Escalating costs in state schools mean that many parents are having to pay increasing amounts of money towards equipment, school meals and uniforms, according to a new survey.
It could mean that access to educational opportunities is becoming increasingly dependent on parents' ability to foot the bills, with rising costs acting as a "barrier" to certain schools.
The annual Cost of Education survey, carried out by teaching union the NASUWT, reveals how much parents are expected to pay towards schooling for children.
According to the research, two thirds of parents said that uniform had to be purchased from a particular supplier, compared to 57 per cent in 2013; a requirement that can increase the cost of individual items
Furthermore, nearly half of parents said the same for PE kit; up from 44 per cent in 2013.