Parents 'asked to pay for text books by schools'

Parents are being asked to help schools pay for pens, paper and books, as well as school trips, according to a poll by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers.

According to the survey of 500 members, in 30% of cases, if parents cannot pay, the school makes up the difference.

But 43% of staff fear such requests put some pupils at a disadvantage. Gillian Hargreaves reports.