Between €1000 - €1400 to get a child back to school? Who are they chatting to?

NIMAN · 13-07-2016 3:19pm #1

So according to the latest report, it costs on average €1000 in back to school costs for each national school aged child, and €1400 for secondary aged.

€1000 per child? Seriously?

Must be getting kitted out in designer gear are they?

electrobanana · 13-07-2016 3:25pm

I presume books are involved..school books are pretty expensive iirc.

The Backwards Man · 13-07-2016 3:25pm

In my day, all we got was a new length of baling twine to hold up our short trousers and a piece of a fertilizer bag as an insole for our shoes.

And we were damn glad to get it too.

BattleCorp · 13-07-2016 3:33pm

This figure is including trips, foreign tours etc. Sure doesn't everybody go on a few foreign trips every year with the school?

:rolleyes:

foggy_lad · 13-07-2016 3:35pm

Books
Pens/pencils/colouring pencils etc
Uniform
Coat/Jacket/Hat/Gloves
Shoes
Runners
Tracksuits
Art & Craft stuff
Lunch box/Drinks bottle
School bag
Subscription for school milk
Donation for school bully

Donation to school for Art & Craft stuff

School stationary charge(usually €60-€150) for administration/photocopying etc

It's Free Education don't you know!

vandriver · 13-07-2016 3:37pm

My son's school has sent a bill home for e370 and a voluntary contribution of e400.
Add in new school uniform,a new bag,stationery and some sports equipment and I'm easily over a grand.

fedor.2. · 13-07-2016 3:38pm

People should take all these costs into consideration before having kids, instead of moaning about it later.

maudgonner · 13-07-2016 3:38pm

I you look at there breakdown of these figures it includes more than just uniform & books.

From what I remember from radio reports this morning it includes lunches, transport, school trips, extra-curricular activities, after-school care and voluntary contributions.

Winterlong · 13-07-2016 3:38pm

Survey carried out by the Irish league of credit unions....wonder if they are trying to get people to borrow more to keep up with the neighbours?

Anyway, the break down is;

Extracurricular activities: €185
Uniforms: €183
Books: €146
Lunches: €145
After school care: €123
Fees/contribution: €113
School trips: €115
Transport: €101
Gym gear: €74

arctictree · 13-07-2016 3:39pm

Once our first went to school, it was a huge relief from the 1K per month in childcare!

Polo_Mint · 13-07-2016 3:39pm

Do they not use Ipads in school now ?

13-07-2016 3:39pm

Does it include what used to be referred to as the 'voluntary contribution' i.e. the parents made up the shortfall between the budget the State allowed and the actual cost of running a school? When I was in primary school in Ireland the contribution looked for was a couple of hundred, and I'm 29 now.

Between that, uniform, shoes, winter coat, supplies, books, sports and extra-curricular subs, perhaps an after-school club or homework club, I can see how that can exceed the cost above.

FortySeven · 13-07-2016 3:40pm

Never spent a grand getting two children back to school. Where are these people shopping?

Del2005 · 13-07-2016 3:40pm

Too many schools still have a requirement to wear a crest which can only be bought in a local shop that costs more for a jumper than a designer one.

But the cost in the report is for school tours to foreign countries so of course it'll cost a lot, tours are optional.

Del2005 · 13-07-2016 3:41pm

FortySeven wrote: »

Never spent a grand getting two children back to school. Where are these people shopping?

Most likely the same people who spend 4 figures on communion dresses and then skip the church to get to the meal.

smash · 13-07-2016 3:48pm

Winterlong wrote: »

Survey carried out by the Irish league of credit unions....wonder if they are trying to get people to borrow more to keep up with the neighbours?

Anyway, the break down is;

Extracurricular activities: €185
Uniforms: €183
Books: €146
Lunches: €145
After school care: €123
Fees/contribution: €113
School trips: €115
Transport: €101
Gym gear: €74

And out of that list, the back to school cost is actually just:

Gym gear: €74
Fees/contribution: €113
Uniforms: €183
Books: €146

Which is a total of €516. Now lets consider that most schools have a book rental scheme, the cost comes down to €415. And lets be realistic about the uniform, as it's really just a jumper and everything else can be got in Dunnes for the square root of fcuk all, the cost comes down to €295. Voluntary contribution? Maybe you don't want to pay it... €260 ish. New bag and lunch box €25 so that's €285 now. That's a long way off the tripe that the papers are putting out there.

Winterlong · 13-07-2016 3:50pm

smash wrote: »

And out of that list, the back to school cost is actually just:

Gym gear: €74
Fees/contribution: €113
Uniforms: €183
Books: €146

Which is a total of €516. Now lets consider that most schools have a book rental scheme, the cost comes down to €415. And lets be realistic about the uniform, as it's really just a jumper and everything else can be got in Dunnes for the square root of fcuk all, the cost comes down to €295. Voluntary contribution? Maybe you don't want to pay it... €260 ish. New bag and lunch box €25 so that's €285 now. That's a long way off the tripe that the papers are putting out there.

