Book rental scheme

implausible

I've been listening to the radio all week and there's the annual slew of complaints from parents about the price of schoolbooks. My present school and my last one (both VECs) have a book rental scheme and while difficult to organise, it's fantastic and far more economical.

My question is: is it just VEC schools that tend to have these or do people have experience of them in voluntary secondary schools? Is there resistance to these schemes in other schools?

oliviah

I know that relations of mine had a scheme in their school that wasn't a VEC.

A school I spent a few years in had four different Junior cert history text books on the go, and a new one is on the list for this year, and at least three junior cert Geography texts, plus revision books. Teachers would often decide half way through a year that another book was needed and tell the classes they had to buy them. I had to tell my first year English class to buy a book six weeks before the end of the year. I didn't blame some for asking me for photocopies.

It was as if there was no understanding of how expensive they were. A proposal to run a second hand book shop was laughed at. Chuckles and guffaws all around. Too much hassle.

csad58c

Tried to set one up in my Daughters school but little response from parents!

Toto Wolfcastle

I'm not in a VEC and we have a book rental scheme up to 3rd year. It's a great idea but the books are falling apart at this stage and we have to keep them despite the newer editions being far better. It helps take the pressure off the parents though so that's good.