fund activities, which would not otherwise be possible.

Some activities for which the school may ask parents for voluntary contributions include:

• Sporting activities
• School visits including workshops

There is no obligation for parents to contribute, and no child will be excluded from an activity if their parents are unwilling or unable to pay.

If the school is unable to raise enough funds for an activity or visit then it will be cancelled.

8. Activities we charge for

The school will charge for the following activities:

• Breakfast Club
• Afterschool Clubs

For regular activities, the Head Teacher will determine the charges for each activity.

9. Remissions

In some circumstances, the school may not charge for items or activities set out in sections 6 and 8 of this policy. This will be at the discretion of the governing board and will depend on the activity in question.

9.1   Remissions for residential visits

Parents who can prove they are in receipt of any of the following benefits will be exempt from paying the cost of board and lodging for residential visits:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit – provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190
• Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit – if you apply on or after 1 April 2018, your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)

10. Monitoring arrangements

The Educational Visits Coordinator monitors charges and remissions, and ensures these comply with this policy.

This policy will be reviewed by Head Teacher every Year.

At every review, the Co-Chair of Governors and the Head Teacher will approve the policy.

Review Date: September 2023

Next Review: September 2024