Can't afford Christmas/summer good behaviour school trip then come in uniform and work all day.

[Thebandsmostmonthly]

Possibly being a bit sensitive.
School run two trips a year which are not educational but purely a treat for good behaviour, usually a theme park and Christmas markets. My children are new to the school.

If you can't afford or can't go for whatever reason then you stay behind with the ones who have been excluded from the trip, have to come in in full uniform when everyone else is in home clothes, they get a special breakfast etc and you have to sit there while they do etc and work all day.
Even though they have to work all day they don't even put on a proper education. Most of the school is out so we've been told on the summer trip they did some worksheets with a teacher in the morning and then spent most of the day on their phones.

AIBU to think they could stump to a couple of dvds and a tub of popcorn for those left behind?

[Splinterz]

If it's genuine inability to afford the trip, I would be taking this situation to the Head/Governors. It's marginalising and isolating. The school special funds should be covering that trip for those who cannot afford it. Every school has charitable funds for such eventualities.

I presume its just one two that cant go?

[QueenofLouisiana]

That’s not a great incentive. The good behaviour trip is free at DS’s school. They get a choice of 3 trips. This is a really good incentive- I think they needed 13 coaches last year to get all the children out. It’s not a massive school either!

[SavoyCabbage]

That is obviously awful.

I was thinking ‘I’ve never heard of a school doing a trip like that before’ but them I realised my child’s own school was going to the cinema this week (cost £8 a ticket and parents and siblings can go too!) and if you don’t go you stay at school. I don’t know what our school would do if we went in and said that we couldn’t afford it.

[Sanshin]

I would complain. How horrible to punish kids for not being able to afford a school trip. It's no better than the kids who bully others for being "poor"

[LizzieSiddal]

That’s absolutely dreadful!
I’d be asking someone at the school for access to a hardship fund, your dc should not be missing out.

[Sirzy]

If schools feel the need to do trips for pupils based on behaviour/non academic achievement they should cover the cost or at least have measures in place to ensure nobody misses out.

Where is the incentive for the child who knows their parents wouldn’t be able to cover the cost?

[BrieAndChilli]

Have you actually told the School you can’t afford it or just said they aren’t going? The school
Aren’t going to advertise the fact but they should have a fund in place for people in hardship but you do need to tell them or they won’t know.

[PeteAndManu]

I think that is awful, very decisive and not really rewarding good behaviour if you can only go on it if you can afford it. Schools that I have worked at or my children have gone too have treats funded by the PTA e.g. cinema or theatre company visiting the school. These were for all children in the school. If your children attract pupil premium this could be used to fund it but it still doesn’t help those families who don’t attract it but still couldn’t afford it.
Plus if most of the school are out what do you have to do not to go on it. Doesn’t sound very well thought out.

[Farahilda]

I think the school is on thin ice here. This sort of trip is for everyone who meets the behaviour criteria. As such, I would say it falls into the category of trips which no-one should be excluded from on grounds of ability to pay.

So the school really ought to be seeking a way to fund those whose families cannot pay (PTA funds are often used for things like this), or this kind of trip should be discontinued.

[magpiemischief]

They should do a 'fun day' at school or in the local area.

Schools have so many facilities, in-house, there is no reason why they could not watch a film or do something exciting like paint a mural / environmental work in the school grounds, put on a production and watch it.

[JoJoSM2]

I can't see them being 'punished'. Sounds like a normal school day to me - wear uniform, turn up, do some work. If they let them go on the phones then clearly that's a treat as it wouldn't be normally allowed.

Having said that, if you genuinely can't afford the trips, then approach the school about it and hopefully they can sort that out.

[Bowerbird5]

Please see the Headteacher if you can't afford it. We fund children who can't go there are charity pots and school fund some too.

You could suggest DVDs. We let the kids bring they're own( labelled) and watch those at Christmas...not the unsuitable 15sand 18's though 😳

[ShiftyMcGifty]

I love the idea that schools - whose budgets are being slashed left, right and center and who are desperately making cuts so that they can retain teaching staff - have a tidy stash of money just sitting there to pay for a child’s fun outing.

To those who always advise to “write to the governors” ... have you ever volunteeed to be a governor at your school? Just what magical powers do you think these people who volunteer their free time have?

[LizzieSiddal]

shifty every school I’ve worked in and my dc have gone to, has had a hardship fund.

If a school hasn’t got such a fund, they shouldn’t be putting on “fun trips” which exclude poorer pupils.

[Goodgriefisitginfizzoclock]

If your children are in receipt of Pupil Premium funding ( free school meals) this fund can be used for enrichment trips, the schools policy should be available on the schools website. If not, it is always worth asking in the finance dept

[Sirzy]

And if the school hasn’t got the funds to make it inclusive then the trip shouldn’t have it

[RoganJosh]

Our two schools have both had funds for school trips for those that can’t afford them. Including theatre etc, not just educational ones.

[Thebandsmostmonthly]

The letter mentioned pupil premium but we don't qualify for that. My children didn't even want me to ask as it's five hours walking round shops and markets without staff and with no money and their friends were planning Five Guys for lunch which we couldn't have afforded.

I would imagine the summer trip is the same as you can't take food into the theme park and even that is expensive for families who are struggling.

We have loads of fab places nearby for under a fiver where they could have gone instead and had a great day.
Or just a fun day in school!

It's this morning so no sorting it now.

[dementedpixie]

Our good behaviour trips are free to the pupils and covered by pta fundraising. Shouldn't be excluded for not being able to afford to go

[NorthAlways]

Our school got around it by doing fun non educational trips on the weekend.

Also they didn’t want to exclude kids because of bad behaviour so if they did it on a Saturday they could alll come.

We also have a social fund and can pay more to help out kids who can’t afford it.

[humblesims]

I think I'd keep them off. I think its awful.

[Santasbigredbobblehat]

My school uses pupil
Premium for good behaviour trips; but it’s just wandering around shops? That’s not a ‘trip’ is it?

[RoseDog]

My dc school was like this when my dd started, it cost me a bloody for her to go on a good behaviour trip (wtf) but they have a new head now and the trips have now been toned down, they used to be end of every term and costing between £10-£15 then they'd need spending money. I did wonder how I'd manage when ds started but thankfully the new head teacher had started by then, now it's just a trip at end of summer term and at the rest of the end of terms are now dress as please, themed activity days in school!

[Ilovetolurk]

I think you might find a big % aren’t going

My DS’s school does this and unfortunately he never makes the trip