Charging & Remission Policy

Agreed/Review by Governors May 2022 Review: May 2023

Introduction

We believe in the highest quality of provision for our students and we allocate resources appropriately and within guidelines to ensure that good value for money is achieved.

This document sets out Coop Academy Bebington policy on charging and remission for school activities and school visits and has been formulated in accordance with The Department for Education guidance on Charging for School activities (October 2014).

Basic Principles

School governing bodies and local authorities cannot charge for:

• an admission application to any maintained school;
• 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;
• 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; and
• an examination re-sit(s) if the pupil is being prepared for the re-sit(s) at the school.

School can charge for:

• any materials, books, instruments, or equipment, where the child’s parent wishes him/her to own them;
• optional extras (see below); and
• music and vocal tuition, in limited circumstances (see page 4).
• community facilities

Optional Extras

Charges may be made for some activities that are known as “optional extras”. Where an optional extra is being provided, a charge can be made for providing materials, books, instruments, or equipment. Optional extras are:

• Education provided outside of school time that is not:
• Part of the National Curriculum;
• Part of a syllabus for a prescribed public examination that the pupil is being prepared for at the school; or
• Part of 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/governing body have arranged for the pupil to be provided with education; and
• Board and lodging for a pupil on a residential visit.
• Extended day services offered to pupils (for example breakfast club, after-school clubs, tea and supervised homework sessions).

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;
• Teaching staff engaged under contracts for services purely to provide an optional extra, this includes supply teachers engaged specifically to provide the optional extra; and
• 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 must not exceed the actual cost of providing the optional extra activity, divided equally by the number of pupils participating. It must not therefore include an element of subsidy for any other pupils wishing to participate in the activity whose parents are unwilling or unable to pay the full charge.

Furthermore, 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. Therefore, no charge can be made for supply teachers to cover for those teachers who are absent from school accompanying pupils on a residential visit.

Participation in any optional extra activity will be on the basis of parental choice and a willingness to meet the charges. Parental agreement is therefore a necessary pre-requisite for the provision of an optional extra where charges will be made.

Voluntary Contributions

Nothing in legislation prevents a school governing body or local authority from asking for voluntary contributions for the benefit of the school or any school activities and parents may be invited to make voluntary contributions towards the cost of a trip or activity.

School trips, visits and practical activities enhance the pupils’ learning and broaden their knowledge and experience. These activities are made possible through the voluntary contributions of parents. Examples where parents may be asked for a voluntary contribution include:

• Enrichment activities e.g. visit by external drama group;
• Non-residential school trips

If a particular activity cannot be funded without voluntary contributions this will be explained at the planning stage. It should be made clear to parents that there is no obligation to make any contribution but if insufficient voluntary contributions are raised to fund a visit, then it must be cancelled. Where this situation occurs, any monies received will be returned at the earliest opportunity. The opportunity to pay in instalments will be offered to parents who wish to pay in this way.

It is important to note that no child should be excluded from an activity simply because his or her parents are unwilling or unable to pay. Schools must make sure that they make this clear to parents. If a parent is unwilling or unable to pay, their child must still be given an equal chance to go on the visit. Schools should make it clear to parents at the outset what their policy for allocating places on school visits will be.

When making requests for voluntary contributions to the school funds, parents must not be made to feel pressurised into paying as it is voluntary and not compulsory. Schools should avoid sending colour coded letters to parents as a reminder to make payments into the school or maintenance funds. Schools should also ensure that direct debit or standing order mandates are not sent to parents when requesting for contributions.

Music Tuition

Although the law states that, in general, all education provided during school hours must be free, instrumental and vocal tuition is an exception to that rule.

The Education and Inspections Act 2006 introduced a regulation-making power which allowed the Department for Children, Schools and Families to specify circumstances where charging can be made for music tuition. The new Regulations, which came into force in September 2007, provide pupils with greater access to vocal and instrumental tuition.

Charges may now be made for teaching either an individual pupil or groups of any appropriate size (provided that the size of the group is based on sound pedagogical principles) to play a musical instrument or to sing. Charges may only be made if the teaching is not an essential part of either the National Curriculum or a public examination syllabus being followed by the pupil(s), or the first access to the Key Stage 2 Instrumental and Vocal Tuition Programme (Wider Opportunities).

Charging cannot be made if the teaching is either an essential part of the national curriculum and no charge may be made in respect of a pupil who is looked after by the local authority within the meaning of the Children Act 1989.

Transport

Schools cannot charge for:

• 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 authority has arranged for pupils to be educated;
• Transport that enables a pupil to meet an examination requirement when he/she has been prepared for that examination at the school; and
• Transport provided in connection with an educational visit.

Residential Visits

School cannot 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 for a prescribed public examination that the pupil is being prepared for at the school, or part of religious education; and
• Supply teachers to cover for those teachers who are absent from school accompanying pupils on a residential visit.

School can charge for:

• Board and lodging and the charge must not exceed the actual cost.

Other charges

The Headteacher, Finance Committee or Governing Body may levy charges for miscellaneous services up to the cost of providing such services.

Please refer to Appendix 1 for a list of charges agreed for the academic year 2022-23.

Remissions Policy

School must ensure that they inform parents on low incomes and in receipt of certain benefits of the support available to them when being asked for contributions towards the cost of school visits.

Charges for chargeable activities may be fully or partially remitted for pupils in receipt of pupil Premium.*

Charges for board and lodgings on residential trips will be remitted for parents in receipt of the following benefits:

• Universal Credit (in prescribed circumstances);
• Income Support (IS);
• Income Based Jobseekers Allowance (IBJSA);
• 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 does not exceed the levels as set by HMRC
• the guarantee element of State Pension Credit; and an income related employment and support allowance.

Details of any remission arrangements will be made clear when parents are informed of charges for individual activities and they may be asked to complete a remissions form and provide evidence of benefits received. The Head Teacher, School Business Manager, Finance Committee or Governing Body may decide not to levy charges in respect of a particular activity, if it feels it is reasonable in the circumstances.

*This does not apply in the case of pupils in receipt of the Government’s Universal Free School Meals NOT in receipt of Pupil Premium.

Breakages and Damages

In cases of wilful or malicious damage to equipment or breakages, the Head Teacher or School Facilities Manager, in consultation with the Chair of the Governing Body, may decide it right to make a charge. Each incident will be dealt with on its own merit and at their discretion.

The Head Teacher, Facilities Manager, Finance Committee or Governing Body may remit, in full or part, charges in respect of a pupil, if it feels it is reasonable in the circumstance.

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CHARGES LIST 2022-23

REPLACEMENT I.D.BADGE,

HOLDER AND LANYARD (6th Form)        £3.00

LOST / DAMAGED LIBRARY BOOKS        £5.00

REVISION GUIDES (Maths, Science)        RECHARGED AT COST

EXAMINATION RELATED FEES        RECHARGED AT COST

MINIBUS HIRE (INTERNAL)        0.50 pence per mile plus cost of driver @ £12 per hour

MINIBUS HIRE (EXTERNAL)        0.75 pence per mile plus cost of driver @ £12 per hour

TIE        £ 6.60

PLANNER        £ 2.50

TIMETABLE        £ 0.20

PEN        £ 0.20

PENCIL        £ 0.10

RUBBER        £ 0.10

RULER        £ 0.10

SHARPENER        £ 0.10