The Education Enrichment Fund is the new name for the “Voluntary Contribution’ and is aimed at parents of children currently at the school.
What is the enrichment fund?
Parents of children at other major grammar schools in Northern Ireland are also asked for a “voluntary contribution”. In some schools, the contribution asked for is in the region of £500 per child and between 60% and 80% of those parents regularly pay it!
At Ballymena Academy we suggest a figure of only £120 per child but we are behind other schools in terms of the percentage of parents who pay. We firmly believe that’s not because parents are less willing to pay than their counterparts in other schools, they simply do not know what the voluntary contribution is for.
So, by changing the name of the voluntary contribution to the Education Enrichment Fund, we wanted to choose a name for the fund that better reflects what the contribution goes towards.
Increasing the percentage of parents who pay the contribution will go a significant way to alleviating the financial pressures faced by the school.
How is the school funded?
We are funded by an annual budget allocation from the Department of Education which covers things like teachers’ salaries, heating and lighting costs and general maintenance – all of the essential costs involved in running a school.
Like every school in in Northern Ireland, this budget allocation comes under increased pressure year on year.
Government Funded
Annual budget allocation from Dept. of Education
Teacher's Salaries
Maintenance
Utilities
Self-Funded
Comprised of the Compulsory School Fee, Enrichment Fee, Donations & Sponsorship
Extra Subjects
Music
Creative Arts
Sports
Transport
Clubs & Societies
School Trips
Careers Support
All of the additional activities & opportunities that the school currently offers are not funded by the Department of Education.
“We believe that an education is about far more than just the achievement of academic excellence.”
From the fantastic music and drama productions that we stage, to the invaluable charitable work the pupils undertake in our local community and the sports activities we offer, these are the things that we believe make the school what it is and produce rounded and accomplished young adults.
Will you support the pupils?
Help us maintain excellence
Parents
Increasing the percentage of parents who pay the Enrichment Fee will go a significant way to alleviating the financial pressures faced by the school.
Remember: The Dept. of Education DO NOT PAY for certain subjects, sport, co-curricular activities & careers support.
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