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AIBU?

To think the school should have given me more notice with regards to an expensive school trip?

37 replies

shinyshoes · 20/09/2008 15:49

This is more of a rant really
I never went on many school trips, I never ent to any abroad, only the day ones that were free (mum was on income support so got help with school trips).

I always said that if the opprtunity came for DS1 to go on a school trip i'd do my utmost to make it happen for him.

He is year 7 and when we went for the 'tours' round the prospective school the one he ended up going to said they had an overnight excersion the year 7's go on. It was only £35.00 and they do it in september as a 'getting to know you' team building exercise. We said if he was accepted at the school he'd go on it. He was and we paid, We paid just before the children broke up for summer holidays, all done.

I asked if there were bigger trips, were we going to get enough notice and were they planning on doing bigger trips so I have an idea of cost etc, they said they didnt think there would be one in year 7.

He came home yeaturday (minus the letter) informing me that there is a ski-ing trip to Austria. I discussed with DP if he could go and he said yes we could afford it (thinking it would be in february or something) it turns out the trip is actually in December. i'm assuming that this trip along with any trip booked that payment would be 6-10 weeks beore actual travel that gives me approx til the end of the month or a couple of weeks after, to find........£700.00
AIBU to think this WOULD hve been in the pipeline when I asked back in August and not 2 weeks ago when the children re-started school. There is no way we can come up with that amount of cash at such short notice. It's so unfair on us and DS1 who wants to go. We aren't in reciept of benefits so we don't get any help towards things like this.

I haven't had a letter as they were given out to pupils that wanted to go, but because DS1 was unsure about the lenght of time away he didn't take one. He has since changed his mind and wants to go. I have also had my fears confirmed by another parent at the school who's son had picked up a letter.

OP posts:
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Peachy · 20/09/2008 15:59

yanbu

but this sort of trip, only a few kids would go on- there's often 1 or 2 'leisure' ones that really are just window dressing

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dramaqueen · 20/09/2008 16:02

But this isn't a Year 7 only trip - it's open to the whole school, and only a small percentage will go anyway.

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nametaken · 20/09/2008 16:02

YANBU - who on earth can unexpectedly find an extra £700 so close to xmas.

I certainly wouldn't worry about him being left out though, loads of kids won't be able to afford that.

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wheresthehamster · 20/09/2008 16:06

If it's like our school then its only been offered to the yr7s because of spare places. The trip originally would have been published months ago. There's probably one every year, I wouldn't bother with this year.

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kingprawntikka · 20/09/2008 18:35

Its very likely only a small percentage of children will go on it. When my son was in year eight there was a week long trip to Spain.He is in a group of five friends. Two of them went, three didn't. This has been the case with all trips apart from ones that are linked to a lesson, like a trip to a castle etc.These are the ones every one is expected to go on and are usually about £10.

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HappyMummyOfOne · 20/09/2008 18:38

"We aren't in reciept of benefits so we don't get any help towards things like this"

I wouldnt have thought it would have made a difference even if you were, schools dont have to pay for places on these kind of trips as they are extras.

If its open to other years, I would say they offered it to the older years and have some spare places so offered them out.

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Saggarmakersbottomknocker · 20/09/2008 18:44

As you don't have the letter are you sure it's this December. If it is then yes it's unreasonable. We've just had verbal notice of a school trip for dd which is in October next year so loads of notice.

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ruddynorah · 20/09/2008 18:44

this isn't like a part of the curriculum type trip though. most schools do an annual ski trip but only a handful of kids go. it's not the same as say, the year 8 trip to york to see all the roman sites of interest etc, where you would want him to go as they'll be doing project work etc on it. ski trip is a jolly, not meant for everyone.

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NoblesseOblige · 20/09/2008 18:45

definitely don't worry about this one - i have the same sort of ethos as you - not many trips/expensive treats as a kid and so want it to be different for my dcs - but i would not feel guilty for one moment saying "nope, sorry, far too much money" to my ds on this occasion.

he is only in Y7. there will be many more opportunities

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NoblesseOblige · 20/09/2008 18:45

definitely don't worry about this one - i have the same sort of ethos as you - not many trips/expensive treats as a kid and so want it to be different for my dcs - but i would not feel guilty for one moment saying "nope, sorry, far too much money" to my ds on this occasion.

he is only in Y7. there will be many more opportunities

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misdee · 20/09/2008 18:50

this sort of trip is offered annually isntit? and isnt an one off for year 7's only? ask the school if its an one off or annual event, and then plan and save for next year trip.

