Voluntary contribution towards school trips

purple.sarah

gingin wrote: »

Perhaps but I would say the child's school trip should take priority over items for a baby that is not born, especially if that child is distressed over not being able to go.

I'm really surprised by the responses to this thread that would put luxuries like a school trip ahead of essentials like food and baby clothes! Maybe she is stocking up on the baby clothes before the baby is born because she wants to be prepared or needs to buy them in the sale?

jellyhead

purple.sarah wrote: »

I'm really surprised by the responses to this thread that would put luxuries like a school trip ahead of essentials like food and baby clothes! Maybe she is stocking up on the baby clothes before the baby is born because she wants to be prepared or needs to buy them in the sale?

From what I recall she wasn't even buying the baby clothes this week, she was just asking opinions from other mums about price and quality.

My cousin said on facebook earlier that she can't pay for school trips either, for her 2, because the bank still isn't sorted out.

DaisyFlower

Why dont you just ask if you can pay in instalments or if you can pay after the nat west error is corrected? If you have already not paid for a trip before, then its a bit cheeky to ask for another free one but I would be surprised if they wont let you pay after.

To them it looks like you are simply not paying and they wont assume you have money difficulties if you are expecting again as babies are expensive.

Everyone gets CB and most get CTC so no reason to not pay for educational trips etc.

POPPYOSCAR

I have always paid for school trips for my children but I really have to come back to the issue of the wording.

A payment is not voluntary if someone is being continually asked for it and made to feel they must pay it.

Please change the wording.

mum2one

POPPYOSCAR wrote: »

This has always been a bugbear with me.

Why call it 'voluntary' and then demand payment. Someone at this school(and others) need an english lesson!!

I would write a letter to the head and if you still get no joy escalate your complaint to the governors and then the education department if necessary.

Good luck.

If you do want to complain, it has to be through the teacher, head then governors, basically the education dept wont be much help, as they say its the gov's that run the school

We have exactly the same prob at our school, x

kingfisherblue

I was speaking to someone who works at Nat West last night. She said that if someone who banks with them and is expecting a deposit (for example, wages or CTC payment), they can go into the bank and get money out. They have allowed a number of customers to take cash out over the weekend.

Maybe this will help the OP.

OP, did your daughter go on the trip?

pollypenny

Just read the first 3 pages - I have some sympathy with OP. However, I have organised many school trips , usually theatre visits and can tell you the funding is a real headache.

If lots of people don't pay then who should meet the bill?

When announcing a trip I used to gaze into space and say 'If anyone has trouble with this, come and see me quietly.'

But if some has enough cash to gallivant off to Disneyland, they shouldn't expect the rest of the parents to subsidise their kid's trips through the PTA.

Ada_Doom

tiggerroo1301 wrote: »

The OP has not only been to DLP this year but also states that she has been 5 times in the last four years. Im sure that this will more than make up for her daughter missing one school trip!

I am a teacher and had to save damn hard to take my own three children to DLP this year and it will probably be a long time before we can afford to go again.

If you couldn't afford to take your child to the cinema would you expect someone else to pay for them??

School trips are not a RIGHT.

You may think they are not a right, but the thought of children being excluded from school trips because of not being able to afford it saddens me enormously. I would happily pay my contribution for my kids if I knew some of it went to help others kids to go on a fun trip who otherwise would have to miss out. Sheesh, they are children, show some compassion!

eyelinerprincess

kingfisherblue wrote: »

I was speaking to someone who works at Nat West last night. She said that if someone who banks with them and is expecting a deposit (for example, wages or CTC payment), they can go into the bank and get money out. They have allowed a number of customers to take cash out over the weekend.

Maybe this will help the OP.

OP, did your daughter go on the trip?

OP said that the employer banked with Natwest, not them, so that wouldn't help them at all.

FatVonD - I had to look up what DLP was!

tiggerroo1301

Ada Doom, if you read through my previous posts you will find that, being a teacher and having paid for a child to go on a school trip (not an educational visit, by the way!) and prepared her lunch for her, that I do actually have compassion!

However, would you, as a parent, be prepared to subsidise a child who has been to DLP five times in the last four years, whilst you maybe struggle and budget every month to make sure that your child can go on a school trip, or scrimp and save to afford a Sun holiday so you can take your own children away.

By the way, this is not a comment on the OP but simply a response as the OP has explained her current situation.