To summarise. The report is a load of bollocks.

beach_walker · 13-07-2016 3:52pm

smash wrote: »

New bag and lunch box €25 so that's €285 now.

You could probably knock that one off, who's buying those new every year?!

BrokenArrows · 13-07-2016 3:55pm

The voluntary contribution is a joke. Its not voluntary at all and if parents keep paying it then the government will not increase the funding. And remember the parents have already paid all their taxes on that voluntary contribution.

And schools need to start making use of modern technology. The government should commission the creation of digital books and these can be distributed to children as needed.

FortySeven · 13-07-2016 3:59pm

Del2005 wrote: »

Too many schools still have a requirement to wear a crest which can only be bought in a local shop that costs more for a jumper than a designer one.

But the cost in the report is for school tours to foreign countries so of course it'll cost a lot, tours are optional.

You can request the badge and sew it on yourself. If they won't provide the crest just send them in a similar coloured jumper without it.

suicide_circus · 13-07-2016 3:59pm

fedor.2. wrote: »

People should take all these costs into consideration before having kids, instead of moaning about it later.

luckily people aren't that logical or the species would have been extinguished a long time ago.

smash · 13-07-2016 3:59pm

Winterlong wrote: »

To summarise. The report is a load of bollocks.

Yes. Complete bollox fabricated by people who want a hand out.

fedor.2. · 13-07-2016 4:02pm

suicide_circus wrote: »

luckily people aren't that logical or the species would have been extinguished a long time ago.

You reckon? Maybe we wouldn't have so many dummies around, if people were that "logical"

Is it really that difficult to think, even for a brief moment, if you can afford to have kids?

dr.fuzzenstein · 13-07-2016 4:12pm

fedor.2. wrote: »

People should take all these costs into consideration before having kids, instead of moaning about it later.

You see that is classical idiotic shortsighted thinking. These kids will pay your pension through their taxes and private pension contributions, it's because of them you will be able to retire one day. If now only families have their 1.2 kids where both spouses are working and both earn the €40k minimum that is required to keep the house, holiday, pay for childcare, going out, have 2x max three year old cars in the drive, full Sky package and latest phones, tablets, laptop lifestyle, you will have to work until you're 75 and then your pension pot will be gone and the state pension will be a fiver a week.
People NEED to have kids, especially in Europe where birth rates are declining and if you are lucky enough to live in a country that has a good birth rate, count your blessings. Subsidizing them a tiny bit is merely an investment in your own future.
I don't know why the Irish hate kids so much (along with trees, animals and good food or beer) with people describing them as spawn, crotch goblins and whatnot.
These kids will pay your pension, plus decide what home you go to, so better be nice!

Idbatterim · 13-07-2016 4:19pm

You see that is classical idiotic shortsighted thinking. These kids will pay your pension through their taxes and private pension contributions, it's because of them you will be able to retire one day.

I doubt the kids from the shout the loudest brigade will be net contributors to society! Aldi or Lidl had a tv ad yesterday and they were giving the back to school clothing away, there is also mr price and dealz etc where the stuff is literally given away. I don't buy that generalisation for a second...

Now the cost of childcare for working PARENTS (note the plural), that is an issue I have massive sympathy with the parents on...

Del2005 · 13-07-2016 4:26pm

FortySeven wrote: »

You can request the badge and sew it on yourself. If they won't provide the crest just send them in a similar coloured jumper without it.

Don't forget the tracksuit for PE can only be the school one.

Why does a school require a crest on their uniform at all?

the groutch · 13-07-2016 4:33pm

It nothing more than the credit unions scaremongering parents into borrowing money they don't need to spend.

BrianBoru00 · 13-07-2016 4:44pm

So the back to school cost whinging is starting in July now is it?

FFS, Its getting as bad as Christmas countdown starting in October.

andekwarhola · 13-07-2016 4:46pm

A grand sounds extreme, that said, my kids are not in secondary school.

At the moment, I'd say it adds up to about 3-400 a kid for us.

Winterlong · 13-07-2016 4:48pm

BrianBoru00 wrote: »

So the back to school cost whinging is starting in July now is it?

FFS, Its getting as bad as Christmas countdown starting in October.

Woo Hoo, only 168 sleeps to go!

Jayop · 13-07-2016 4:53pm

Smash won this thread.

it's a load of bollocks really, especially including the cost of the lunches. Unless the kid's lunch for the first week is coming to €145 then it's not a "back to school" expense. I have 2 kids in school and the combined cost of both wouldn't be that much.

Shoes from last year OK for both because we got good shoes at the time. School jumpers OK for both although the wee girl's one had to be replaced at the end of the last term because the elbow was worn out of it. Both have book rental schemes, both will be wearing trousers from Penny's or Dunnes. I drop them to school with 2 other kids and their parents pick them up so no transport costs, no afterschool costs.

Between €1000 - €1400 to get a child back to school? Who are they chatting to?

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