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25/11/2004
Low income families burdened by rising schooling costs
The cost of sending children to school is now so high that some parents face spending almost £1,000 a year, according to research undertaken by the Department for Education and Skills.
The 'Cost of Schooling' study found that the total average spend for sending children to state schools is £736.22 rising to an average of £948.11 for secondary school students.
The biggest drain on parents pockets were school dinners at £316 and school uniforms and PE kits which came to a combined total of around £300 on average.
And despite the increased financial pressures on parents, up to 350,000 children a year are not claiming their free school meals.
The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) charity said that the study must be a wake up call for the government to "seriously consider more financial support for low income families".
"These latest government figures show the increasing cost of sending children to school," said CPAGs Chief Executive Kate Green.
"The real costs of education are a day-to-day pressure for many parents from low income households and today's report must be a springboard for government action."
The CPAG called on schools and Local Education Authorities to reduce the costs where possible for visits and extras such as fund raising for the school.
"But the government must recognise that its own research shows that sending children to school is expensive and action must now be taken," Ms Green added.
(gmcg/sp)
The 'Cost of Schooling' study found that the total average spend for sending children to state schools is £736.22 rising to an average of £948.11 for secondary school students.
The biggest drain on parents pockets were school dinners at £316 and school uniforms and PE kits which came to a combined total of around £300 on average.
And despite the increased financial pressures on parents, up to 350,000 children a year are not claiming their free school meals.
The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) charity said that the study must be a wake up call for the government to "seriously consider more financial support for low income families".
"These latest government figures show the increasing cost of sending children to school," said CPAGs Chief Executive Kate Green.
"The real costs of education are a day-to-day pressure for many parents from low income households and today's report must be a springboard for government action."
The CPAG called on schools and Local Education Authorities to reduce the costs where possible for visits and extras such as fund raising for the school.
"But the government must recognise that its own research shows that sending children to school is expensive and action must now be taken," Ms Green added.
(gmcg/sp)
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