Managing Outstanding Amounts owed to School

Managing Outstanding Amounts owed to School

Saltaire Primary School Provides:

• Clear Communication: All fees are explained to parents when signing up for school meals or wraparound care.  Our website provides a wealth of knowledge about our school.  Terms and conditions are set out on the bottom of the wraparound care form that parents complete upon sign up.  We would prefer credits to be added to Arbor in advance but appreciate that this cannot always be possible.  Therefore, we ask that all outstanding amounts owed via Arbor are settled by the end of each half term.

• Automated Reminders: We have automated systems to send reminders before the due date. Emails are sent to parents/carers advising of amounts owed before the end of each half term, and again at the start of each half term should the amount remain unpaid.

• Payment Plans: We can offer payment instalment options for families facing financial difficulty.

If there are persistent outstanding amounts owed to school after payment requests have been made, we will:

• Not allow your child to order a school meal – packed lunches from home will need to be brought into school

• Remove your child from the wraparound care register 

We understand that sometimes unexpected circumstances may arise, and we are always happy to work with families who need assistance. However, it is essential for the functioning of the school that all debts are cleared, and here’s why:

1. Ensuring Fairness to All Students

• Shared Resources: School resources—whether they’re books, equipment, or extracurricular activities—are funded by the school’s budget, which includes the fees and contributions made by all families. When debts remain unpaid, it can impact the school’s ability to provide these resources equally to all students.

2. Sustaining Quality Education

• Classroom Resources: Schools rely on the timely payment of fees and outstanding charges to maintain the quality of education. This includes investing in professional development, classroom materials, and technology, all of which are critical to your child’s learning experience.

• Funding Educational Programmes: Fees may also go toward extracurricular activities, special learning resources, or special needs support. When debts go unpaid, we are unable to maintain or expand these programs, which are crucial to providing a well-rounded education.

3. Financial Sustainability

• Budgeting and Planning: Schools need to budget accurately to ensure they can continue to run efficiently and provide the best possible educational services. When debts accumulate, it disrupts our ability to plan for the future or make necessary improvements.

• Avoiding Cuts: Outstanding debts can result in the school needing to make difficult decisions, such as delaying necessary upgrades or repairs to facilities. Ensuring that all debts are recovered helps prevent these cuts and ensures we continue to offer a rich learning environment.

4. Ensuring Accountability

• Clear Expectations: Schools set clear expectations regarding fees at the beginning of the year, on our website or when you begin to use our wraparound care provision, and we hope to maintain those expectations in a fair and consistent manner for all families.

5. Supporting Families in Need

• Open Communication: We understand that sometimes, due to unforeseen circumstances, families may face difficulties in making payments. In such cases, we encourage parents to communicate with us as soon as possible so we can discuss alternative arrangements, such as payment plans or financial support.