Tight school budgets mean parents have to give, say teachers

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

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

Alison Sherratt, president of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said budgets in schools were ''tight''.

Families with more than one child were finding it particularly difficult to make contributions, she added.