Cost of the School Day at Bridgewater School 

We are committed to ensuring that every child at Bridgewater has equal access to all opportunities available to them, regardless of financial position, and have worked hard to identify and overcome the barriers to learning that children from families with less financial resources face.

As a school we have considered ways to reduce the cost of the school day to ensure that all children have access to resources and activities which may cost money. It is important that our families are aware of the support that we can provide and therefore this page provides details of some of the support available.

School Clothing

• We positively promote the wearing of the school uniform to create a school identity. In addition this helps prevent ‘competition’ among pupils for the latest designer clothing/footwear.
• The only school branded item we will ask pupils to wear is the school sweatshirt / cardigan and a book bag/rucksack, which can be purchased with our logo from Mapac or PL Schoolwear. Children starting Nursery / Reception are given a book bag. Although other branded uniform items are also available, we have a flexible approach so parents can look at a range of suppliers, including supermarkets. 
• We strongly encourage parents to buy our ‘Pre-Loved' items and parents receiving benefits are given these free of charge. 
• Any items in lost property for longer than 2 weeks are added to the pre-loved stock.
• If a child regularly comes to school without uniform we contact the parents/carers about providing uniform items and PE kit free of charge.

Food & Snacks

• We support parents in completing HCC Free School Meals application forms at enrolment and for any new pupils and for children moving up to Year 3 (when they will no longer be eligible for free school meals). 
• Office staff offer to help anyone who may need assistance completing the forms.
• The kitchen / Rialize provide any child who complains of feeling hungry, or may not have had breakfast with a snack.
• If a child’s parents have not provided a packed lunch, we will always provide a school lunch.
• Where a non FSM eligible child regularly does not have lunch booked and paid for, we contact the family to discuss and cover the costs of lunch for an agreed period.
• Apply for Household Support Fund holiday vouchers for FSM families when available. 
• Provide/offer lunchtime  milk to PP children. Some families in school pay for it and it is offered in the same way to both.  

In The Classroom

• We provide all stationery and other essentials in the classroom, which pupils can use at any time.
• Pupils are asked what they did at half term, not where they went on holiday, as this can be problematic for pupils living in poverty who may not have had as many experiences or opportunities as their peers.

Out of School Learning

• Staff are considerate that not all children have access to a computer, tablet or the internet when setting home learning tasks.  Devices are loaned to children to support their learning if needed and if a device is not available at home. 
• Staff are considerate that not all children have access to resources such as arts and crafts when setting home learning tasks and will ensure that all children are offered the resources they need to complete a task.
• We provide a range of free of charge lunchtime and after school sports clubs for children in Years 1-6. 
• We are aware that it can be difficult for parents to meet the cost of after school clubs. If this is the case, we ask parents/carers to speak in confidence to us. 
• We fund after school clubs for families on FSM/PP, where it is felt it would help support their wellbeing/attendance. 
• Holiday clubs and wraparound care are offered to families on FSM, where it is felt this would help their wellbeing or support improving their attendance. 

Charity, Fundraising & Community

• We keep non-uniform days / dress down days to a minimum and consider carefully the theme to ensure no additional cost to parents. These days are always donation only and no one is excluded from taking part if they do not have a donation.
• For events such as World Book Day, the children wear their pyjamas, rather than specific outfits. 
• Where children in Y5/6 are permitted to bring a phone to school, we encourage parents to buy a basic device for school, as they may lead to competition and stigmatisation. The phones are handed into teachers on arrival. 
• Children are asked not to bring sweets / treats / cakes in to celebrate their birthdays as this leads to peer pressure, does not support our healthy school status and is challenging for pupils with allergies etc. Instead, we suggest that if parents want to donate something, they can buy a book for the library. 
• We provide FSM/PP children with a book token so they can purchase a book when we have our annual book fair which is a fundraising event for the school. 
• The BSA provides free of charge entry to various events for children on FSM. 

School, Trips & Activities

• The school’s policy is that trips and other activities outside the normal teaching programme should be self-funding. Where a trip or activity has a cost attached, we ask parents for a ‘donation’ towards the cost, which we reiterate is voluntary. Costs for residential trips over and above bed and board are contributions, however if these are insufficient the trip may have to be cancelled. Shortfalls are met by the school,  but if insufficient contributions are received, the trip may be cancelled.
• Children on FSM pay a reduced price or are not charged for trips and activities and we seek support from local charities to subsidise residential trips for families who are struggling financially. 
• We always give parents as much notice as we can of activities and trips to allow time to save and pay. Residential instalment payments take place over an extended period of time, often over a year. 
• We use Arbor for parents to trips or events, to ensure privacy.
• We never read out names of children who have not paid. If necessary the office staff will communicate directly with parents.

Relief Fund 

• In November 2022 Bridgewater set up a new relief fund to assist families who are struggling financially, but who may not be eligible for Pupil Premium, as we recognise that more of our families may be facing financial hardship during the current cost of living crisis.
• The fund will be used at the discretion of the Headteacher, to financially support families with costs linked to their child’s education. Examples of how the fund could be used are: Contribution towards residential trips, WOW days or uniform
•  The BSA (PTA) contributes £500 a year to support this fund and other parents are encouraged to make a contribution directly to the fund, if they feel able to. Donations can be made via the Arbor Parent App. 

Help from Hertfordshire County Council

Click here for resources that can offer advice and practical help to manage finances and make savings. If you are struggling, you can get in touch with HertsHelp - trained, friendly advisors who are on hand to offer confidential assistance and can put you in touch with helpful services and support locally.