Year 6 Swimming - Do I have to Pay

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mog
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Apr 17, 2009 2:21 pm

Year 6 Swimming - Do I have to Pay

Post by mog »

As swimming is part of the national curriculum in Year 6 do I have to pay the £27 my school is asking for? I thought the school would get the money back from funds? I think I am being asked to pay for the coach to trundle them there and back for 8 weeks. Can I be a rebel and only pay a contribution? :twisted:
andyb
Posts: 645
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:27 am
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by andyb »

DS is in Y4 and has just started school swimming - we have not been asked for any money - I assumed the County Council was paying. He also travels there by coach. He gets 1.5 terms worth of lessons. I think the national target is something like every child should be able to swim 10 metres by the time they leave primary school. If swimming is an integral part of the curriculum and not an "enrichment" activity I don't think you should have to pay.
Tracy
Posts: 1123
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:28 am
Location: Bexley

Post by Tracy »

We have to pay and the kids walk to the pool.
Torrylee
Posts: 120
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2007 10:03 pm

Post by Torrylee »

We had to pay £1 per week towards the cost of the coach, for a ten minute journey.
hermanmunster
Posts: 12817
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Post by hermanmunster »

Clearly this is very variable - dependant on which LEA and their policy!!! - looks like a can of worms...


DD & DS were at private primares and both the swimming and the transport were included in the fees (having said that at the first schoool swimming was the last thing in the day so we collected them from the pool - nice to see how they were getting on) - I suspect many private schools will add it as an extra - if they don;t have their own pool that is.
Bexley Mum 2
Posts: 851
Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:55 pm
Location: Bexley

Post by Bexley Mum 2 »

We were asked to make a voluntary contribution of, I think £1 a week, but it certainly wasn't compulsory.
Milla
Posts: 2556
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2008 2:25 pm

Post by Milla »

ours was a six week stint in freezing January in Y2 or Y3 (nothing since) and we had to pay about £27 for the coach. Still as useless at doggy paddle at the end of it. I think the money goes on endless woggles.
Ed's mum
Posts: 3310
Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2007 11:47 am
Location: Warwickshire.

Post by Ed's mum »

It's a tricky one really. The school can only ask for a voluntary contribution. If there is not enough of a 'voluntary' contribution then they may not be able to run the swimming lessons. However, it's part of the curriculum...

I shall ask the PE co-ordinator at my school tomorrow...

One option is that the school can send out a questionnaire to all parents to ascertain each child's ability, then only send the ones who still reach the specified level. Perhaps there would be funds to finance a smaller group of children - although this is a problem if a coach still needs to be paid for...
mog
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Apr 17, 2009 2:21 pm

year 6 swimming - do I have to pay

Post by mog »

Hi Ed's Mum

Did your PE co-ordinator shed any light? My DD does not need lessons she swims 5 a times a week with a swimming club! I think it is a way to raise funds (after shelling out for the coach). I have emailed school. Now I will be on their black list.
wonderwoman
Posts: 511
Joined: Thu Oct 23, 2008 11:07 pm

Post by wonderwoman »

Hi Mog, I was irrationally livid about swimming last summer!

I always contributed the full amount at primary, as the school had its own pool and had to fund it and DC had about 30 lessons every year, but refused to contribute the paltry sum of 70p per lesson at secondary for these reasons: the school is always asking for money, they walked to the local pool where swimming is free for under 16s, DC was put in non-swimmer group and taught by PE teacher even though he can swim well (not great at other sports, so just assumed he couldn't swim!). I rang in the end and complained as DC had to use his lunch money one day. Have to say the school didn't seem to care.

I agree with Ed's mum that the school can only ask for a voluntary contribution, but can cancel the activity if inufficient contributions are given - primary school used to state on letter 85%. I don't think schools can charge more to make up for non-payers or to fund other things.
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