'We need realistic funding for schools': Parents face hike in 'voluntary' contributions

'It's vitally important to schools and we need to see a very significant increase in [the capitation grant] if schools are not going to have to go out to parents, looking for much larger sums then they have looked for before.'

Parents are facing a hike in 'voluntary' contributions this year as cash-pressed schools struggle to plug funding shortfalls.

The Catholic Primary School Management Association (CPSMA) has warned dramatic rising costs “turbo-charged” by post-pandemic inflation has left many primary schools struggling financially.