"At Newquay Primary Academy we encourage and promote external activities which give added value to the curriculum. We make our school activities accessible to all pupils regardless of family income. Our aim is that no child should be excluded from an activity simply because his or her parents are unwilling or unable to pay. We have in place a process which allows activities to take place at a minimum cost to parents, pupils and the school. This allows us to respond to wide variations in family income while not adding additional unexpected burdens to our school budget.
Charging and remissions policy
We recognise the value of providing a wide range of experiences to enrich and extend our pupils’ learning and to contribute to their personal development. At Newquay Primary Academy we aim to promote and provide such experiences for our pupils, both as part of a broad and balanced curriculum and as additional optional activities. However, many of these activities have an associated cost and cannot be provided unless voluntary contributions are received or parents are charged for the cost.
Our Charging and Remissions Policy sets out the circumstances in which charges will or will not be made for school activities and when charges may be waived in order to ensure that all pupils have an equal opportunity to benefit from school visits, curricular and extra-curricular activities.
Our Charging and Remissions Policy is available to view in the Policies section of our website. It 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 maintained schools in England.
Our Charging and Remissions Policy sets out the circumstances in which charges will or will not be made for school activities and when charges may be waived in order to ensure that all pupils have an equal opportunity to benefit from school visits, curricular and extra-curricular activities.
Our Charging and Remissions Policy is available to view in the Policies section of our website. It 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 maintained schools in England.
We do not charge for:
- 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, or part of a syllabus for a prescribed public examination that the pupil 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 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.
We may charge for:
- Any materials, books, instruments, or equipment, where the child’s parent wishes him/her to own them.
- Optional extras (see below).
- Music and vocal tuition, in limited circumstances.
- Certain early years provision.
- Community facilities.
- Any charge made in respect of individual pupils will not exceed the actual cost of providing the optional extra activity, divided equally by the number of pupils participating.
Optional extras
Charges may be made for some activities that are known as ‘optional extras’. Participation in any optional extra activity will be on the basis of parental choice and a willingness to meet the charges. Parental agreement is therefore a necessary prerequisite for the provision of an optional extra where charges will be made.
Where an optional extra is being provided, a charge can be made for providing materials, books, instruments, or equipment etc. Any charge made in respect of individual pupils will not exceed the actual cost of providing the optional extra activity, divided equally by the number of pupils participating.
Optional extras are:
- Education provided outside of school time that is not: a) part of the national curriculum; b) part of a syllabus for a prescribed public examination that the pupil is being prepared for at the school; or c) part of religious education.
- Examination entry fee(s) if the registered pupil has not been prepared for the examination(s) at the school.
- Transport (other than transport that is required to take the pupil to school or to other premises where the local authority/governing body have arranged for the pupil to be provided with education).
- Board and lodging for a pupil on a residential visit.
- Extended day services offered to pupils (for example breakfast club, after-school clubs, tea and supervised homework sessions).
