| 1 |
The Governing Body of Westminster City School
in compliance with the requirements of the Education Reform Act
1988 have drawn up a policy on charging for school activities.
It is the governors' intention that activities of all kinds should
be encouraged and that all curricular activities offered by the
school are available to all students regardless of their ability
to pay for the activity. |
| 1.1 |
The Governors wish to encourage parents to make voluntary contributions
where not to do so would mean that important educational experiences
cannot take place. In addition the governors are keen to ensure
that extra-curricular activities are as widely available as possible,
and have drawn up a policy on remissions to provide financial assistance
where appropriate. |
| 1.2 |
The Governors recommend that in view of the likely future constraints
on activities in terms of funding, staffing supply cover and programming
of activities on the school calendar, first priority should be
given to those visits which have direct relevance to the requirements
of the curriculum or the requirements of the individual course
concerned. |
| 1.3 |
The Governors require that all activities are planned well in
advance in order that adequate and reasonable provision can be
made for the proper funding of any visit. |
| 1.4 |
The Governors require that for each visit the governors are given
a concise statement about the aims and objectives of each visit,
showing where appropriate the educational relevance to the curriculum
and that adequate insurance cover is provided according to the
requirements made in this policy statement. |
| 1.5 |
The Governing Body recognises the valuable contribution which
parents have made in helping with supervision on some activities.
The governors wish to encourage the development of parental involvement
in school activities where this is felt to be appropriate to supplement
the adult supervisory provision on any such activity. The governors
wish that appropriate reimbursement of expenses shall be made to
those parents involved in any activity and that these expenses
are incorporated into any activity budget. Appropriate remuneration
of expenses covers entrance fees, board and lodging, and travelling
expenses incurred on the trip or visit by parent volunteers (PVs)
who donate their free time. |
| 1.6 |
The Governors have set up a Finance and General Purposes Sub
Committee which meets every term and it is this committee or its
sub-committees which will discuss any proposed activities. |
| 1.7 |
The Act confirms the general principle of free education in that
charges are not permitted for activities (including any materials,
books, instruments or other equipment) which take place wholly
or mainly during school hours. There are some exceptions to this,
which are detailed below. The governors have drawn up this policy
on charges for activities to fulfil the requirements of the Act. |
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| 2 |
Activities outside school hours |
| The Governors confirm that charges may be made for
activities out of school time (detailed in the Act as optional
extras) but not if the activities are provided for the purpose
of prescribed public examination, the curriculum or religious education.
Charges which may be made include elements for travel, board and
lodging, materials, books, instruments, equipment, entrance fees
and insurance. |
| 2.1 |
Charges may be made for teaching staff costs if such staff are
engaged specifically for the activity. If the staff are already
employed by the LEA, a separate contract is needed. A supply teacher
specifically engaged for an activity is obviously a cost factor
which needs to be included in the activity costing, but if the
supply teacher is engaged to cover another teacher who is engaged
in the activity, then this cannot be charged. |
| 2.2 |
Charges in respect of individual students may not exceed the
actual cost of the optional extra divided equally by the number
willing to participate. In other words it is not permitted to increase
the charge for individual students over actual costs in order to
subsidise children whose parents are unwilling or unable to pay.
Subsidies for these children must come from funds created as a
result of the governors' remissions policy. |
| 3 |
Activities partly during school hours |
| Activities partly within and partly outside school hours are
treated for charging purposes as falling into one or other category,
according to criteria laid down in the Act. |
| 3.1 |
Each day counts as two half days, the division between the two
being at 12 noon. If the number of school sessions is less than
50% of the number of half days taken up by the activity, the activity
is deemed to have taken place outside school hours. If the number
of school sessions is 50% or more, it is in school hours. Part
half days are rounded up where six or more hours in a half day
are spent on the trip, e.g. a term-time activity from noon on Wednesday
to 9.00 pm on Sunday (i.e. 9 half days including 5 school sessions)
would be deemed to have taken place in school hours, but an activity
from noon on Thursday to 9.00 pm on Sunday (i.e. 7 half days including
3 school sessions) would not. |
| 3.2 |
In summary, a non-residential activity will be deemed to have
taken place during school hours if 50% or more of the whole time
spent on the activity, including any connecting transport during
school hours, occurs during school hours. |
| 4 |
Residential activities |
| The Governors have adopted the definition of a residential
activity as stated in the Act, i.e. a residential visit is defined
as a visit arranged for registered students by, or on behalf of,
the LEA or governing body and requiring students to spend one or
more nights away from their usual accommodation. |
| 4.1 |
For residential activities parents are expected to pay the full
cost of the board and lodging except where the child qualifies
for a necessitous grant. The school will have to find the difference
in respect of students whose parents are in receipt of income support
(IS) or family credit (FC). In addition to children from families
in receipt of IS or FC, the governors would want to extend support
to those parents who are in receipt of a widow's pension (WP) or
invalidity benefit (IB). |
| 5 |
Non-residential activities |
| The Governors have agreed that for the purposes of the Act non-residential
activities would include outings to theatres and concerts, and
visits to swimming baths, sports centres etc. If these activities
take place within school hours, they must be provided by the school
free of charge. After-school activities are outside this requirement.
The free provision relates also to entrance charges and transport
costs. The governors have agreed that the school may continue to
ask parents to contribute to the cost of such activities provided
the conditions about voluntary contributions are met. |
| 5.1 |
The Governors recommend that visits which relate directly to
the requirements of the curriculum should be given first priority. |
