Kendrick parents - Year 8 Information Evening 6th Oct

[rainbowcarousel]

There are other local schools who ask for similar amounts. I asked at open evenings.

I only have experience of 2 state secondaries in the area and neither have asked for money. I'm curious to know which state schools do ask for money, but recognise people may be reluctant to divulge that information.

The school fund is voluntary and I believe about half of parents contribute. So half don't feel obliged or are unable to. If you don't want to donate, don't.

I understand that its voluntary, but someone asked how I felt it was a sales pitch, so I answered. Honestly, it puts me off wanting to attend any event other than the parents evening!

My original question for this thread related to the information evening - which you kindly answered, so thank you.

[scary mum]

I'll start the ball rolling. Burnham Grammar asks for £180 per year & has done for about 4 years. This is on top of requests for money for "Bricks for Burnham" which was the building fund.
The contribution for Beaconsfield High was considerably more some years ago, I think. There are a few threads on this issue but they might be hard to search for.

[BlueSmarties]

I'm saying that I don't understand why Kendrick can't manage within its budgets when other schools can, without asking parents for contributions? Schools typically do charge for trips but not textbooks!!

I've never personally felt the request for voluntary contributions to be a "threat", just plain old begging.

I've been told that Reading School, Bulmershe, Maiden Erleigh, and further afield Ranelagh all ask for parental contributions. Kendrick are not alone in needing any help they can get.

[rainbowcarousel]

I've never personally felt the request for voluntary contributions to be a "threat", just plain old begging.

And that's fair enough I'm simply saying that I feel the way (and frequency with which) the requests for funding support are framed, feels like a veiled threat that the girls won't get the best outcomes if we don't cough up. It's my interpretation of what I hear. I acknowledge I have issues with the school (and unlikely to change my views) but therefore, if I don't need to attend an information evening because it will be covered by letters home at another time, I shall choose not to expose myself to it!

[ToadMum]

I've never personally felt the request for voluntary contributions to be a "threat", just plain old begging.

And that's fair enough I'm simply saying that I feel the way (and frequency with which) the requests for funding support are framed, feels like a veiled threat that the girls won't get the best outcomes if we don't cough up. It's my interpretation of what I hear. I acknowledge I have issues with the school (and unlikely to change my views) but therefore, if I don't need to attend an information evening because it will be covered by letters home at another time, I shall choose not to expose myself to it!

I know that it's possible to 'fall out of love' with a school, but there must have been something initially that made you decide that it would be the best place for your DD? I do hope that she is happier with the place than you appear to be .

[rainbowcarousel]

I know that it's possible to 'fall out of love' with a school, but there must have been something initially that made you decide that it would be the best place for your DD? I do hope that she is happier with the place than you appear to be .

I didn't decide it would be the best place for her, she did I specifically didn't want her to go but she was very keen to try and see where she placed academically, so I let her sit the test... I have a fatalistic, what will be, will be, attitude. So when she passed I agreed to put it as first choice, still thinking she wouldn't get a place and I would get my choice of school.. and here we are . All I can say is she's self-motivated, right?

She's very happy there though

[kenyancowgirl]

...If you felt strongly enough that another school was more suitable, may I respectfully suggest that you are the parent - your DD is just an 11 year old girl - self motivated or not - as a parent YOU have to make the decision as to which is the best school, not a child. And, again, with respect, as you have chosen for her to go there, it implies that actually you have agreed with her decision so would it not be better to try and embrace the school and support its endeavours - even if this is not financially, most schools are more than happy to welcome an offer of time, or just for you to turn up and support fundraising events like Christmas Fairs etc?


PS ALL the state schools round us ask for donations/contributions. Our school does a £ a day scheme (you can not do it at all or do less/more if you choose); the local state school to me asks for a one off payment each year (I think it was £150 last time I looked)...all these are on top of trip money etc but, as state schools, they are voluntary. And yes they have PE kit and text books (generally English they ask you to buy your own copy) but if you are a skilled sportsman/woman you tend to invest in slightly better quality equipment. You are very lucky if schools in your area do not have to ask for help - I wonder how they raise the funds?

[rainbowcarousel]

I didn't think another school was more suitable, rather that I had a bad experience myself there, but she was very keen to go and I agreed to take the chance that her experience will be different.

Fundamentally I am not in favour of either independent or selective education, but I also believe in individual choice and not imposing my will arbitrarily on others; she heard my concerns but then put a very good case for being allowed to attend, if she passed unaided. It was with a heavy heart that I let her go but so far seems to be the right decision for her.

Clearly I am very lucky that my DS' schools have been able to manage without requesting voluntary funding

[Pat Pending]

Just to keep this firmly off the topic of the information evening...

Like the OP I'd like to believe that Kendrick (and every other school in the country) is adequately funded and does not require financial support from me and other parents. However, I cannot sustain the cognitive dissonance required to maintain this belief; googling "school funding uk" and following a few links was enough to destroy any illusions I may have held on the subject.

Maybe it's more convenient to ignore that kind of data and believe that, since I pay my taxes, everything will be fine. Hands over ears. LA LA LA. Not Listening.

In any case, I'm confident that my DD will get excellent GCSE grades whether or not I contribute to the school fund. However, when DD comes home and talks excitedly about Chickens, or tells me about her hockey match or explains the LEGO league, I remember that there is a lot more to school than GCSEs. Then I remember this old story:

Three beggars are huddled around a fire on one cold winter evening. One has some meat. Another some green vegetables, the third a potato. They agree: they will all tip their contributions into a cooking pot of water so that they can all enjoy a nourishing soup. However, as each one of them approaches the pot he thinks: "I cannot afford to give this up. We'll have a fine soup without my contribution". Cut to the chase: they end up drinking hot water.

Like most of us, I suspect, my outgoings tend to expand to match my income and so my initial reaction to a request for funds has been "oh no, I can't afford it". Actually, though, it's not true. I have economised and re-balanced at other times to meet the financial needs of having a family. Likewise, I have done that over the past several years for Kendrick. In some years this has meant giving less than the school asked; in other years it has meant giving more.

Just like the OP, I don't like to be begged for money. I don't like it when it happens in Reading high street, and I don't like it when it happens in the school hall. I have wondered what alternative would be more effective, though; would graphs and tables of data be more effective? One thing's for sure: whatever rotten experience it is for us, that's nothing compared to how rotten it is for the person doing the asking.

Fortunately for everyone's DD, each and every one of them get to benefit from the school fund, whether or not their parents contribute. I hope that our DDs will never end up drinking hot water when they were promised soup.

PP

[Reading Mum]

Just like the OP, I don't like to be begged for money. I don't like it when it happens in Reading high street, and I don't like it when it happens in the school hall. I have wondered what alternative would be more effective, though; would graphs and tables of data be more effective? One thing's for sure: whatever rotten experience it is for us, that's nothing compared to how rotten it is for the person doing the asking.

when they held an info evening at school to discuss funding I think only 4 parents turned up.