There are a variety of situations and activities where charging for school activities may or may not be appropriate.  This article provides a brief overview of the topic with links to example policies and other resources.

Responsibility
No charge can be made for admitting pupils to maintained schools.  Education provided during school hours (the time when school is in session) must be free (with one exception relating to musical instrument tuition - see below).

The local authority (LA) or governing body may not charge for anything unless it has drawn up a statement of general policy on charging.  Key Responsibilities/Facts include:

• all 3 and 4 year-olds are entitled to two and a half free hours of education per day
• charges may be made for teaching an individual or groups of up to four, to play a musical instrument if the teaching is not part of the National Curriculum or a public examination syllabus being followed by the pupil
• schools can ask for voluntary contributions to make school funds go further.  Requests must make it quite clear that contributions are voluntary and governing bodies should make it clear that children of parents who do not contribute will not be treated any differently.  No pupil may be left out of an activity because their parents cannot or will not make a contribution of any kind.
• children whose parents are in receipt of certain benefits are entitled to the remission of charges for board and lodging costs during school residential trips.
• special rules apply to a range of situations including:
  • activities not run by the school or LA
  • education outside school hours
  • education partly during school hours
  • residential activities
  • entering pupils for and charging for public examinations.

Guidance
The Guide to the Law for School Governors, Chapter 16 (see Background Reading below) provides guidance for all schools on charging for School Activities.

The GovernorNet article on entitlement for remission of charges provides information on changes to the law relating to board and lodging costs.  See the link in Background Reading below.

Guidance on how best to check the eligibility (for remission of charges) of children whose families receive tax credits can be accessed via the Teachernet site (see weblink below).

The Law
Aspects of charging for school activities are covered by the following statutes (see further reading for links):

Education Act, 1996
Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (part VI)
Education (Residential Trips)(Prescribed Tax Credits)(England)Regulations 2003 (SI 2003/381)

Related Topics

• Commercial Activities in Schools
• School Finance - Overview