Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent Charging and Remissions Policy

Approved by: Academy Governing Council Date: 

Last reviewed on: December 2023 

Next review due by: December 2024

6 December 2023

Legislation and Guidance 

This policy is based on advice from the Department for Education on charging for school activities and the  Education Act 1996, sections 449 and 462 which set out the law on charging for school activities in  England. Academies are required to comply with this Act through their funding agreements.  

It is also based on guidance from DfE on statutory policies for schools and academy trusts. Where charges can be made 

Below we set out what the school can charge for.

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

● Community facilities

Optional extras 

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

● Education provided outside of school time that is not part of:

o The national curriculum

o A syllabus for a prescribed public examination that the pupil is being prepared for at the school

o Religious education

● Examination entry fee(s) if the registered pupil has not been prepared for the examination(s) at the school

● Transport to/from School.

● Board and lodging for a pupil on a residential visit

● 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.

Any charge will not include an element of subsidy for any other pupils who wish to take part in the activity but whose parents are unwilling or unable to pay the full charge.

In cases where a small proportion of the activity takes place during school hours, the charge cannot include  the cost of alternative provision for those pupils who do not wish to participate.

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

 Music tuition 

The school 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.

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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

Residential visits

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

The Academy is able to ask for voluntary contributions from parents to fund activities which would not  otherwise be possible.  

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. Remissions 

In some circumstances the Academy may not charge for items or activities as outlined in this policy. This will  be at the discretion of the governing board and will depend on the activity in question.

Each instance will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Monitoring Arrangements 

The Headteacher monitors the charges and remissions, and ensures that these comply with this policy. This  policy will be reviewed annually by the Headteacher. At every review, the policy will be approved by the  Academy Governing Council.

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