School Trip rip-offs : A DISGRACE

gooismeid

Pabloneruda, you should definitely raise the issue of bad spelling with the school - it's outrageous the level of illiteracy these days. I blame the lack of Latin teaching but that's the topic for another thread. If you are sure that the school is using this trip to raise extra funds then you should question it, with the head teacher or governing body if necessary. However, as some posters have mentioned, there are many hidden costs to a school trip which you don't have to factor in when making a personal trip. But if you're not happy then you should raise it with the school - they won't know if parents are upset if nobody talks to them about it. I'm a firm believer in talking with school staff - they probably think I'm a nosy parker but at least they know where I'm coming from, and I get to know how they're thinking too. If you genuinely can't afford it, then say so. I would be surprised if your kid is excluded from the trip when others are going, but if they are, you will be perfectly entitled to kick up a stink.

pboae

jane45 wrote:

Why should we be charged a third extra than the actual cost to cover the children that parents dont pay? Surely the cost should be worked out per child and not per how many they think may pay. I bet the ones that dont pay arent the ones that cant afford to pay.

Jane

Because the government say so. They didn't want kids being singled out/discriminated against because their parents couldn't afford to pay for trips.

It's a reasonable enough idea in theory, but in practice it hasn't really worked out because of the won't pays rather than the can't pays. The school has no choice in it though, if the trip goes ahead they have to cover the costs from the parents who do pay. They cannot force parents to pay, and they cannot exclude any child for not paying. So their hands are pretty much tied.

lindos90

I have raised this with our school before, they have to pay the teachers anyway, they ask us parents to volunteer to help, so no extra cost for them there, they tend to say its for transport and trip insurance, but I do agree its probably to subsidise for the ones who dont pay as well, which is abit anoying, however the school have to say its voluntary as they are not allowed to 'charge' for education and are therefore not allowed to exclude children if their parents do not contribute (the only exceptions I understand is for materials for design and technology etc), and if the trip/visiting speaker etc is organised as part of the ciriculum they have to ask for a voluntary contribution.
Once there was a trip to the local park from our school, it was in walking distance, many parents came along to help and the park was free to get in, and guess what, we were asked for a 'voluntary contribution' of £3 !!! When I asked what this was for I was told they needed insurance (what, to walk on the pavement??!!) and they might get an ice cream (the van on the park charges £1 when we go there)
I do think its a combination of insurance/risk issues and fundraising by stealth!

Bibbitybob

Actually, the school will need to be insured whether they walk on the pavement or send the kids down the middle of a motorway - at the end of the day if anyone has an accident (say, a car drives off the road) then the school are liable.

I agree, £15 does sound a bit steep but I'm under the belief that schools aren't allowed to raise funds in this way - I'm sure if you approached your school they'd be able to tell you exactly where the money is going.

And remember although parents are volunteering they'll all need CRB checks at £26 a pop too, for your children's safety.

lyns_2

dud52221 wrote:

Sorry if i'm going off the track a little but we are in the same position and it makes my blood boil. My daughter who is a 10 yrs has been sent a letter exactly the same as the OP to visit a museum in Bham some 8 miles from school (Which they went to about 2 years ago) the school is asking for a voluntary contribution of £10.50 per child (The museum state the entry fee is £3.25 fo groups of 10 or more, so £7.25 coach fare)....i'm thinking like everyone else this is just a quick money making exercise by the school combined with those who refuse or allegdly can't pay. Whilst i do not have a problem with subsidsing those with genuine financial difficulties - why is it that they always rely on the same parents time and time again (And we are paying for Adventure week for next May a mere snip at £265 for 5 days!!)...sorry for going on, but i do feel better now!

My Daughter who is also 10 also has a trip to a museum in Birmingham in dec but her school is charging £15.:mad:
Same type of trip in may also but my Daughter said she would rather have a family holiday.
My son at the same school is taking part in a Roman experience day at the school next week and this is costing £5.

stamford

I often wonder about these so called voluntary contributions, there's a local low life family who don't want to work yet manage to run a his & hers car on state benefits with 2 kids at my sons junior school. The word is that they make a voluntary contribution of zero yet the kids manage to go on all the trips. I'm looking forward to seeing if they get on nexts years £180 3 day job at Calshot.

The parents are both fat slobs and I often see them pushing two fully laden trollys around Asda - I guess they will eat themselves into an early grave at taxpayers expense

diamondcatz

I got so fed up of trip fees, especially in yr6 when they finish exams they had 2 weeks of pure trips so by chance I was pointed to the local council site and found a quote that if you are on benefits low wages you arent expected to contribute. I printed it off and put it in the envelope with the consent form. I recieved a call saying I could pay by instalments. No . End of subject. I hasten to say there has been a lot of aggro with the school. Might be worth a look on your site

stamford

diamondcatz wrote:

I got so fed up of trip fees, especially in yr6 when they finish exams they had 2 weeks of pure trips so by chance I was pointed to the local council site and found a quote that if you are on benefits low wages you arent expected to contribute. I printed it off and put it in the envelope with the consent form. I recieved a call saying I could pay by instalments. No . End of subject. I hasten to say there has been a lot of aggro with the school. Might be worth a look on your site

Interesting did you actually pay anything ?

SaraSeahorse

"What are the guidelines on the payment of School Trips?
Generally, activities that take place during school hours, eg visits to museums, must be free. Charges may be made by schools for children attending residential courses arranged by a school, and the Department for Education and Skills website has details of what kind of school activities are free and in what circumstances they may be charged for.

Although your child's school cannot charge for school-time activities, they may still invite voluntary contributions to make school funds go further. All requests for voluntary contributions must make it clear that the contributions would be voluntary, and that if you do not contribute your child would not be treated any differently. If a particular activity cannot take place without some help from you, the parent, this should be explained in the planning stage. Your child will not be excluded from an activity because you cannot or will not make a contribution of any kind


"
Voluntary Contributions

Head teachers or governing bodies may ask parents for a voluntary contribution towards the cost of:

any activity which takes place during school hours;
school equipment;
school funds generally.
The contribution must be genuinely voluntary, though, and the pupils of parents who are unable or unwilling to contribute may not be discriminated against. Where there are not enough voluntary contributions to make the activity possible, and there is no way to make up the shortfall, then it must be cancelled." http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/atoz/c/chargingforactivities/

pboae

*Anyone* can refuse to pay, regardless of what they earn. Which is why the cost of trips is so high for the parents who do contribute, as they have to make up the difference.