school fees
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gina from clacton
school fees
hi there
just wondering if its just our school?
our fees at pre prep and prep school have more than doubled in the last 8 years. but my wages have not!!!
anyone else experiencing the same
gina
just wondering if its just our school?
our fees at pre prep and prep school have more than doubled in the last 8 years. but my wages have not!!!
anyone else experiencing the same
gina
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Guest
At our school they rise by about 10% each year. Also lunches used to be free and now they charge. The charges for the holiday club have risen by about 30% in two years. They also slap on £25 a term for largely non existent trips.
They went through a period of hiring out the kids for focus groups and market research (pretending to parents it was educational and a great opportunity) but a lot refused to take part and they have now stopped this.
Another nasty trick is to make kids create art work such as coasters, send them home with it, and tell the parents they have to pay £5 if they want to keep it (this is done via an outside company). This to my mind is blackmail.
I was stunned to visit the school one day to find a "sweatshop" of kids painting glasses etc to sell at the Christmas fair - they literally did nothing else for about three days!
All this leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. Especially as I suspect the proprietor who is independently wealthy, is using the school as a tax loss against their other income.
Unfortunately, parents still have to keep paying (as long as they can) as the alternatives are so dire..
They went through a period of hiring out the kids for focus groups and market research (pretending to parents it was educational and a great opportunity) but a lot refused to take part and they have now stopped this.
Another nasty trick is to make kids create art work such as coasters, send them home with it, and tell the parents they have to pay £5 if they want to keep it (this is done via an outside company). This to my mind is blackmail.
I was stunned to visit the school one day to find a "sweatshop" of kids painting glasses etc to sell at the Christmas fair - they literally did nothing else for about three days!
All this leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. Especially as I suspect the proprietor who is independently wealthy, is using the school as a tax loss against their other income.
Unfortunately, parents still have to keep paying (as long as they can) as the alternatives are so dire..
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Guest
Forgot to mention the uniform. £45 for a sweatshirt and £15 for a t-shirt with the school logos is extortionate. The dresses they wear also cost about £45. No doubt the school makes a nice profit.
The kids in the upper years also have to supply all their own writing and drawing things, even pencils!
The kids in the upper years also have to supply all their own writing and drawing things, even pencils!
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Guest
We only pay £7.50 for T shirts and £15 for PE sweatshirts, supplied by the school with a nice profit margin, but we do have to supply all writing equipment/glue/scissors and ruled books for doing homework. We also get charged (anything up to 12.50 for museum trips - when entry to museums are free - and more for other trips - of which there are many each year. Events in schools eg plays that your children are in (and so have to watch) come with a price tag of £5 for adults and £3 for children and our children also spend days painting plates/glasses/boxes etc to sell to parents at school fairs. We also have to pay an annual maintainance charge of £130 (voluntary - not) to help keep the school afloat. To cap it all my children go to a state primary school. So much for free education!!
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Guest
Our school hasn't yet sunk to the level of charging for school plays, but we were coerced into buying roses to present to our daughters in the dressing room at £5 each. Each child also has to donate a £10 prize for the various baskets being raffled. Strangely staff at the school, their partners/kids and one favoured parent won all the prizes - not fixed I'm sure!
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Guest
My two children also go to a state primary in Bucks. We are asked to contribute £150/year per child to maintain the teaching ratio. This contribution is 'voluntary' but if you don't pay personalised letter requesting you to pay up are sent round to make you feel very guilty. Also asked to pay for art, music days at school and of course school trips. Even asked to pay to see our own children in school nativity. So much for the christian ethos at Christmas - it is after all a CofE Primary.
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gina from clacton
[quote="Anonymous"]At our school they rise by about 10% each year. Also lunches used to be free and now they charge. The charges for the holiday club have risen by about 30% in two years. They also slap on £25 a term for largely non existent trips.
They went through a period of hiring out the kids for focus groups and market research (pretending to parents it was educational and a great opportunity) but a lot refused to take part and they have now stopped this.
Another nasty trick is to make kids create art work such as coasters, send them home with it, and tell the parents they have to pay £5 if they want to keep it (this is done via an outside company). This to my mind is blackmail.[/quote
hi there guest , sorry i did have to laugh as you said free lunches!!!!!!!!!!!! i made the same mistake too,, nothing is free in the private sector,believe me they certainly got there money for the lunches. our school has not yet cottoned on to this art thing, no doubt a good money spinner. they do however organise events with the pta and expect all children present, or organise sponsered events in school time and award house points depending on how much money you raise!!!which is cruel in my eyes,i do not pander to this and give the bear minimum.
could i ask you say your fees go up by 10% do your wages as mine dont.
and like you say you are trapped they can do what they want once they have got you, one parent at our school went to see the head and was told if you cant afford it theres the door!!
like you say it doesnt stop at the fees for schooling we too have the uniform, £90 coat £30 hat, £35 dress etc but thats ok as i knew that when we joined, as they get to the preps you have extra curricular subjects , elecution £30 a term , sports on offer different one every night £35 per term per class/night etc etc trips range from £15 to anything. my daughter is going to france for just 3 days educational trip £400 and spending money!!!!!! and yes they are all going , so what can you do.
i suppose i should stop moaning now, as it sounds as if its not much better in the state sector!!!
They went through a period of hiring out the kids for focus groups and market research (pretending to parents it was educational and a great opportunity) but a lot refused to take part and they have now stopped this.
Another nasty trick is to make kids create art work such as coasters, send them home with it, and tell the parents they have to pay £5 if they want to keep it (this is done via an outside company). This to my mind is blackmail.[/quote
hi there guest , sorry i did have to laugh as you said free lunches!!!!!!!!!!!! i made the same mistake too,, nothing is free in the private sector,believe me they certainly got there money for the lunches. our school has not yet cottoned on to this art thing, no doubt a good money spinner. they do however organise events with the pta and expect all children present, or organise sponsered events in school time and award house points depending on how much money you raise!!!which is cruel in my eyes,i do not pander to this and give the bear minimum.
could i ask you say your fees go up by 10% do your wages as mine dont.
and like you say you are trapped they can do what they want once they have got you, one parent at our school went to see the head and was told if you cant afford it theres the door!!
like you say it doesnt stop at the fees for schooling we too have the uniform, £90 coat £30 hat, £35 dress etc but thats ok as i knew that when we joined, as they get to the preps you have extra curricular subjects , elecution £30 a term , sports on offer different one every night £35 per term per class/night etc etc trips range from £15 to anything. my daughter is going to france for just 3 days educational trip £400 and spending money!!!!!! and yes they are all going , so what can you do.
i suppose i should stop moaning now, as it sounds as if its not much better in the state sector!!!
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Guest
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gina from clacton
