CHARGING AND REMISSIONS POLICY
The following code of practice has been drawn up in accordance with the requirements of the 1988 Education Reform Act, and covers the circumstances in which pupils will be charged for activities organised by the School.
1. Visits
(a) No charge will be made for visits within school hours (see Appendix) but the school may ask for voluntary
contributions to defray the cost of admission fees, transport, insurance etc.
Children will not be prevented from taking part in a visit because of an inability to make a contribution.
If there are insufficient voluntary contributions it will be made clear that the visit may not take place.
When pupils take part in a residential visit deemed to be in school hours, or when it is part of a prescribed
examination syllabus or of the National Curriculum, charges will be made for travel and board and lodging
costs.
Families in receipt of income support or family credit are entitled to remission of the board and lodging
component.
(b) Optional trips not necessitated by the National Curriculum or the syllabus of the external examination boards
which the pupils are studying will be charged to the pupils.
2. Materials used by pupils.
The School will make no charge unless the pupil wishes to keep the completed article, in which case the parents
must either purchase the materials from the relevant department or provide the materials themselves.
3. Music
Peripatetic music lessons which do not form part of either the GCSE or A level music courses will be charged to the
pupil so as to cover the cost of provision.
4. Examinations
The school will not charge pupils the first examination fees for any examination course they are pursuing at the
School as long as they are present for the examination. Pupils who are ill on the day of the examination must
provide a valid Medical Certificate. Pupils who absent themselves from examinations without good reason or who
choose to resit an examination for which the school has previously paid the entry fee will be liable to pay the resit
fees for those examinations.
5. Team Games
No charges will be made to pupils for travel expenses to away games. Voluntary contributions from parents
towards the costs are welcomed.
6. Replacement of School Property
The replacement cost of lost or damaged items of School property may be charged to the pupils when this is a
result of the pupil’s behaviour.
7. The charges outlined in this Policy, in exceptional circumstances, may be remitted in whole or in part at the
discretion of the Headteacher.
Appendix
The Education Reform Act 1988 distinguishes between visits which take place mainly during school hours and are
referred to as "school visits", and those which take place mainly out of school time and are referred to as optional
extras. A "school visit" is one in which more than fifty percent of its total duration, including travelling time falls within
the school day excluding the lunch break. For "school visits" of more than one day there is an extended definition.
