Upper Shirley High School

 

Governors have applied the policy in accordance with the DCSF guidelines. A summary of the governors’ policy is included in the school brochure and notification of changes are circulated to all parents in the term preceding the one in which the changes take effect.

 

 

All education during school hours is free, including materials, equipment and transport provided by the LEA or the school to carry students between the school and an activity excluding musical instrument tuition of individuals or groups of up to four students by specialist teachers. Voluntary contributions for transport costs may be sought from parents.

 

For school-time activities that cost extra (other than musical instrument tuition) parents may be invited to make voluntary contributions (in cash or kind, such as ingredients or materials for Technology). Where extra costs are inevitable, parents are informed at the planning stage.

 

Students whose parents do not make contributions are not left out of activities or treated differently in the course of the lessons from those whose parents contribute, but any finished projects or artefacts remain the property of the school unless the governing body decides otherwise.

 

When a non-school organisation arranges an activity to take place during school hours and parents want their children to join the activity, such organisations may charge parents. Parents must ask the school to agree to their child’s absence and the Principal and governing body decide whether this is in the student’s best interest.

 

 

Musical instrument tuition charges are reviewed annually by the Governors’ Finance and Committee at the time of setting the budget for the following financial year. Parents are informed in the preceding term of any increase in charges.

 

Parents whose children receive free school meals may apply to the Principal for remissionof costs to be considered. Parents are informed in the school prospectus of their right to claim free activities if they are receiving benefits.

 

Charges may be made for activities outside school hours when they are not a necessary part of the National Curriculum or the religious education or an approved examination syllabus.

 

Charges may be made for ‘optional extra’ activities provided by the school or LEA outside school hours. Governors decide whether a charge should be made. Parents are informed about how the charge is worked out.

 

Where charges are made, the charge for each student is not more than the actual cost although it may cover some of the costs of teachers from the school who have been asked to supervise the activity.

 

 

Special rules apply for residential activities. For those which are required for the syllabus of a public examination or are to do with the National Curriculum or Religious Education, no charge is made for the education or the cost of travel. However, charges may be made for board and lodging except for students who receive free school meals. A notice of parents’ right to claim free activities if they are receiving benefits, is included in the school brochure for parents.

 

 

Residential/Day trips that do not form part of the national curriculum syllabus but are available as an optional extra during a student’s time at Bellemoor will be charged for.

 

Charges will be made for the full cost of the activity and the full payment must be received prior to the activity for the student to take part.

 

Day trips – full payment is required at least one week prior to the departure date.

 

Residential trips – full payment is required at least one month before the departure date. A non-refundable deposit will be required to secure a place. Cancellation of a secured place can only be made 3 months prior to the departure date. During the final 3 months payment in full will be expected from all students, any student dropping out will be expected to pay the full cost of the trip.

 

Any student who has not paid in full will not be allowed to go on a trip, but the school will still expect payment in full to cover the cost of the place that was booked and paid for by the school.

 

A charge of 4p per A4 copy will be made for photocopying.

 

 

No charges are made for entering students for public examinations for which they have been prepared in school. The governing body enters students for each examination in a public examination syllabus for which the student has been prepared unless:

 

·        They think there are educational reasons for not entering the student  OR

·         The student’s parent asks in writing that the student should not be entered.

 

The governors’ decision cannot be overturned by the LEA.

 

Examination fees may be charged if:

 

·         The examination is on the set list but the student has not been prepared for it at the school.

·         The examination is not on the set list but the school arranges for the student to take it.

·         The student fails without good reason to complete the requirements of any public examination where the governing body or LEA originally paid or agreed to pay the entry fee.

 

 

Charges are not made for any cost associated with preparing a student for an examination but are allowed for tuition or other costs if a student is prepared outside school hours for an examination that is not set out in the regulations.

 

The school has a permit under section 19 of the Transport Act 1985, which allows charges to be made. The school is not allowed to make a profit for any purpose by charging for travel in the minibuses but may recover some or all of the costs of running the vehicle, including insurance and loss of value. 

 

The school will ask parents to contribute towards the cost of damage to school property or

equipment where this results from a student’s negligence or misbehaviour.

 

The school reserves the right to refuse students the opportunity to take part in trips and activities where there is a history of vandalism or poor behaviour, as this may represent a Health and Safety risk and concerns about the reputation of the school.

 

 

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