All education during school hours is funded. We do not charge for any activity undertaken as part of Religious Education or the National Curriculum, with the exception of some individual or small-group instrumental tuition. The 1988 Education Act draws a distinction between the term ‘charges’ which are considered to be an obligatory cost and ‘voluntary contributions’ which are self-explanatory.
Charges are made for:
- daycare and out of school hours care
- school lunches
- individual or small-group music tuition
Voluntary contributions may be asked for:
- transport
- entrance fees
- residential visits
- equipment hire
- visits to or by educational providers
These lists are not exhaustive.
Both charges and voluntary contributions may be remitted under certain circumstances.
For example the charges for school lunches are remitted for some children qualifying for free school meals (and universal free school meals in Reception, Years 1 & 2), if parents are in receipt of:
- Income Support;
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance;
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance;
- Support from NASS under part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999;
- The Guarantee Element of Pension Credit;
- Child Tax Credit (with no Working Tax Credit);
- Working Tax Credit run-on;
- Universal Credit
(you can claim online at https://www.hartlepool.gov.uk/claim-free-school-meals or by telephoning 01429 284188)
For example the voluntary contribution for an educational visit may be partly or fully funded by a bursary from the school’s voluntary fund, at the discretion of the head teacher on compassionate grounds.