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I’m new to secondary school routine … so eldest started first year in september … that was expensive but now we receive a note today asking for e250 …. for next year.
The only explanation is that they need to pay for art papers, exam stationary and mech drawing papers ….. which my child does none of those subjects and had no formal exams to require stationary ?
Anyone know what other schools in drogheda area charging ?
Free education!!! Imagine if you had 3 kids in school… thats alot of money. Talk to the teachers about what your being charged for, if they state Art etc.. and he doesnt do those subjects well then you shouldnt have to pay…
Ditto,
Definitely raise this with the school. If your child is not doing these subjects it does not seem fair that you should have to pay for them.
if the school are stuck, suggest fundraisers instead of putting a big burden of 250 euro per family.
Last year we did a parachute jump for our school and raised a lot of money – there are lots of things they can do to raise funds.
Best of luck.
Hi I’m not in Drogheda, my daughter is at school in Dundalk and we pay a €250.00 "Voluntary" Maintenance Fee each year, it was upped from €150.00 last year.
Truth of it is unless your child goes to a Community or VEC Secondary School, their school will have lost upwards on €50k in grants over the past 18 months and a large number of the privately owned non fee paying schools (convent schools, etc) are in actual fact facing bankruptcy. I can’t see the Gov. allowing them to close because they wouldn’t be able to accommodate all the students, but it will mean that if the schools can’t raise some funds themselves to pay for the practical subjects which require materials, eg. art, science etc. they will have to reduce the choice of subjects and standard of teaching to our kids. By cutting back on the number of teachers they employ above their allocation from the Dept of Education.
Its very unfair because Secondary School is very expensive between uniforms and books which are changed nearly every year which I think is to try and stamp out people buying second hand books.
The €250.00 fee in our school meant that my daughters health insurance was paid by the school, she didn’t have to pay rental on her locker, hasn’t been asked for any money during the year for photocopying etc. and our school is actually in the black money-wise and can continue to employ a maintenance man, cleaners and a number of extra teachers which helps with timetables.
To be honest I didn’t agree with it when it was dictated to us first but 9 months down the line I know that the money which we felt forced out of us is helping to keep the standard of education up and allow her the choice of all subjects next year when she heads into 5th year. Otherwise she would be given a set of options and would have to chose between thempossibly missing out on a chance to do a subject that she is good at or enjoys.
The Government and Book Companies have a lot to answer for and unfortunately there seems to be very little we can do about it.
Agree, these voulntary contributions seem mad and the way they word how and why they need them is vauge. Art Supplies etc. The truth of the matter is quite simple. The goverment do not help the schools as some people think. The Government give capex funding for each child. This in generally all cases does not meet the actual costs that the schools face.
Schools for some reason have to pay rates to the council, water rates etc and this all adds up.
They have to pay the same rate of VAT as business and they are providing a much needed service.
Without the contribution most schools could not continue.
Just like to say that I am in no way involved in schooling and my children are to young to attend but just look at it this way. if you paid that contribution for your childs whole school carrear the total cost would be
14 x 250 = 3,500
i know it seems like a lot but in real terms it is not that much for your childs future.
Think the idea of schools having to pay rates and paying VAT like a normal businesses is shocking 😯 Only in Ireland….
I am involved in the Parents Council of our school and we were appalled when they went to introducethe fee. But when the board of management came to us with the full breakdown of expenses just for running the school and the breakdown of the state assistance it was quite obvious that without the contribution, the school just wouldn’t be able to perform to the same standard and we would literally be going back to the early 1980’s with our kids education (science from books, no equipment for experiments, etc.).
Whilst some kids including my own don’t do art and therefore don’t cost as much to provide materials for as those who do, its a way of trying to break down the cost by asking the whole school to contribute rather than leaving some families unable to let their children do a particular subject because they can’t afford that particular fee. So in the long run its in the hope that spreading the cost helps the individual families in the long run.
I know its not €250 per child though, there is a maximum per family on it but I can’t remember what that is off the top of my head.
A new one I heard this week is though, some secondary schools are now asking for a deposit when you put your child’s name down for a place which isn’t refundable if you decide not to go to that school. This is to try and cut back on the number of families enrolling their children in several schools and not informing the schools whether they are taking up their place or not until the first day of term.
I am in shock and a bit aghast tbh.
OK, I not in a UK secondary school as teacher for three years now, but never in my whole life, either teaching or as a student of a school there (maybe a ten year gap) was a parent EVER asked to contribute anything cash wise, other than on the mandatory trips when even then the school could only "facilitate" voluntary contributions towards the cost of. Theroretically, if a kid was never paid for to go on a school trip in their whole career, they could still not be discriminated against and had to be allowed to go. Even PTA stuff all entirely voluntary, text and exercise books, even A4 paper FGS, provided. Even "school fund" money, as I recall it being known, was only in primary school ( only a few quid, cos I must be goin back a hundred yrs to when I was there!)
Now, thinkin back as I’ve written, maybe that totally state funded outlook is a bit too far the other way, with such leniency being open to abuse, but 250 quid A YEAR!!!!!!! just to let ur child cross the threshold of the school effectively, seems unfathomable to me. Am I over-reacting ? I just never heard the like in my life before? I think it’s the amount I’m balking at more than the principle, altho I have to admit I do struggle to come to terms with even the principle a fair bit…
lol your all spoilt over thereH.
I know from dealing with Schools up in NI through the Orchestra, when we do a concert up there the NI Assembly pays for the buses to the Theatre for them and at last years concert some of the schools wanted us to provide lunches for the kids and thats an extra curricular thing. Part of the SPHE Curriculum states that each child should visit the Dail before Junior Cert, but they don’t pay for the buses and now they won’t pay for a teacher to come into the school to cover for the one thats taken the kids out on their curricular field trip.
If you want it over here you pay for it….. even when its public and meant to be free. The Government doesn’t subsidise anything properly, education isn’t much better off than health, the only reason its not as noticeable is because the parents are paying out for it.
They are "Voluntary" Maintenance Fees, but you will keep getting the reminders until you pay up!
Well I know when I was enrolling my daughter for first year next september I had to pay €70 upfront now for use of a school locker, pe equipment, school journal, retreat etc. Then you pay again for the school book rental scheme in September.
Thats apart from money for school trips which I don’t mind as they are good informative experiences. Then money for violin lessons and rental of a violin for the year, but again good value.
Also fund raisers for parents council, again, okay with that when its affordable.
And don’t forget school transport which did go up big time last year.
No such thing as free education…….another thing this government skimps on in my opinion. Its all falling back to the parents…again. Another hidden tax.
I feel cheap having to fone but i did ….. turns out e100 is for the book scheme (which is great saver), e30 is voluntary and e120 is for misc …..
OK so it’s just the misc…. that I have to trust it is essential and will improve overall choices for my kids. Bummer having to fork it all out unexpectedly ! I love to plan and will know better for next year and younger ones starting !
Anyone in PTA’s …. here’s an idea …. why not charge the teachers for using the car park , if they don’t pay they walk ! 😈
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