How do you feel about expensive foreign school trips?

Cloudydaze

Reading this thread has made me remember how upset I was not to go on any of my school ski trips. I REALLY REALLY wanted to go! I did eventually go skiing in my early 20s and go fairly regularly but I still feel like I'm playing catch up with my friends who all seem to have learnt as young children.

It is a tricky balance to strike. I did go on other (cheaper) trips and had such a great time. It would be a shame to deprive children of these experiences.

Guess the ones who don't go but want to go learn the biggest lesson of all... Sometimes life isn't fair!!!

silvercar

andygb wrote: »

Schools should be places where there is equality and inclusion. Holidays of this kind simply divide and exclude, they do in fact encourage a "class" system to exist, and that in my opinion is wrong.
Educational day trips are a good idea, but "holidays" for the well off should be discouraged.

Cloudydaze wrote:

It is a tricky balance to strike. I did go on other (cheaper) trips and had such a great time. It would be a shame to deprive children of these experiences.

Interesting to see different viewpoints.

POPPYOSCAR

Cloudydaze wrote: »

Reading this thread has made me remember how upset I was not to go on any of my school ski trips. I REALLY REALLY wanted to go! I did eventually go skiing in my early 20s and go fairly regularly but I still feel like I'm playing catch up with my friends who all seem to have learnt as young children.

It is a tricky balance to strike. I did go on other (cheaper) trips and had such a great time. It would be a shame to deprive children of these experiences.

Guess the ones who don't go but want to go learn the biggest lesson of all... Sometimes life isn't fair!!!

I agree with this but do feel that school should be as inclusive as possible.

I also do not agree with expensive school trips that are connected with the studies, this puts those that cannot afford to go at a disadvantage academically.

zagfles

Cloudydaze wrote: »

Reading this thread has made me remember how upset I was not to go on any of my school ski trips. I REALLY REALLY wanted to go! I did eventually go skiing in my early 20s and go fairly regularly but I still feel like I'm playing catch up with my friends who all seem to have learnt as young children.

It is a tricky balance to strike. I did go on other (cheaper) trips and had such a great time. It would be a shame to deprive children of these experiences.

Guess the ones who don't go but want to go learn the biggest lesson of all... Sometimes life isn't fair!!!

Indeed, while others learn that lesson in different ways! Friend of mine could never afford to go on any school trips, but he was much better looking than me - I was a horrible spotty skinny kid at school. I would have traded having reasonably well off parents for his success with girls in a heartbeat

Money isn't the only thing in life - another lesson some people need to learn.

thegirlintheattic

They are a fantastic opportunity and really appreciated by most kids.

Unfortunately schools can afford to sub all these trips and it does come down to those who can afford to can go. I don't see this as a completely bad thing tbh. I grew up in a very poor household and we could never afford these trips but did other things instead. I never felt hard done by, I just accepted that it was one of those things I couldn't afford.

In response to Poppy, school trips are categorised. Those which are compulsory e.g. field work for a subject will be fully paid for by the school if someone cannot pay - no disadvantage. Those which are non-compulsory but are academically beneficial e.g. French Trips are usually partly or fully subed. Those that are non-compulsory and not academically beneficial e.g. Ski Trips are generally not subed. So in most cases it doesn't lead to an academic disadvantage.

geoffky

We went to Liverpool and that broke the bank at £3....The poorest street on the poorest estate...And would not of swapped it for the world..

dktreesea

Ours has just been to France with the school. £480, plus £200 pocket money. It felt a bit steep but all his mates were going and he didn't want to miss out. I think part of the reason it is expensive is because they only want a certain amount of kids to go. This year, half the year wanted to go, so they ended up having to take two coach loads instead of one.

dktreesea

Cloudydaze wrote: »

Reading this thread has made me remember how upset I was not to go on any of my school ski trips. I REALLY REALLY wanted to go! I did eventually go skiing in my early 20s and go fairly regularly but I still feel like I'm playing catch up with my friends who all seem to have learnt as young children.

It is a tricky balance to strike. I did go on other (cheaper) trips and had such a great time. It would be a shame to deprive children of these experiences.

Guess the ones who don't go but want to go learn the biggest lesson of all... Sometimes life isn't fair!!!

We had that problem with one of our children, i.e. we couldn't afford for her to go. And she still minds, to this day. So now, if they want to go, I just close my eyes while I write out the cheque. If you close your eyes it doesn't feel as bad.

thegirlintheattic

dktreesea wrote: »

Ours has just been to France with the school. £480, plus £200 pocket money. It felt a bit steep but all his mates were going and he didn't want to miss out. I think part of the reason it is expensive is because they only want a certain amount of kids to go. This year, half the year wanted to go, so they ended up having to take two coach loads instead of one.

Or it is just the cost of the trip. Numbers of places are usually limited by the number of teachers who can be convinced to go. Trips are expensive, planning one for my students and the cheapest quote I'm getting is over £400 each, and that is for 3 nights in Europe. 4 nights at PGL can easily set you back the same.

POPPYOSCAR

thegirlintheattic wrote: »

They are a fantastic opportunity and really appreciated by most kids.

Unfortunately schools can afford to sub all these trips and it does come down to those who can afford to can go. I don't see this as a completely bad thing tbh. I grew up in a very poor household and we could never afford these trips but did other things instead. I never felt hard done by, I just accepted that it was one of those things I couldn't afford.

In response to Poppy, school trips are categorised. Those which are compulsory e.g. field work for a subject will be fully paid for by the school if someone cannot pay - no disadvantage. Those which are non-compulsory but are academically beneficial e.g. French Trips are usually partly or fully subed. Those that are non-compulsory and not academically beneficial e.g. Ski Trips are generally not subed. So in most cases it doesn't lead to an academic disadvantage.

Not at the school my children went to.

One instance that really annoyed me was a geography field trip, there were only so many places and it was first come first served.

My son got his place but his friend missed out. When his mum went into complain they said they would put him on the waiting list and if anyone dropped out he could go, he never got to go and was really upset.

Outrageous IMO.

Another trip arranged when my daughter was doing GCSE history to Germany and it was linked to the course. They wanted money for the trip, money for food and money to travel on public transport. It would have come to over £900.Again first come first served.

I personally think this is wrong.