Co-op Academy North Manchester

Charging and Remissions Policy

Introduction:

• We believe in the highest quality of provision for our students and we allocate resources appropriately and within guidelines to ensure that good value for money is achieved.
•  In accordance with the Education Reform Act of 1988 and in accordance with Sections 449 - 462 of the Education Act 1996 no charges are made to any registered pupil for any books, materials, equipment or apparatus used during school hours.
• We apply the charging policy in line with Section 457 of the Education Act 1996 which e.g. allows charges to be made for residential school trips and artefacts made in school and taken home.
• Questions and queries about this policy or discussions regarding the application of this policy to an individual student can be addressed by contacting the main school office and enquiries will be dealt with in confidence by a senior member of staff.

Aims and Objectives

• We believe that no student should be disadvantaged as a result of home or family background circumstances and apply a remissions policy. The Principal and Governors may remit some charges in part or in full as reasonable in particular individual circumstances.
• The charging and remissions policy is an integral part of our inclusive arrangements for students and is applied equally to all students.
• The aims of this Policy are to:

• Set out what the school will not charge for, what it will make a charge for or request a voluntary contribution towards, from parents/guardians.
•  Clarify how charges will be determined, so parents and guardians understand why requests for payment are sometimes made for some activities.

 Activities without charge:

There will be no charge for the following activities:

• Education provided wholly or mostly during school hours. This includes the supply of any materials, books, instruments, other equipment and also transport provided in school hours to carry pupils between the school and an activity.
• Education provided outside school hours if it is part of the National Curriculum or part of a syllabus for a prescribed public examination, which the pupil is being prepared for at the school.
• Instrumental and vocal music tuition, which is part of the National Curriculum
• Entry for a prescribed public examination including re-sits provided that a pupil has been prepared for it at the school.

Voluntary contributions:

Where the school cannot levy charges and it is not possible to make these additional activities within the resources ordinarily available to the school, the school may request or invite parents to make a contribution towards the cost of the trip or activity. Pupils will not be treated differently according to whether or not their parents have made any contribution in response to the request or invitation. However, where there are not enough voluntary contributions to make the activity possible, then it will not take place.’

Chargeable activities:

The school may recover the full costs of the following activities, which may be provided directly or through commissioned services. The charges will exceed the actual costs by a maximum of 3[JF1] % to cover the ParentMail transaction charges:

• Educational or other activities provided wholly or mainly outside school hours, which are not:

• Part of the National Curriculum.
•  Part of a syllabus for prescribed public examination, which the pupil is being prepared for at school. (Note: This could include before and after school clubs run by the school).

• Board and lodgings on residential visits (subject to remission arrangements).
• Cost of entering a pupil for a public examination not prescribed in regulations, and for the cost of preparing a pupil for that examination outside school hours.
• Cost of entering a pupil for a prescribed public examination including re-sits where no preparations have been provided by the school.
• Provision of instrumental and vocal tuition, which takes place during the school day and which has been requested by parents/guardians.
• Provision of materials/ingredients for subjects such as Art & Design or Food Technology, where pupils take home a finished product.

 Remission Policy:

• Full consideration will be given to pupils whose parents/guardians are receiving universal  credit, income support, income based job seeker’s allowance, income-related employment and support allowance, any other benefit or allowance, or entitled to any tax credit under the Tax Credits Act 2002. Charges for other ‘chargeable activities’ may also be fully or partially remitted. The schools holds a hardship fund, to support pupils and all decisions will be at the discretion of the Principal, The Finance Committee or the Full Governing Body
• Details of any remission arrangements will be made clear when parents are informed of charges for individual activities.