Paying for school trips.

Oldernotwiser

viktory wrote: »

The ski-ing was merely an example. The point I was making is that if a parent cannot afford a trip - for whatever reason - there is no harm in telling the child that they cannot go and why.

I think that ski-ng was a good example of a luxury trip and completely agree that children have to accept that these things aren't always possible. I'm not sure that I agree though if the trip is essential educationally.

bestpud

viktory wrote: »

The ski-ing was merely an example. The point I was making is that if a parent cannot afford a trip - for whatever reason - there is no harm in telling the child that they cannot go and why.

I think this is entirely different from a trip to a zoo/museum taken during the school day.

My children didn't even ask about the skiing as they knew we wouldn't be able to afford it and, if they ahd asked, I'd have no problem at all in saying no.

I would only say no to an educational trip if I had absolutely no other option as that really does set the child aside, and they miss out on a big part of the topic too.

Breast_Cancer_Survivor

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Just because schools allow these things doesn't mean that parents have to go along with it! Many parents give in too easily to their children on issues like these and, particularly when resources are limited, should concentrate on those that benefit their children. Spending money on expensive trainers and fancy mobiles is unnecessary, even if these are what the kids are pestering for.

I guess im lucky in that regard as my 2 son's are on the Autistic Spectrum & are not interested in clothes or trainers.
They are however interested in all the latest computer games & they are very expensive.
I dread Xmas & Birthdays as I always end up skint as I don't want my kids to go without.
I guess it's no different for parents on benefits than it is for parents that work really as when I was still with my husband & we both worked full time we still struggled.
Kids are bloody expensive & with the added cost of school uniforms once they hit Comprehensive school everyone must struggle.

Breast_Cancer_Survivor

viktory wrote: »

Kids don't have to go on these trips. My children missed out on a number of trips (the end of school ski-ing trip springs to mind as an example). They were so expensive I could have paid for all of us to go on holiday (2 adults and 2 children) for the same price. Make no mistake, I could have paid but the amount being asked was extortionate. Neither of my children have been scarred for life or need therapy because they missed out. In fact, I would say that they learnt an important lesson in life.

I can't understand why these trips are so expensive either, I think you could probably manage if you only had 1child but when you have 3 it's alot harder.
My eldest son goes to a residential school where he goes on trips all the time luckily for me the parents don't have to pay as it's all included in the tution fees.
It does make me feel bad for my other 2 kids as there is no way I could afford to pay for them to go abroad with the school.
Id rather struggle & save my money so we could go on a family holiday instead, even if it is just to Great Yarmouth. :rotfl:

egyptiangirl

Vicky123 wrote: »

With the school trips, I don't have a problem with a few educationals which are related to the work the children are doing in school, thing is an awful lot of them have no educational value whatsoever beyond which we all teach ourselves when we take our children on days out. Just as no one feels they were somehow disadvantaged by not going on school trips I don't feel I was disadvantaged by being 99% deskbound when I was at school, actually have to say, much the opposite.
Vicky
Vicky

Vicky
It is really sad to read this as a teacher. Saying trips have no educational value is totally wrong and for you to make the assumption that 'all' parents take their kids out for days is really quite naive.

The kind of attitude that is coming across in some of these posts is that teachers are some sort of robots who should fulfil your child's needs at the price you want, in the way you want, at the desk you want without having time to build relationships.

Education is seriously changing. New schools don't have desks.

Oldernotwiser

Breast_Cancer_Survivor wrote: »

They are however interested in all the latest computer games & they are very expensive.
I dread Xmas & Birthdays as I always end up skint as I don't want my kids to go without.
.

So are you saying that you'd buy them these at the expense of paying for educational visits?

Vicky123

The only need I expect a teacher to meet for my children is educational. I didn't say there were no educational trips therefore I am not totally wrong. I don't assume all parents take their children out for trips either, if I said that then I stand corrected, the fact is in my County barely a week passes without some day trip or excursion.
Education has been changing for some years now, everyone is entitled to their opinion, mine is, not for the better.
I definitely do not think teachers are robots, absolutely not at all.
This is such a long thread but I think the OP was struggling to pay for school trips, my thoughts are if there were less of them then perhaps people would be able to meet the cost, that is just obvious really.
Vicky

LizzieS_2

Vicky123 wrote: »

This is such a long thread but I think the OP was struggling to pay for school trips, my thoughts are if there were less of them then perhaps people would be able to meet the cost, that is just obvious really.
Vicky

OK, a rant by taking the point above further.

Firstly parent(s) on benefits are seen as the least able to pay and funds are sometimes set aside to help those - the truth is many parent(s) choose to work and are actually much worse off than if they were on benefits.

Every year, each Government (including Tories in that for us older ones) comes up with the concept of pumping more money into education/NHS etc. Each year parent(s) are expected to pay for educational school trips - why is that not part of the educational budget for the so called free education?

The child poverty action is about ending poverty *cough at poverty, separate element discussed in DT numerous times* why then are the Government not making a stance of ensuring all children go on school trips by making them free for all? Same for the latest proposals for annual holidays for all children.

John38_2

I'm 99% sure that DCSF guidance states that educational trips occuring during school hours MUST be free, however, a voluntary contribution can be asked for, but a child cannot be refused access to the trip just because his parents havent contributed.

John38_2

Yep, I was right. Section 451 of the Education Act 1996 states that all education provided during school hours must be free, this includes trips, visits and equipment. There is an exception for music tuition.

The law also states that education provided outside of school hours, but required as part of the syllabus for a course of study leading to a public examination for which the pupil is studying for at school, must also be provided for free.

Schools can ask for voluntary contributions but they must make it clear that children of parents who don't contribute will not be discriminated against, and will still be taken on the trip. They can, however, say that without enough contributions, the trip may be cancelled.

Schools are also allowed to charge for board and lodgings for residential trips during school hours, but cannot make a profit from them.

So as the OP's trip is part of their English work, their child MUST be allowed to attend regardless of your contribution.

Apologies for the misleading advice from other posters.