Cost of Living Survey November 2024

In November 2024, we conducted a cost of living survey to better understand the needs of our school community. We were pleased to identify several strengths in our approach, as well as areas where we can further improve our support.

The school's efforts to support families during the cost of living crisis have been well-received and have had a positive impact. Feedback from parents has been overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing gratitude for the school's proactive approach and the practical assistance provided.

One of our key strengths identified from the survey is the way we support families and share information. We've been mindful of financial pressures and have consciously kept our requests for contributions low. Our free pre-loved uniform initiative has been a great success, helping families access school clothing free of charge. The survey also recognised our proactive approach in providing information about uniform grants and other financial support available.

We're proud of our good communication, advice, and signposting services, which have helped many families access the support they need. Our school food pantry has also been a valuable resource for many Oldcastle families. We are delighted that we can work in partnership with Baobab Bach to offer surplus supermarket food and grocery items to our families and the wider community at reduced cost.

We recognise there's always room for improvement. We're looking at ways to allow more time for payments and to extend our support to families who may be struggling. We are developing a cost-of-living calendar to help families plan for school-related expenses throughout the year. 

In January, we will hold a focus group with parents to explore additional ways to support our school community.

In addition to expanding our free pre-loved uniform offerings, we're considering including non-uniform school items to help reduce families' costs. We also plan to provide more information about the various ways the school subsidises activities and resources to keep parents' costs down.

At Oldcastle Primary, we're committed to supporting our school community through these challenging times. Your feedback and suggestions are always welcome as we work together to ensure every child has the best possible educational experience.