Charging and Remissions Policy

Charging and Remissions Policy

Introduction 
All education during school hours is free. We do not charge for any activity undertaken as 
part of the National Curriculum with the exception of individual or group music tuition. 

1. Admissions 

There is no charge for admissions. 

2. School meals 

There is no charge for pupils who are entitled to free school meals or universal free school meals. Pupils who are not entitled to free school meals will be charged a set amount per term decided by the governing body of the school.  

3. Activities that take place during school hours (this does not include the break in the middle of the school day) 

There is no charge for activities during school hours except for music tuition (section 7). 

We may charge for: 

• transport, materials, books, instruments or equipment (the cost will be made clear to the parents before charge) 

• optional extras (section 4) 

• music or vocal tuition (section 7) 

4. Activities that take place outside of school hours (non-residential) 

There is no charge for activities that take place outside of school hours when they are: 

• part of the set curriculum, including sports matches against other schools 

Optional extras 

The school will charge for optional extras. Optional extras are: 

• education provided outside of school time that is not part of the National Curriculum or Statutory Religious Education and related activities 

• transport that is not taking the pupil to school or to other premises where the local authority or governing body has arranged for the pupil to be provided with education. 

• board and lodging for a pupil on a residential visit. 

• extended day services offered to pupils (e.g. breakfast clubs, Midday clubs, after school clubs and holiday clubs etc) 

The cost of optional extras 

The headteacher will decide when it is necessary to charge for optional activities. The levels of charges extended day services will be set annually by the headteacher on the recommendation of the Resources Committee. The charges, when determined, will be published on the school’s website and appended to this policy. 

Any charge made in respect of individual pupils will not exceed the actual cost of providing the optional extra activity, divided equally by the number of pupils participating. In no circumstances will there be an element of subsidy required for any pupils wishing to participate in the activity whose parents are unwilling or unable to pay the full charge (section 12). 

When 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 

• non-teaching staff 

• teaching staff engaged under contracts for services purely to provide an optional extra, including supply teachers engaged specifically to provide the optional extra 

• the cost, or a proportion of the costs, for teaching staff employed to provide tuition in playing a musical instrument, where the tuition is an optional extra 

• The costs of buildings and accommodation 

Participation in any optional extra activity will be based on parental choice and a willingness to pay the charges. When organising the provision of an optional extra where charges will be made parental/carer consent forms must be provided. 

5. Activities that take place partly during school hours either on or off site 

Where most of a non-residential activity takes place during school hours the charging of the activity will be the same as is outlined in section 3. 

Travelling time is included in time spent on the activity if the travel itself occurs during school hours. 

In cases where most of a non-residential activity takes place outside of school hours the charge cannot include the cost of alternative provision for those pupils who do not wish to participate. So, no charge can be made for supply teachers to cover for those teachers who are absent from school accompanying pupils on a visit. 

In this case the charging of the activity will be the same as is outlined in section 4. 

6. Residential activities 

Our school will not charge for: 

• education provided on any visit that takes place during school hours if it is part of the National Curriculum 

• education provided on any visit that takes place outside school hours if it is part of the National Curriculum, or part of religious education 

• supply teachers to cover for those teachers who are absent from school accompanying pupils on a residential visit 

• travel costs where the residential activity is classed as being within school hours 

• residential activities that take place during school hours 

Our school will charge for: 

Board and lodging 

When any visit has been organised by the school where there may be a cost for board and lodging, parents/carers will be informed of this before the visit takes place. We will charge anything up to the full cost of board and lodging on residential visits, whether it is classified as taking place during school hours or not. The charge will not exceed the actual cost. Parents/carers who can prove they are in receipt of certain benefits may be exempt from paying the full cost (see section 11 for more guidance on remissions). 

Travel 

Travel charges may apply when the residential activity takes place outside of school hours. The amount charged will be calculated to cover the unit cost per pupil. These charges may not apply to those pupils entitled to remissions, but no other pupils will be charged extra to cover those costs. 

Activities 

The school may charge for residential activities that fall outside of school hours (see section 4). 

7. Tuition within school hours 

East Wichel Primary School and Nursery follows government legislation that states that all education provided during school hours must be free; however, music lessons are an exception to this rule. 

Charges will be made if the teaching is not an essential part of the National Curriculum. 

The school may charge for teaching requested by parents/carers and delivered by specialist tutors given to 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. The cost of these lessons may depend on the size and duration of the class as well as the type of instrument.  

The school will not charge if the music tuition is part of the National Curriculum. This includes instruments and music books. 

East Wichel Primary School and Nursery is dedicated to ensuring equal opportunities for all pupils including access to specialised music tuition, therefore charges made for music tuition within school hours will be remitted for pupils on free school meals. 

Swimming 

• The school organises swimming lessons. These take place in school time and are part of the National Curriculum. The school covers the cost of this activity 

• Voluntary contributions from parents will be request to cover travel costs 

• We inform parents/carers when these lessons are to take place 

8. Nursery 

3-4 year olds 

The Government funds children for up to 30 hours a week from the term following their 3rd birthday. The school is automatically funded for children entitled to 15 hours a week funding. Parents/carers of children who are entitled to 30 hour funding need to make their applications directly through the Government Gateway Portal. 

