PARENTS revealed yesterday how they have been asked to fork out hundreds a year towards their children’s education to “top up” funding cuts made by the Tory government.

Teaching union NASUWT warned of a growing culture of paid-for schooling at taxpayer-backed schools as it released the results of an annual study on the cost of education.

One parent said they had been asked to pay £600 a year towards costs and were told by a head teacher that it was “to top up the cuts they have had in funding.”

Others reported that many activities outside the core curriculum were now effectively pay-per-access.

Costs including school uniforms, trips and courses have risen sharply since the first survey three years ago.

“School-based activities such as cooking, music, some sports, drama are now voluntary, depending on whether you want to pay,” another parent told the union.

“Some of these activities take place in school time if you pay.”

Among the findings revealed by NASUWT are that an increasing number of schools demand that uniforms are bought from a single supplier. It is required of two-thirds of parents, compared to 57 per cent a year earlier.

And more than a quarter of those surveyed said they had splashed out more than £200 in 2014 to fund activities for their children.

NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates blamed the Con-Dem government for tearing up the rules on charging by state schools.

“For too many children, access to many critical educational opportunities is increasingly based on their parents’ ability to pay.

“Educational experiences that promote opportunity and achievement should not be determined by an ability to pay,” Ms Keates said.

“It is simply unacceptable that the curriculum options for young people are determined by whether their parents can pay for books, equipment or field trips.”

But the Department for Education rejected the complaints.

“While schools can ask for voluntary contributions for trips or extra equipment, they

must make clear to parents that there is absolutely no obligation for them to pay,” said a spokesman.