Parents are reportedly being pressured to give money to budgets by at least 100 schools across England potentially in violation of the law, according to new research.
An analysis undertaken by the British Humanist Association has claimed that a number of schools are either putting pressure on parents to give money, or not making it clear that contributions are voluntary.
In a many cases the BHA said the requests for money were described as mandatory.
Under current government guidelines schools may seek voluntary donations from parents but the law dictates schools must “make it clear to parents that there is no obligation to make any contribution.”
In addition, parents “must not be made to feel pressured into paying as it is voluntary and not compulsory.”
The government has said that it will examine any cases in which the law has been broken.
A spokesperson from the Department for Education said: “The School Admissions Code is clear that schools must not request financial contributions – whether voluntary or compulsory – as any part of the admissions process, including when offering a place.”
“Any claim that the School Admissions Code has been breached will be investigated.”
BHA carried out an online search to try to locate potential breaches of the rules. It then looked in more detail at the first 100 schools identified.
89 of these were faith schools, which are required to pay for 10 per cent of capital costs themselves.
One Church of England Primary school’s website allegedly told parents that they should pay an annual payment of £30 towards the school's Building Fund and Capitation, stressing that the contribution was not voluntary.
A Catholic primary reportedly asked parents to pay £100 per family to contribute towards building works.
A Jewish school was found by BHA to be requesting over £1000 a year per child from parents.
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One school suggested that parents should contribute to the fund by using money saved as a result of receiving free school meals.
A number of schools also stressed that the requested contribution was only a minimum amount, encouraging families to pay more.
BHA Chief Executive Andrew Copson said: “Religious schools and the government often justify the broad powers they have to religiously discriminate against children and teachers, or to set their own narrow RE curriculum, on the grounds that they’re footing some of the bill. These findings make a mockery of that argument”.
“The fact that these abuses occur so widely should call into question the whole system of regulation surrounding state-funded 'faith' schools.”
