Charging - School Trips / Breakages

School Trips

No charge will be made for education provided during school hours. This includes materials, equipment and transport.

All requests to parents and carers for voluntary contributions will make it clear that the contributions are voluntary. Any correspondence with parents and carers will make it clear that children of parents and carers who do not contribute, will not be treated any differently.

If most of the time spent on a non-residential activity occurs during school hours, that activity counts as taking place entirely in school hours and no charge may be made. For example, a long-distance trip might involve much travel before and after normal school hours, but if the time spent at the destination fell mainly within school hours, the trip would count as happening in school time and be free of charge. By contrast, a trip which involved leaving school an hour or so earlier than usual in the afternoon, but then went on until quite late in the evening, would be classified as taking part outside school time. Charges would then be allowed.

For a residential activity taking place largely during school time, or which meets requirements of the syllabus for public examination, or is to do with the National Curriculum or religious education, no charge will be made either for the education or for the cost of travel. However, charges may be made for board and lodging, except for pupils whose parents and carers are receiving:

• Income Support
• Family Credit
• Disability Working Allowance
• Income based Jobseeker’s Allowance 

Letters to parents and carers will need to tell them of the right to claim free activities if they are receiving these benefits. Evidence of receipt of any of these benefits will be required.

No charges will be made for entering pupils for public examinations that are set out in regulations.

Breakages: 

Charges WILL be made for:

• Breakages and damages to school buildings, furniture or property.

Parents and carers to be made aware that wilful damage to school buildings or property may be charged to parents and carers by the school