should I send my DD on expensive school trip?

Becles

wilkies5 wrote: »

Just something for you to think about.

If the trip is IN SCHOOL TIME ie term time, then all they can ask for is voluntary contributions to the costs of the trip. Make a financial gesture, say £50 and then tell the school they are to make up the balance.

From where? Their PTA funds maybe. Local charities often support local schools, so expect them to assist YOU!!

Good Luck!

:T

That only applies to trips that form a compulsory part of the curriculum. Residential trips are optional extras.

For example, my eldest went on a trip to the beach last term to study the coastline as part of a geography project. That was voluntary contributions as they couldn't do the project without the fieldwork.

However they all went to the theatre at Christmas and that was either pay for a ticket or stay in school, as it was a treat rather than essential to a particular subject.

FBaby

yep, a trip in Y5 for 5 days and one for 4 days in Y6, both about £200 each. It is expensive, but we know that's how it is and we are given a lot of notice so have time to put money aside (we can pay in installments). I do feel sorry for those who have 4 or 5 kids (and don't get tons of tax credits as a result! or those with twins. One of my DD friend is a set of two, they went last year, but not this year which is understandable. I really don't think it is unusual to have two such trips in two years, at least not in my town.

pavlovs_dog

banson wrote: »

Anyway the PTA were apparently right behind the trip (I think some of the funds go to them) and its a new head teacher at the school, Im sure he didnt want to rock the boat and incurr the wrath of the PTA and the trip is now going ahead.

this is a common misconception about trips. we are not allowed to profiteer from them.

1) we are given a cost price from the travel company, which will offer X free staff places per Y number of paying children. At secondary level, this is one adult per every 10 children.

This cost price may or may not include transport, accommodation, food, all admissions and insurance. If not included, these will need to be factored in.

2) A few pounds will be added for a contingency fund so that there is cash to deal with minor emergencies and unforeseen circumstances (e.g. on a trip i accompanied a child was taken ill and had to see a doctor. the CF covered the cost of the prescription for the child. On a foreign trip last year a child was ill on a bank holiday and there was no emergency doctor available. The coach driver was out of hours on his tacogragh and couldn't drive so the CF paid for a taxi to the hospital. A child from a very deprived background had just £10 pocket money to last all week. the CF paid for that child to have a decent lunch on the one day where packed lunch wasn't provided instead of going hungry).

On the rare occasion where this money isn't needed, at the end of the weekend we have to take the decision to spend it on the kids (e.g unexpected 'free' ice cream stop) or wait until we get back to school to refund the surplus via cheque. If we're only talking a few bob it's easier and much more enjoyable to 'treat' the kids to an ice cream.

3) we are not allowed to pass on the price of cover teachers to the parents. this must come out of school funds. At secondary level the going rate is £165 per supply teacher per day. Multiply that by 4-5 members of staff over 2-5 days and you'll see how these things soon start to add up.

ETA: the only staff cost that we are allowed to pass on in my school is the cost of the insurance, which is £1 per head per night abroad, so in the case of the trip I run it adds 20p per pupil (4 members of staff for 2 nights, divided by 40 kids)

banson wrote: »

the trip costs £180 for 3 days

I'm surprised how many people seem to think this is reasonable. we do a 4 night/5 day activity holiday for £180 which covers all transport, accommodation, 4 meals a day, insurance, full instruction on all the activities and an evening programme of events.

A weekend trip I run to Paris on a half board basis comes in at £250 pp (travel, 3* half board accommodation, all activities) and a similar French trip run by another department comes in at the same sort of price.

having taken small and large groups away i can tell you that the difference in cost offered because of small/large parties is just a matter of £s - £3 per person was what I paid most recently for a small group. They can't even use economies of scale as an explanation for the cost. £180 seems awfully expensive for a 3 night UK break.

Logan112

My DD is currently away on a 3 night / 4 day residential. She's in Year 4 and the school take a mix of Y4 and Y5 children, potentially the children could go in both years - the Year 5s do different walks and some extra activities. The school also do a Year 6 residential.
I doubt that the PTA might be profiting - 1) I don't think they are allowed to and 2) in our school the PTA actually subsidise the trip for children who are eligible for free school meals. We don't want these children to be excluded from the trips because of the cost.

mum2one

Our school presently does yr 3, they do a wed to fri break, thats the 1st term, for 2011/2012 yr, that came in at £79 per child, and then in yr 6, they do a 5 day one, but I'm not sure how much that is.
I guess it depends on the centre, the activities, etc.

edsks

Yes, it is usual for many primary schools to offer residential experiences in Y5 and Y6 and many schools regard these as powerful educational and social experinces for their pupils. Ask your child whether or not she wants to go. If she does go then I would imagine that, in years to come, when she reflects on her primary school memories, that one of the first things she will remember will be the school trips and residentials. They are often a wonderful experience for the children. If she does not go then we need to remember that children are much more adaptable than we think they are - she will be fine, it will not be an issue.

gairlochgal

Mine are both away this week. We are in one of those bits of London where real poverty and affluence sit side by side and DD2 is in yr 6 at a primary school that has to balance it all out. Their approach is a trip in winter where yrs 5 and 6 split the week between then, and then a full week away for year 6 after SATS. It really does seem to foster independence and they gain a lot of memories, as others have said.

borderlakland

Op i can totally understand how you feel, at my kids old school the ex head teacher offered a residential trip alternate years so the kids either went in year 5 OR yr 6 which as i understand is what is expected by the national ciriculum.
New head arrived and within 18 months they were going on 2 trips a year 1 for yrs 5 and 6 then the other 4,5,and 6. :eek:
lots of guilt trips from the staff when mentioning kids poss not going. as somepeople are saying £200/250 per trip isn't a huge amount when you look at what it covers but twice a year for 3 years running it is alot of money for 1 child (esp when you have had to refuse another £600 trip for the eldest)
all of my 4 have done at least 2 trips during primary years but we did limit the trips (much to the school's disgust) tbh as long as they have done at least 1 trip i would prefer to take the whole family on a break

Molly41

Yes I have got money back on a couple of occasions when the trip didnt cost as much as anticipated.

rachbc

My son had outward bound type residential in yr 6 - think it was asimilar price to ops. Previously there had been a shorter yr 5 residential trip to London but it was dropped the year he went ot yr 5 (yay!). In yr 7 they had a complusory residential so could only ask for voluntary contributions so I made a 'contiribution'

certainly in primary the PTA subsidised the trip rather than gaining from it!