Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of the finding in the London Councils' Ask the Parents: the Fifth Year Survey, published in November 2017, that 35 per cent of parents in London have been asked to make financial contributions to their school.

In July 2017 we announced an additional £1.3 billion for schools and high needs across 2018-19 and 2019-20, in addition to the schools budget set at Spending Review 2015. This means funding per pupil for schools and high needs will be maintained in real terms for the next two years.

Nothing in legislation prevents a school from asking for voluntary contributions for the benefit of the school or any school activities and this is a matter for schools. However, no parent is required to make a contribution to their child’s education. The rules are clear and no policies have been introduced by this government to allow schools to charge for education provided during school hours and this includes the supply of any materials or equipment.