2-3 year olds 

2-3 year olds are entitled to a funded place providing they have made their application through the Government Gateway Portal and have been issued a 2-year-old code. Any children without a 2-year-old code will be invoiced through the school. 

Failure to complete applications for funding on time may occur charges, the school will invoice parents/carers for these costs.  

Parents/carers can choose to use the Nursery over and above their funded hours where agreed, and will be invoiced by the school for these sessions.   

9. Extended services 

East Wichel Primary School and Nursery provides a well-rounded and extensive education for our pupils which includes a wide range of extra-curricular activities (extended services). Extended services enable our school to provide: 

• high-quality learning opportunities either side of the school day 

• ways of intervening early when children are at risk of poor outcomes, e.g. by providing access to study support, parenting support or to more specialist services (such as health, social care or special educational needs services) 

• ways of increasing pupil engagement 

• ways of improving outcomes and narrowing gaps in outcomes between different groups of pupils 

The total charge will not exceed the cost of providing the activity and no parent/carer will be asked to subsidise others. 

10. Wrap around care 

Breakfast Club which operates 5 days a week 7:30am to 8.30am (Nursery) and 8.40am (Reception to Year 6). 

Lunchtime provision which operates 5 days a week 11:30 to 12:30. This provision applies to Nursery children only. 

After School Club which operates 5 days a week, Monday to Friday, 3:00pm-6:00pm.  

These days are exclusive of school holidays, TD Days and school closures.  

All fees are paid weekly in advance on a Thursday. Payment must be paid via ParentPay or with a childcare voucher/scheme approved by the school. 

Late payments will incur an administration fee per week, per child until the debt is paid. Any parent/carer that owes two weeks fees may have these services suspended until the debt is paid. 

Booked session/s fees will be charged in full for all absent children regardless of the circumstances. 

Parents/carers will be charged for late collections form the After School Club. Children who are collected late, allowing for a 5-minute grace period, will be charged as follows: 

Collection due at 4.30pm - after 4.35pm you will be charged for a 5.30pm session  

Collection due at 5.30pm - after 5.35pm you will be charged for a 6pm session 

Collection due at 6.00pm - after 6.05pm you will be charged per 5 minutes (or part of) 

Ad-hoc bookings: One-off bookings should be requested in advance by/on a Thursday for the following week. Bookings made after this point will be subject to an administration fee for each session required, per child. 

The schools wrap around care services will be used for pupils that have not been collected at the end of their school day. First 10 minutes are with class teacher and non-chargeable. After this period, they will be a charged every subsequent 10 minutes or part of.  

Cost of charges will be determined by the governing body and headteacher. 

11. Refunds 

Request for refunds for trips will be considered on an individual basis and may be rejected if the school is unable to recoup the costs incurred.  

In all cases of withdrawal, either voluntarily or otherwise, applications should be made in writing to the headteacher.  If approved, refunds will be processed via the original method of payment.  

The school reserves the right not to refund costs where a pupil is withdrawn from an activity by the school because of a pupil’s breach of the school’s behaviour policy. 

12. Damage to property and breakages 

Where school property has been wilfully or recklessly damaged by a pupil or parent/carer the school may charge those responsible for some or all the cost of repair or replacement. 

Where property belonging to a third party has been damaged by a pupil, and the school has been charged, the school may charge some or all the cost to those responsible. 

Whether or not these charges will be made will be decided by the headteacher and dependent on the situation. 

13. Remissions and concessions 

The school will consider the remission of charges to parents/carers who receive the following support payments: 

• Income Support 

• Income based Job-seekers Allowance 

• Child Tax Credit (where the person is not receiving Working Tax Credit as well and have an annual gross income of no more than £18,725) 

• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 

• Guaranteed Element of Pension Credit 

• Working Tax Credit run-on 

• Income related Employment and Support Allowance 

• Universal Credit 

Children of families who receive these payments are also entitled to free school meals. Parents/carers who are eligible for the remission of charges will be dealt with confidentially.  

The headteacher will authorise the remission of charges. 

The school may choose to subsidise part or all of the payment of some charges for certain activities and pupils, and this will be determined by the governing body and headteacher. 

14. Voluntary contributions 

The School may ask for voluntary contributions to the school for general funds and/or to fund activities that will enrich our pupils’ education.  

In any case where an activity cannot be afforded without voluntary funding, this will be made clear to the parents/carers by the school. If the activity is cancelled all monies paid will be returned to parents/carers. 

There is no obligation for a parent/carer to make any contribution and the school will in no way pressure parents/carers to contribute.  

15. Inability or unwillingness to pay 

East Wichel Primary School and Nursery is committed to ensuring fair access and treatment of all pupils, and this means ensuring that no child is excluded from an activity because the parents/carers of that child are unwilling or unable to pay. If there is insufficient funding for an activity, then it will be cancelled.  

The identity of the child or parents/carers of the child who did not want to make the payment, or could not make the payment, will not be disclosed under any circumstances. 

16. Complaints 

Complaints about the implementation of this policy or any decisions taken in line with the policy will be considered as part of the school’s complaints procedures.