Charging and Remissions Policy

North Ealing Primary School

1. Aims

Our school aims to:

Have robust, clear processes in place for charging and remissions
Clearly set out the types of activity that can be charged for and when charges will be made

2. Legislation and guidance

This policy is based on advice from the Department for Education (DfE) on charging for school activities and the Education Act 1996, sections 449-462 of which set out the law on charging for school activities in England.

3. Definitions

Charge: a fee payable for specifically defined activities
Remission: the cancellation of a charge which would normally be payable

4. Roles and responsibilities

4.1 The governing board

The governing board has overall responsibility for approving the charging and remissions policy but can delegate this to a committee, an individual governor or the headteacher.

The governing board also has overall responsibility for monitoring the implementation of this policy.

Responsibility for approving the charging and remissions policy has been delegated to the Resources Committee.

Monitoring the implementation of this policy has been delegated to the Resources Committee

4.2 Headteachers

The headteacher is responsible for ensuring staff are familiar with the charging and remissions policy, and that it is being applied consistently.

4.3 Staff

Staff are responsible for:

Implementing the charging and remissions policy consistently
Notifying the headteacher of any specific circumstances which they are unsure about or where they are not certain if the policy applies

The school will provide staff with appropriate training in relation to this policy and its implementation.

4.4 Parents

Parents are expected to notify staff or the headteacher of any concerns or queries regarding the charging and remissions policy.

5. Where charges cannot be made

Below we set out what we cannot charge for:

5.1 Education

Admission applications
Education provided during school hours (including the supply of any materials, books, instruments or other equipment)
Education provided outside school hours if it is part of:
The national curriculum
A syllabus for a prescribed public examination that the pupil is being prepared for at the school
Religious education
Instrumental or vocal tuition, for pupils learning individually or in groups, unless the tuition is provided at the request of the pupil’s parent
Entry for a prescribed public examination if the pupil has been prepared for it at the school
Examination re-sit(s) if the pupil is being prepared for the re-sit(s) at the school

5.2 Transport

Transporting registered pupils to or from the school premises, where the local authority has a statutory obligation to provide transport
Transporting registered pupils to other premises where the governing board or local authority has arranged for pupils to be educated
Transport that enables a pupil 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 visit

5.3 Residential visits

Education provided on any visit that takes place during school hours
Education provided on any visit that takes place outside school hours if it is part of:
The national curriculum
A syllabus for a prescribed public examination that the pupil is being prepared for at the school
Religious education
Supply teachers to cover for those teachers who are absent from school accompanying pupils on a residential visit

6. Where charges can be made

Below we set out what we can charge for:

6.1 Education

Any materials, books, instruments or equipment, where the child’s parent wishes him or her to own them
Optional extras (see below)
Music and vocal tuition, in limited circumstances
Certain early years provision
Community facilities

6.2 Optional extras

We are able to charge for activities known as ‘optional extras’. In these cases, schools can charge for providing materials, books, instruments or equipment. The following are examples of optional extras:

Education provided outside of school time that is not part of:
The national curriculum
A syllabus for a prescribed public examination that the pupil is being prepared for at the school
Religious education
Examination entry fee(s) if the registered pupil has not been prepared for the examination(s) at the school
Extended day services offered to pupils (such as breakfast clubs, after-school clubs, tea and supervised homework sessions).

When calculating the cost of optional extras, an amount may be included in relation to:

Any materials, books, instruments or equipment provided in connection with the optional extra
The cost of buildings and accommodation
Non-teaching staff
Teaching staff engaged under contracts for services purely to provide an optional extra (including supply teachers engaged specifically to provide the optional extra)
The cost, or an appropriate proportion of the costs, for teaching staff employed to provide tuition in playing a musical instrument, or vocal tuition, where the tuition is an optional extra
- Any charge made in respect of individual pupils will not be greater than the actual cost of providing the optional extra activity, divided equally by the number of pupils participating.

Parental agreement is necessary for the provision of an optional extra which is to be charged for.

6.3 Music tuition

Schools can charge for vocal or instrumental tuition provided either individually or to groups of pupils, provided that the tuition is provided at the request of the pupil’s parent.

Charges may not exceed the cost of the provision, including the cost of the staff giving the tuition.

Charges cannot be made:

If the teaching is an essential part of the national curriculum
If the teaching is provided under the first access to the Key Stage 2 instrumental and vocal tuition programme

For a pupil who is looked after by a local authority

6.4 Residential visits

We can charge for board and lodging on residential visits, but the charge must not exceed the actual cost.

7. Voluntary contributions

As an exception to the requirements set out in section 5 of this policy, the school is able to ask for voluntary contributions from parents to fund activities during school hours which would not otherwise be possible.

Some activities for which the school may ask parents for voluntary contributions include:

School trips
Sporting activities

There is no obligation for parents to make any contribution, and no child will be excluded from an activity if their parents are unwilling or unable to pay.

If the school is unable to raise enough funds for an activity or visit then it will be cancelled.

8. Activities we charge for

The school may charge for the following activities: Afterschool sports and art clubs.

9. Remissions

In some circumstances, the school may not charge for items or activities set out in sections 6 and 8 of this policy. This will be at the discretion of the governing board and will depend on the activity in question.

9.1 Remissions for residential visits

Parents who can prove they are in receipt of any of the following benefits will be exempt from paying the cost of board and lodging for residential visits:

Income Support
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
Child Tax Credit (provided that Working Tax Credit is not also received and the family’s annual gross income does not exceed £16,190)
Working Tax Credit run-on (this is paid for 4 weeks after an individual stops qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
Universal Credit (if the application was made on or after 1 April 2018, the family’s income must be less than £7,400 per year – after tax and not including any benefits)

10. Monitoring arrangements

The Business Manager monitors charges and remissions and ensures these comply with this policy.
This policy will be reviewed by the Business Manager annually.
At every review, the policy will be approved by the Resources Committee.

The committee with oversight for this policy
Resources
Policy to be approved by
Resources Committee
Policy last reviewed by the Resources Committee
23/06/2021
Policy last ratified and adopted by Full Governing Body
23/06/2021
Policy / Document due for review
06/2022