Charging
Review Procedures
This policy has been compiled in line with DfE requirements and in accordance with s449-462 of the Education Act 1996.
This policy will be reviewed annually by the Governing Body’s Resources Committee and will be adjusted in line with any subsequent guidelines from the DfE.
Aims
This policy sets out the school’s charging policy and describes the type of activity that will be charged for and explains when charges will be made.
School Charging
Education
There will be no charge for:
- Education provided during school hours (including the supply of any materials, books, instruments or other equipment). “School hours” are those when the school is actually in session and do not include lunch break.
- Education provided outside school hours if it is part of the national curriculum or part of the syllabus for a prescribed public examination that the student is being prepared for at the school, or part of Religious Education.
- Instrumental or vocal tuition for students learning individually or in groups as part of the national curriculum, unless the tuition is provided at the request of the student’s parent. Charges will not exceed the cost of the provision.
- There will be no charge for entry to a prescribed public examination, or examination re-sits, if the student has been prepared for it at the school.
The school will charge for:
- Any materials, books, instruments or equipment where a student’s parent wishes him/her to own them.
Examinations
- Extra examination entries, where students have not been prepared for the examinations at the school.
- Re-sits, if these are requested by the student.
- Entries for examinations that are not on the prescribed lists.
The school may charge for the cost of an examination entry, plus any applicable centre fee
in the following instances:
- ’Wasted’ examination entries (e.g. a student fails without good reason to complete the requirements of any public examination where the school paid or agreed to pay the entry fee).
- The school has prepared the student for the examination and it considers that, for educational reasons, the student should not be entered and the student’s parent/carer wishes the student to be entered (or the student him/herself when over 18 years old)
- if the student does not attend an examination, without an acceptable reason (in cases of illness a doctor’s note will be requested)
The school will charge for optional extras such as:
- Education provided outside school time that is not part of the national curriculum, part of a syllabus for a prescribed public examination that a student is being prepared for at the school, or part of Religious Education.
- Transport (please see Transport section for exceptions to this).
- Board and lodging for a student on a residential visit
In 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.
- The cost, or an appropriate proportion of the cost, 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 students will not exceed the actual cost of providing the optional extra activity.
Voluntary contributions
- The school may invite parents/carers from time to time to make a voluntary contribution towards any part of the school’s work and to permit the provision of activities which might not otherwise be possible.
- Parents will be informed of the decision to ask for contributions at the planning stage of an activity. There is no obligation for parents to make any voluntary contributions and no student will be excluded from an activity because his/her parents are unwilling or unable to pay. If insufficient voluntary contributions are raised to fund a visit, or the school is unable to fund it from another source, then the visit will be cancelled.
Transport
There will be no charge for:
- Transporting registered students to or from the school premises, where the LA has a statutory obligation to provide transport.
- Transporting registered students to other premises where the governing body has arranged for students to be educated.
- Transport that enables a student to meet an examination requirement when he/she has been prepared for that examination at the school.
- Transport provided in connection with an educational visit, although a voluntary contribution may be requested.
Residential visits
There will be no charge for:
- 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 or part of a syllabus or a prescribed public examination that the student is being prepared for at school or part of Religious Education.
- Supply teachers used to cover for teachers who are absent from school accompanying students on a residential visit.
The school will charge for:
- Board and lodging (the charge will not exceed the actual cost). Parents who can prove they are in receipt of benefits which meet the Free School Meals eligibility criteria will be exempt from paying the cost of board and lodging.
Miscellaneous Charges
- Parents will be expected to meet some or all of the costs of breakages or damage to the school buildings, furniture or property where wilful damage, neglect or loss has occurred. The charge to be the cost of replacement or repair, or such lower cost as the Headteacher may decide.
- Lettings
Charges for lettings are agreed annually by the Governors’ Resources Committee.
- Photocopying
Charges for private photocopying (including VAT where appropriate) will be levied at an appropriate rate and reviewed annually by the Director of Finance and Headteacher.
- Private telephone calls and faxes
Staff and others using the school telephone or fax machine may do so at the normal costs.
- The Headteacher, Resources Committee or Governing Body may charge for miscellaneous services up to the cost of providing such services e.g. for providing a copy of an OFSTED report.
