£10,000: what parents pay for 'free' state schooling

THE true cost of a "free" state education was revealed today with parents paying £10,000 to put one child through school.

A government report found four out of 10 parents had difficulties meeting costs such as buying new uniforms, games kit and funding school trips.

Ministers accused headteachers of flouting the law by asking parents to pay for educational visits during the school day and forcing families to buy uniforms exclusively from one shop. Children's Secretary Ed Balls ordered schools to take more account of tighter family finances in the recession.

Parents paid an average £683.79 per year per child at primary school. This covered stationery, transport, uniforms, trips and meals. The cost of secondary school was £1,195.47 in 2007. Over 11 years of compulsory education, the cost for one child reaches £10,080. The figures included extra classes for which a fee was charged and voluntary parental contributions.

Half of parents felt pressurised to contribute to school trips. Mr Balls said: "I am very concerned that some schools risk putting extra pressure on family finances simply because they are not following the rules on charging and uniform."

He promised new legislation to strengthen the handling of complaints about school issues.

DO THE MATH

Parents typically spend £683.79 per year for one child in primary school, and £1,195.47 for a child in secondary education.

School uniforms and PE kit cost an average £184.17. In secondary school, it was £211.60 per year.

Nine out of 10 parents had been asked to pay for a school trip, with the average day trip costing £9.47 in primaries and £21.70 in secondaries.

Residential trips were £153.14 (primaries) and £160.07 (secondaries).

A school canteen lunch typically costs £1.81. One in four said lunch cost more than £2 a day.