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roisin · 20/09/2008 18:50

Our school run a ski trip, but it's never open to yr7s. (It used to be yr9-11, but with modular Science and Maths they get antsy about yr10-11s, so it's mostly yr8-9s now).

Anyway over their school career I would estimate about 25% of the students go on the ski trip at some point.

It's certainly not essential, and I would have thought your son is more likely to get more out of it when he is a bit older, fitter/stronger to do more skiing, and knows more students in the school.

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MrsWeasley · 20/09/2008 18:53

Our senior school do a ski trip but it isnt open to Year 7's unless they are short on numbers. (Oddly enough they don't allow you time off for family holidays but the week long trips are always during term time )

I would suggest to your son waiting until next year as he would know more people etc. and it would give you a chance to save.

When my DD went on a school ski trip (she was yr 8) We were given 10 months notice and options to pay monthly.

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Twiglett · 20/09/2008 18:57

personally I think a year 7 is far too young to go on a ski trip

you wait a few years

this is not a trip any of his year-mates will be going on I'll warrant .. it will be the older kids

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loobeylou · 21/09/2008 00:37

No way would I even consider letting a Y7 child on a school skiing trip, regardless of how many other things I would rather spend the money on - Am I a mean old cow then, or just paranoid/over protective?!

Had a run in with dd earlier in the year re: only just started Brownies so not letin her go on camp. When I explained all the other things we could ALL do with the money, she was perfectly reasonable. As it turns out, the camp was a disaster!

agree in this case it sound like the older kids are already booked (and will have had months to pay in installments) and they are trying to sell a few empty places (which will tell you how few kids go!)

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themoon66 · 21/09/2008 01:13

at £700. Jeez. I could find the whole family a week somewhere for that.

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expatinscotland · 21/09/2008 01:15

YANBU.

700 quid?!

Fucking hell that's a week away adn all the trimmings for a lot of entire families.

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themoon66 · 21/09/2008 01:18

Expat... 700 could buy ya a lot of fake bake no??

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expatinscotland · 21/09/2008 01:19

screw that, themoon, i'd go for the st. tropez spray tan in the salon on that kind of dosh .

for a skiing trip?

for one kid for a week?

where are they staying, the four seasons?

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BitOfFun · 21/09/2008 01:22

Honestly, let it go...of course it's unreasonable of the school. I had exactly the same problem recently - I came up with the deposit as soon as I could muster, but we were knocked back as the trip was already full. I have since come round to the idea that it is character-building to not always get what you want , and saved myself a fortune I couldn't really afford anyway x x

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macdoodle · 21/09/2008 06:59

I am pretty giving with my DD1 - same reason as a lot here - I didn't have a lot as a kid NEVER went on trips etc - am determined that she gets all I didn't - but TBH she is turning into a bit of a spoilt brat - ski trip in Yr 7 (so even my DD1 who is one of eldest would only be 12) - she WOULDN'T be going even if I did have the money - lots of other years to go in the future
I understand why you are cross but don't stress !

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Anna8888 · 21/09/2008 07:04

Don't worry - as others say, not everyone will be going on the trip and, tbh, ski-ing isn't the best/most exciting type of school trip to go on.

Why don't you start a "school trip fund" in a jam jar, saving coins/change regularly, and then maybe open a special account (at the PO?) just for your DCs' trips and outings, so that you will always be prepared if really good opportunities arise at short notice?

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compo · 21/09/2008 07:37

has your school got s website? I find that important dates like school trips are usually on ours so it doesn't matter if we don't get the letter

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georgimama · 21/09/2008 07:53

"I haven't had a letter as they were given out to pupils that wanted to go, but because DS1 was unsure about the lenght of time away he didn't take one. He has since changed his mind and wants to go."

That sounds like the relevant bit, it's a whole school trip which your DS has only just decided he is interested in - for all you know it could have been being advertised to the kids back in summmer term.

Anyway, the whys and wherefores of how it was offered aren't really the issue. I agree Year 7 is a bit young for a ski trip anyway, but plenty old enough to have it explained to him that £700 is a lot of money to find at such short notice, that money is tight and on this occasion it unfortunately isn't possible.

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LittleBella · 21/09/2008 08:36

I think the whole thing of allowing children to decide when and how to take a letter home is the most annoying thing here.

It's up to the school to communicate with parents direct, not via a child. Do they use children to communicate with other stakeholders like governors or the LEA? Nooo, I don't think so. It's nearly always about communication, schools are shit at it. A year 7 pupil shouldn't be the one to decide which letters are taken home and when. Come to think of it, a pupil of any age shouldn't be the one to decide.

Oh bother I'm going off on a rant about school to home communications, must stop.

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