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AIBU?

Overpaying for School Trips

12 replies

SomedayMyPrinceWillCome · 26/09/2017 17:23

I have a son in yr1 & he has come home today with a letter about his first ever school trip, it is to a place he would really enjoy.
The school are asking for £6 (presumably to cover coach hire & entrance). If enough people do not pay then the trip will be cancelled.

We are in the very fortunate position of being able to pay the £6 without it causing us any problems - in fact I could pay £10. FWIW £10 is still less than it would cost me to take my son to this place & pay for 1 adult & 1 child entrance.

I know that some children in the class are likely to be receiving PP which could be used for trips & I also know that in our school the PTA give each class some money to put towards trips.

This is NOT a stealth boast, I know I am in an incredibly fortunate position. If I were to overpay for this trip, would that make it more likely that the trip would go ahead? Who would I even approach about doing this?

So....AIBU to offer to overpay for a school trip?

OP posts:
RustyBear · 26/09/2017 17:28

Quite a few parents at the school I used to work at did this -usually they would just send the extra money and write a note with the permission slip. It might be more difficult if the school has an online payments system and you can only pay the exact amount, in which case, I'd just ask at the office.

UnicornMadeOfPinkGlitter · 26/09/2017 17:28

Go and speak to the class teacher or the schoolmoffice. They will know who will struggle and can perhaps say to that family when they say that they can't afford to go can let them know about the anonymous donation.

I think if you know there will be several unable to go and can afford it and want to pay double the cost to fully cover two places.

falandb · 26/09/2017 17:29

No you are not being unreasonable to want to pay extra and having worked in schools for a long time I know that most teachers would be very appreciative of your offer.
I have previously done the same as you when my children were in school. It enables all students to be able to take part and that can only be a good thing.
Flowers

MagicFajita · 26/09/2017 17:31

Usually the need x amount for a trip and understand that while some families have more , some may also have less. It's just about getting all of the money they need for that trip. So in theory little James from a low income family will benefit from your overpayment op.

Go for it!

coffeekittens · 26/09/2017 17:31

YANBU. Schools often have a support system in place for parents who can't afford to pay, but schools budegts are next to non existent and I'm sure that the school would be very appreciative of this.

Akire · 26/09/2017 17:33

That's great, as a kid if you couldn't afford it you just didn't go. You had to put up with being stuck on someone else's class who clearly was resentful and make up excuse to your friends as to why you missed it.

RavingRoo · 26/09/2017 17:33

My uncle did this for me to prevent a trip to Spain from being cancelled as they only had 6 people in the whole school confirm. He paid for transport and accomodation for all 6 of us and 1 teacher, and the school covered any excursion costs.

Notevilstepmother · 26/09/2017 17:38

That's really sweet of you.

Talk to the teacher I guess. If they can already afford for the trip to go ahead would you want the change, or would you want it donated to the PTA for a different trip?

SandyDenny · 26/09/2017 17:45

That's a lovely thing to do, if they already have enough for this trip I'd ask them to contact you if/when they don't for a future trip.

SomedayMyPrinceWillCome · 26/09/2017 18:23

Thank you! I will speak to the teacher.

OP posts:
BitchyInnerMonologue · 26/09/2017 18:25

School office is your best bet - ideally the finance officer or business manager (dependent on how your school is run). They should bite your hand off!!! —voice of school experience—

Glumglowworm · 26/09/2017 18:43

Yanbu that's a lovely thing to do

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