How do you pay for School Trips

shaz1000

I think secondary school trips do seem overpriced. There is a primary school near me that takes their kids to Disney world and another Paris theme park as their trip. I hardly think this is educational and makes it even worse if the children can't go. Apart from which, I do not think that they should be promoting Disney, but that's another rant! ;D

jellyhead

a disney trip at primary school? that's awful!! our school goes to museums and theatres, never been to a theme park not even the ones nearby.

ss is right, at my school everyone goes on the trips, they are designed for everyone and the PTA pays a hefty chunk of the bill. there are parents who pay nothing and parents who pay a token payment, sometimes only around a tenth of what's been requested. no child is ever excluded from these trips. i sometimes wonder if they ask the rest of us to pay extra to make sure the cost of the trip is covered but then they usually send out a letter detailing the costs and it shows that for this weeks theatre trip the tickets alone cost £7.50 per child so by paying £6 we were already being subsidised by the PTA who also paid for the coaches. we don't do many trips, one theatre (xmas panto), one museum a year (usually free, the PTA fund the coaches). years 3 and upwards go to see shakespeare at our local castle too, we only pay £4 each for that. there are other free trips where we walk, such as activity days at the huge norman church.

most parents are happy to pay for the panto because the one in our town is usually more than £10 for each ticket so paying £6 for the school to take them is a bargain. usually the trips are viewed in a positive way with parents being pleased that their kids are going, it's always much cheaper than taking them yourself.

our school must feel very strongly that nobody should be excluded from trips. they do however run a few trips for evenings or weekends and not many kids go. they saw pirates of penzance on a saturday afternoon, we had to provide transport then left the children in the care of the teachers. because so few children go to this kind of thing and it's outside of school hours it doesn't upset anyone who can't afford to go,

i'm expecting high school to be different and the trips will be much more expensive. yes i agree that kids should learn that they can't always have everything but i think high school is the place to learn that, not primary, it would be horrible if there were kids who didn't go on the outward bound trips or to the panto because they couldn't pay.

Savvy_Sue

Have just checked. Last years (secondary school) Outward Bound type trips were c. £250, Monday - Friday. Started paying in the autumn for July. Don't remember how much the 'stay at home' alternative was. No equipment needed! And minimal pocket money recommended.

I accept this is a lot of money to find - and I had two to pay for, although as one was in the 6th form there were other, cheaper alternatives which I could have insisted he choose - which is why I appreciate the school ALWAYS reminding us that there is a Fund which can help if you can't pay it all. I don't know who looks at the letters saying 'can't pay, please help', and whether they ever say no, but I wouldn't feel stigmatised if I had to apply again.

Caterina

I remember when the twins started secondary school there was a trip to Paris and I was in no way able to afford it for them, so the head of year 7 said that I should make a case for a reduction because I have twins.

I tried but the school office told me that unless I was on benefits I would not qualify for assistance.

This reply makes me think that there must be some sort of assistance for families on benefits for school trips - someone had asked this question somewhere in this thread I think.

Caterina

Spendless

Perhaps it's upto individual schools Caterina :-/

Tho it wasn't school trips - it was an art gallery exhibition (you bought your kids framed picture to raise school funds). We have a lot of multiples at our school - 2 sets of triplets and a set of quads (all IVF babies ).
The head allowed the parents of the triplets, and quads to buy their pictures cheaper.

Caterina

The head allowed the parents of the triplets, and quads to buy their pictures cheaper.

How mighty of him/her!

I wish education was REALLY free for all.

Someone made the argument about how kids need to learn to live with disappointment. I know that might be true but they will have a lifetime to do so, wouldn't it be lovely if every child was happy and disappointment-free at least until their teens? (NEVER would be even better of course but it is sadly not possible...)

Caterina

spookmeister

Some of the comments on this thread are disgraceful. >:( >:(

My wife is a teacher (albeit on maternity leave) and once a year went on a week long field trip with the Year 6 youngsters.

First of all. No one makes these children go on these trips so if you're not happy with the price - don't go! The furthest I went was the Isle of Wight (and I only lived the other side of the Solent).

One comment I read was about the "extortionate" price of skiing in Canada - Skiing in Canada. I've never been skiing - anywhere!! I wouldn't be surprised if the cost was to subsidise the teachers trip or even the entourage of helpers that parents expect to go along. Do you expect the pupils to look after themselves?

I'll tell you what - You take your child to Canada or Tanzania if you think you can do it cheaper. School have no more purchase power than you or I and certainly aren't profit making to that extent.

I certainly wouldn't pay for my wife to go on a trip where she is constantly worrying about the whereabout of the children or the valuables like mobiles and jewellery that children aren't supposed to take but still manage to do so - with the help of parents for the most part (in my experience). She comes back from these trips exhausted - Not everyone relishes the idea of going on a "holiday".

I'll tell you something else. I have been away with the school too on more than one ocaision. I was subsidised but it didn't cover the cost of the petrol or the wear and tear on my car. It didn't reimberse me MY holiday that I gave up. It didn't cover the cost of my bar bill - I paid for that! It did however cover my insurance against third party liabililty which covered me against some parent suing me incase his (or her) child had an accident due to them doing something they should have done - like listen to the rules!!

No wonder teachers are leaving the profession in their droves - it's to get away from whinging bl**din' parents.

Anyway - getting back to the original thread. Most schools do have contingency arrangements for familys who really can't afford to send their kids on these educational luxury cruises around the world.

Application to these funds are very discreet and sometimes don't have anything to do with PTA's - afterall gossip can be a bad thing.

Well I've done my bit.

Bye.

S.

P.S. Yes I am darn annoyed so remember that there aren't too many school that are profit making. For the record the parents at my wifes school (who shall remain nameless) have always been very hospitable and welcoming to me going on these trips. Thanks.

spookmeister

...I completely forgot to say that a lot of schools have to have the books audited after these trips. Surplus or unjustified costs have to be refunded by the school.

That's it.

S.

shaz1000

I must say that I don't envy anyone going on school trips. Looking after all those children must be very hard work and a constant worry. Certainly woundn't be a holiday!!!!

silver_saver_3

Having worked at school for many years, I wish to inform parents Headteachers have to inform parents on income support that they are entitled to have remission on school trips if visits are taken in school time. Before any educational visits are organised Headteachers/teachers have to inform parents of this. What usually happens is that Headteachers are reluctant to let this become general knowledge, as one past Headteacher told one member of his staff if he discussed this "it would open a can of worms". In the school prospectus there should be details of this, if not ask your Local Education Authority or Area County Council. I have seen too many poor families missing out on education visits.