Charging & Remissions
Temple Moor High School recognises the key role that activities, including trips, residentials, extra-curricular clubs and groups can provide in broadening the student experience and underpinning the curriculum.
We want to ensure all students, irrelevant of their financial position, are able to experience as many activities as possible. As a parent / carer it is important you are aware of our charging and remissions policy. A full copy of the policy can be found here, we have outlined the key information for you below.
Charges that cannot be made
The Local Governing Board of the school recognise that legislation prohibits charges for the following:
education provided during school hours (including the supply of any materials, books, instruments or other equipment including Tablet PC)
education provided outside school hours if it is part of the National Curriculum, or part of a syllabus for a prescribed public examination that the student is being prepared for at the school, or part of religious education
instrumental or vocal tuition for pupils learning individually or in groups, unless the tuition is provided at the request of the student’s parent
entry for a prescribed public examination, if the student has been prepared for it at the school
examination re-sits if the student is being prepared for the re-sit at the school. However, if a student fails, without good reason, to meet any examination requirement for a syllabus, the fee can be recovered from the student’s parents
education provided on any trip that takes place during school hours
supply teachers to cover for those teachers who are absent from school accompanying students on an educational visit
transporting registered students to or from the school premises, where the local education authority has a statutory obligation to provide transport
transporting registered students to other premises where the Governing Board or local education authority has arranged for students to be educated
transport that enables a student to meet an examination requirement when he or she has been prepared for that examination at the school
transport provided in connection with an educational trip in school time.
Charges that will be made
The Governing Board of the School recognise that legislation allows charges for the following:
board and lodging on residential trips, including that of necessary supervisory staff (not to exceed the costs)
the proportionate costs for an individual student for activities wholly or mainly outside school hours (‘optional extras’) to meet the costs for:
- travel
- materials and equipment
- non-teaching staff costs
- entrance fees
- insurance costs
vocal and musical instrument tuition. – (See paragraph 3.1 and appendix A of the Charging and Remissions Policy)
re-sits for public examinations where no further preparation has been provided by the school
examination fees where a student fails without good reason to sit the exam
any other education, transport or examinations where no further preparation has been provided by the school
any other education, transport or examination fee unless charges are specifically prohibited
breakages and replacements as a result of damages caused wilfully or negligently by students
extra-curricular activities and school clubs
any extended school activity
damage/vandalism/loss to and of school property
school ties – payable for year seven students on entry to the school, and for any replacements in the event of loss or damage. Price is £4.00, which is to be reviewed annually and applied accordingly
school lockers – offered primarily to years seven students, and then on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. Charges include a £5.00 refundable deposit on receipt of the locker key and padlock (undamaged). A small charge of £1.00 will be applied for each year the student has the locker. Replacement locker keys are priced at £3.00. Prices to be reviewed annually and applied accordingly
school planners – for the replacement of a student planner in the event of any loss or damage. Price is £5.00, which is to be reviewed annually and applied accordingly
mini bus – only the school’s students, staff or parents may travel at a charge in the schools’ minibus. No profit will be made from the use of the minibus
Remission
Students whose parents are in receipt of the following support payments will, on addition to having a free school lunch entitlement, also be entitled to the remission of charges for board and lodging costs during residential school trips. The relevant support payments are:
Income Support
Income Based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
Child Tax Credit, provided that Working Tax Credit is not also received and the family’s income (as assessed by HMRC) does not exceed £16,190
Guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
Universal Credit in prescribed circumstances. (The government plans to prescribe the circumstances when Universal Credit is fully rolled out)
An income related employment and support allowance
Working Tax Credit run-on paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
Individual Cases of Financial Difficulty
Requests for financial assistance should be made in writing to the Principal, upon receipt of the letter outlining the details of the activity, or as soon as parents are aware that an activity is to take place:
the Principal may be able to agree flexible, extended payment terms
the Principal holds a small contingency fund to support requests for financial assistance. ‘Essential’ activities will take preference over ‘non-essential’
parents in receipt of the above benefits will be considered as first priority for assistance
in most cases, parents will be asked to bear 50% of the cost
all cases will be treated individually and in the strictest confidence
Voluntary contributions
Parents will be invited to make a voluntary contribution for the following:
educational trips
reward trips
fund raising events
The terms of any request made to parents will specify that it is a voluntary contribution and in no way represents a charge. In addition the following will be made clear to parents:
that the contribution is genuinely voluntary and a parent is under no obligation to pay
that registered students at the school will not be treated differently according to whether or not their parents have made any contribution in response to the request.
The Principal is responsible for making it clear to parents at the outset if an activity cannot be funded without voluntary contributions. A letter will be sent to parents to explain that without parents support the activity will not take place.
The terms of any request made to parents will specify that it is a voluntary contribution and in no way represents a charge. In addition the following will be made clear to parents:
Supplement the transport and activities costs in association with any Educational or Reward visits/ trip
Support fund raising events in aid of the school or registered charities
Any excess contributions received will be used to support further school activities or they will be transferred to the school’s delegated budget share
School Meals
The Local Governing Board determines and publishes the price to be charged for school meals each year.