Voluntary contributions

Although schools cannot charge for school-time activities, they may still invite parents/carers and others to make voluntary contributions to make school funds go further.

All requests to parents/carers for voluntary contributions must make it quite clear that contributions would be voluntary.

Governing bodies should also make it clear that children of parents/carers who do not contribute will not be treated any differently. They should also explain that the activity might be cancelled if insufficient contributions are received.

It is permissible for the school to ask parents/carers to contribute more than the minimum amount in order to subsidise those pupils whose parents/carers have not contributed.

The essential point is that no pupil may be left out of an activity because his or her parents/carers cannot or will not make a contribution of any kind.