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St Mark's CE Primary School

Charging & Remissions Policy

Last Reviewed: Spring 2025 Next Review: Spring 2026
Approved By: Headteacher and Governing Body

Purpose of the policy

The purpose of this policy is to provide clear information about charging and voluntary contributions for St Mark’s CE Primary School school activities.

 

 

Voluntary Contributions

In general, no charge can be made for admitting pupils to maintained schools. Where education is provided wholly or mainly during school hours, it should be free. It is therefore not possible to levy a compulsory charge for transport or admission costs for swimming lessons or for visits to museums, etc. during school hours. St Mark’s CE Primary School follows the West Sussex policy for charging for school activities that mirrors the information given in the Department for Education’s advice document published in May 2018 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/charging-for-school-activities)

 

No compulsory charge will be made for any activity which takes place during school hours.  Any contribution is entirely voluntary, and the pupils of parents who are unable or unwilling to contribute are not discriminated against. However, where there are not enough voluntary contributions to make the activity possible, and there is no way to make up the shortfall, then the activity will be cancelled.

 

Arrangements

 

All letters regarding contributions for school activities will make it clear that these are voluntary and that children of parents who do not contribute will not be treated differently. If any parents have any financial difficulty (no child will be prevented from taking part) they will be invited to talk to the headteacher who will come to an agreed arrangement.

 

Residential trips

Special rules apply for residential activities.

 

  1. In School Hours

 

If a residential activity takes place largely during school time (50% or more of the whole time spent on the activity occurs within school hours), it meets the requirements of the syllabus for a public examination or is to do with the national curriculum or religious education, no charge will be made either for the education or for the cost of travel. However, charges not exceeding the actual cost for the individual pupil will be made for board and lodging. Voluntary contributions (as above) will be requested.

 

Children whose parents are in receipt of the following support payments will, in addition to having a free school lunch entitlement, also be entitled to the remission of these charges:

    • Universal Credit in prescribed circumstances
    • Income support
    • Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (IBJSA)
    • Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
    • Child Tax Credit, (provided that the parent is not entitled to Working Tax Credit, and their annual Income, assessed by HMRC does not exceed £16,190
    • Guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
    • An income related employment and support allowance that was introduced on 27 October 2008

 

  1. Outside School Hours

 

An activity is deemed to take place out of school hours if 50% or more of the whole time spent on the activity occurs out of school hours. In this case, and for a residential trip, this will be considered as an ‘optional extra’ and a charge will be levied which includes an appropriate element for travel costs, board and lodging costs, materials and other equipment, non-teaching costs and teaching staff costs. This charge will not exceed the actual cost of the provision.

 

Parents in receipt of the allowances identified above have the same entitlements.

 

Music Tuition

 

There will be no charge for musical tuition if the teaching is an essential part of either the national curriculum or a public examination syllabus or is provided under the first access to the Key Stage 2 Instrumental and Vocal Tuition Programme.  For other musical tuition, charges will be made for individuals or groups to play a musical instrument, and for the hire and repair of instruments which are used for instrumental tuition at school.  No charge will be made in respect of a pupil who is looked after by the local authority (within the meaning of section 22(l) of the Children Act 1989).

 

Monitoring and Review of Policy

 

The Governing Body will review this policy every 3 years, and as necessary due to any changes in legislation.

Approved by the Resourcing Committee

 

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Please see Learning Outside the Classroom guidance on school policies available at:  

http://www.lotc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/GCharging-Policy-Updated-PDF-1APR09.pdf

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