Pre-Employment Checks Procedure

A Model for Schools & Academies 

 ST JOHN PAYNE 
   CATHOLIC SCHOOL

           

CHARGES AND REMISSIONS
POLICY

GENERAL PRINCIPLE
State Education should be free.

Exceptions:

•	Music Lessons (in some cases)
•	Examination fees including re-sit fees 
•	Board and lodging
•	Finished products
•	Transport (in some very limited cases)
•	Activities arranged by third parties
•	Damage to school property
•	Optional extras outside school hours
•	Voluntary contributions

N.B.	The main guidance in these matters is The Education Act 1996 and The Education (School Sessions and Charges and Remissions Policies) (Information) (England) Regulations 1999.

MUSIC LESSONS AND EXAMINATIONS
Must be free if:
•	in a class or group of five or more, or
•	it forms part of the syllabus for a prescribed public examination or is required by the National Curriculum.
Otherwise a charge may be made for individual instrumental, vocal tuition or examinations

EXAMINATION FEES
A  charge may be made for:
•	re-marking (a refund will be made in the event of a higher mark being awarded and the school has recovered the fees)
•	an examination for which the student has not been prepared by the school;
•	a re-sit 
•	the fee of a student who fails without good reason (in the judgement of the Governing Body) to meet any examination requirements of that syllabus including non-attendance.
•	the return of examination papers from the examination board
•	late request for certification
•	late withdrawal of an entry for an examination
•	late change of tier for an examination
•	to meet the administration costs involved in any of the above, a small fee may be payable. Details are available from the school

BOARD & LODGING
Where a school activity involves a student in a night away from home, a charge may be made which must not exceed the actual cost of the board and lodging for that student.

FINISHED PRODUCTS
Where a parent has indicated in advance a wish to own a finished product made at school, the parent may be required to supply the ingredients or materials or be charged the cost thereof.

TRANSPORT
Parents may be required to meet the cost of transport from home to an activity sanctioned but not provided by the school (e.g. travel to work experience).

ACTIVITIES ARRANGED BY THIRD PARTIES IN SCHOOL HOURS
A "Third Party" is somebody other than the school.  A Third Party who arranges an activity during school hours may make a charge for their services to the parents of the students who are released to participate.

DAMAGE TO PROPERTY
Nothing in the Act prevents a charge being made to parents for the cost of repair to any property damaged by a student.  This will include the cost incurred for falsely or deliberately setting off the fire alarm. Wilful damage, or damage caused by misbehaviour, will be so charged.

OPTIONAL EXTRAS OUTSIDE SCHOOL HOURS
For education provided  as
•	an option
•	an addition
•	wholly or mainly outside school hours	
then some charges may be made.
(i)	Option
	 Participation must be on the basis of parents' choice and willingness to meet the charges made.
(ii)	Addition
	Education provided to fulfil any requirements in the syllabus for a prescribed public examination or the statutory duties relating to the National Curriculum or Religious Education cannot be an extra and the only charge which can be made is for board and lodging. See 3 above.
(iii)	Wholly or mainly outside school hours
	Defined by complex rules which differ between activities within one day and residential activities.  Very approximately, these amount to more than half the time being spent outside the school day for a one day activity or more than half the possible half-days being outside school days for a residential activity. 
(iv)	The charges which may be made include:
•	student's travel costs
•	student's board and lodging costs
•	materials, books, instruments and other materials
•	non-teaching staff costs
•	entrance fees (museums etc.)
•	insurance costs and
(vii)	costs of engaging teaching staff specifically for this activity, including their travel, board and lodging or the cost of providing staff to cover absent colleagues accompanying the activity but not the cost of teaching staff already employed by the school
unless
	employed to provide individual musical tuition
	engaged on a separate contract to provide the optional extra.

VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS
Voluntary contributions may be sought from parents in support of any school activity, in or out of school time, residential or not.
But contributions must be genuinely voluntary.
It is a statutory requirement that the terms of any request make it clear
•	that there is no obligation to contribute, and
•	that students will not be treated differently according to whether or not their parents have contributed.	
It is perfectly proper to make it clear that the activity cannot take place without 100% or nearly 100% support.
There is no limit to the amount of the contribution or to the use which can be made of it.  So, for example, it could include an element to pay for accompanying adults, provided that parents are aware of that use when they contribute. 
Refunds of contributions – should an activity not proceed or is cancelled in advance, refunds of amounts paid in advance will be repaid in full. Where an activity has taken place and the final total costs were substantially less than expected, refunds will be issued to parents for amounts in excess of £ 10.00; where the refund would be less than £10.00 this will be held in Visit Reserve.
REMISSIONS
Any of these charges may be remitted in whole or part at the discretion of the Governing Body to parents in receipt of income support or family credit, or whose income is assessed at the level equivalent to qualify for these benefits.  In these circumstances, application should be made to the Headteacher, and will be treated in confidence.