By Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
March 12 2020, 21.25
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A Twickenham mum is speaking out after her daughter’s school asked her to fork out £160 per week for GCSE revision sessions.
The mum, 36, from Twickenham says she found it ‘excessive’ when Waldegrave School, a comprehensive, asked parents to pay £20 per revision session over the Easter holidays.
The mum, who wishes to remain anonymous, has a teenage daughter who wanted to do extra studying over the Easter break for GCSEs round the corner.
But the school will charge £20 per year 11 pupil for extra half day classes.
The mum, 36, said: “It’s excessive.
“None of my friends’ schools seem to do it in the surrounding boroughs.
“They have always had some drop-in sessions but I never had to pay for them in the past.”
The school put on two sessions a day Monday through to Thursday, with eight in total.
The half-day sessions are scheduled for the mornings and afternoons with a short break in between, an email to parents said.
The email continues: “Each session costs £20. Payment can be made online by ParentPay (see link from front page of school website).
“If your daughter is eligible for Pupil Premium funding there will be no cost.”
Any parents who require financial assistance are asked to write to the school’s head teacher, Elizabeth Tongue.
The email also urges parents to only sign the youngsters up for sessions they’re sure they’ll attend as spaces are limited and anyone who can’t get in will be placed on a reserve list.
Parents have until March 20 to make the full payment for any sessions their kids opt-in for despite the Easter break not beginning until April 6.
The mum continued: “If you’ve got 30 kids in a class that’s £600 to one teacher for half a day’s work.”
Waldegrave’s headmistress, Elizabeth Tongue, said: “Waldegrave School runs extra intervention classes for students throughout the school year during term time.
“Unfortunately, in recent years we now have to charge for additional Easter revision sessions due to constraints on school budgets.
“The sessions are an extra resource for students who want to attend. The charge covers staffing.
“Communication with parents makes it clear that the school will provide financial assistance where needed.
“Students eligible for the pupil premium grant are not asked to pay as their grant covers the cost. These students also have priority places.”
