1.1   In accordance with the requirements of Section 449 – 462 of the 1996 Education Act, the Governors of Broughton Primary School adopt the policies outlined in this statement in respect of charges for school activities.

1.2   The Governors fully endorse the underlying principle of the charging provisions of the Education Act 1996,that activities offered wholly or mainly during normal teaching time should be available to all pupils regardless of their parents' ability or willingness to help meet the cost.  Nevertheless, the school's capacity to subsidise school activities from its own funds is extremely limited and, in general, all school activities will have to be fully self-funded if they are to proceed.

2.1   Parents will be invited to contribute on a voluntary basis towards the cost of day trips and activities which take place wholly or mainly during normal teaching hours. In most cases the full cost of the trip or activity will have to be met from voluntary contributions and if a trip or activity is likely to be cancelled because it is not fully funded by voluntary contributions, then parents will be informed of this at the time that their contributions are invited.

2.2    Day trips and activities which take place outside school hours, but are required in order to fulfill statutory duties relating to the National Curriculum or to religious education, will be treated as in 2.1 above.

2.3     Day trips and activities which take place wholly or mainly outside school hours, and which are NOT required in order to fulfill statutory duties relating to the National Curriculum or religious education, will be treated as "optional extras" within the term of the Education Act 1996. Each pupil taking part will be charged the actual cost per head of the activity and participation will be on the basis of parental choice and a willingness to meet such charges as are made.

3.1   The cost of any residential activity which is deemed, under the terms of the Act, to take place during school hours will be met as follows:

1. the board and lodging element will be charged to each individual pupil on the basis of the actual cost of providing board and lodging for that pupil, with the exception of any parent who is in receipt of:

• Income Support;
• Income/Based Job Seeker’s Allowance;
• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999;
• Child Tax Credit, provided that Working Tax Credit is not also received and the family’s income(as assessed by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs) does not exceed £15,575 (Financial Year 2008/2009) or such revised figure as is introduced;
• The guarantee element of State Pension Credit; and
• An income related employment and support allowance that was introduced on 27^th October 2008

1. all other elements (e.g. insurance, entrance fees) will require funding from voluntary sources and parents will be invited to make voluntary contributions to cover this cost. If the cost of these elements needs to be fully met by such contributions in order for the trip to proceed, then parents will be informed of this at the time that their contribution is invited.

3.2   The cost of any residential activity which is deemed to take place outside school hours, but is required in order to fulfill statutory duties relating to the National Curriculum or to religious education, will be treated in the same way as 3.1 above.

3.3   Any residential activity which is deemed to take place outside school hours and is NOT required in order to fulfill statutory duties relating to the National Curriculum or to religious education will be treated as an optional extra. Each pupil who takes part will be charged the per capita cost of the activity (see 2.3).

3.4  Where a deposit for any trip has been made, this is non-returnable unless the place is taken up by another child.

4.1   There is no charge for class music tuition or most group musical activities within school hours, nor is there any charge for the use of musical instruments or music during these activities. However, pupils who receive instrumental tuition from the peripatetic music teacher, during school hours, will normally be charged for the relevant cost of sheet music, examination fees, replacement strings and minor repairs as appropriate.  All instrumental tuition from the peripatetic music teacher is chargeable. Parents must pay termly in advance for all music lessons.

4.2   A charge is currently made for group musical activities which take place outside school hours (e.g. during the mid-day lunch break, after school). Pupils taking part in these activities will normally be required either to provide, or to pay for, their own musical instruments and their own music. They might also be requested to make a voluntary contribution towards any costs incurred as a result of their participation in local musical events.

5.1   Cookery and a few craft activities are the only practical activities for which a charge (either in cash or in kind) will be made and the school will charge for, or require the supply of, ingredients and materials only if parents have indicated in advance a wish to own the finished product. Parents will be requested to indicate their wishes, in this respect, before any cookery or craft sessions in which their child will be involved.

  6.1   Parents will be invited to pay for any damage, breakage or lost items caused by their child, up to the actual cost of repairing or replacing the item involved.

7.1   Voluntary contributions towards the cost of an activity will be invited through individual letters to parents at an early stage in the planning of the activity.

  7.2   There is no limit to the level of voluntary contribution which parents can make to school activities. Therefore, when seeking to fund activities which are to take place during school hours, the school will sometimes invite parents to make a voluntary contribution which exceeds the actual cost, per head, of the activity. If the total amount received from voluntary contributions is more than the total cost of the activity then parents who have contributed will be refunded appropriately.

7.3    If parental contributions towards the cost of any activity are not sufficient to fully fund that activity then the Headteacher will decide whether or not it is possible and appropriate to meet the shortfall from school funds.

7.4    In accordance with the underlying principle of the charging provision of the Act, no child will be penalised because of his/her parents' unwillingness or inability to contribute towards the cost of an activity which takes place wholly or mainly during school hours. Therefore, if the number of places available for a particular activity is limited, the school will decide which pupils will be given the opportunity to participate, without reference to the parents' willingness or ability to make a voluntary contribution.

7.5    A summary of this policy statement will be attached to the school Prospectus, copies of which are distributed to the parents of all pupils new to the school.

7.6    This policy statement is subject to review and any part of the statement could be amended in the light of ongoing experience. Parents will be notified of any amendments as they occur.