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Original poster

Year 6 end of school party cost

119 replies

yearsixparty · 10/05/2026 02:13

£40 a ticket. The PTA, who do a grand job, have organised this.
There’s pizza, ice cream, fizzy pop, crisps and sweets, and a fairy cake to take home. Disco, games, photo opportunities. It’s in a hut in not quite the middle of nowhere but certainly not the most obvious choice and not the easiest place to get to.

AIBU in thinking £40 is a bit steep for what sounds like a standard birthday party type set up?

We are up north so not paying London prices or similar.

YANBU £40 is a bit steep
YABU £40 is about right

OP posts:
purpleme12 · 10/05/2026 10:12

Wow! Ours didn't have anything extra from the celebrations at school. And that was fine

MimiSunshine · 10/05/2026 10:10

Sounds ridiculous. You can hire equipment for a disco for less than £100. Obviously more if you hire a DJ as well but for parties like that it’s usually one of the parents or a phone plugged into a speaker / lights system.

i doubt it’s actually a PTA event as they usually have rules about it needing to be of benefit for the whole school.
sounds like some parents who are also in the PTA have organised it but I can’t see how they’re not making a profit out of it.

Roads · 10/05/2026 10:07

They will potentially be making over £1000 profit out of you all after the cost of the hut and some minimal pizza/food expenses. That's madness!

Original poster
yearsixparty · 10/05/2026 10:02

I’ve just looked up the cost of the hut and it’s £50 because one of the organisers lives in the area so gets a discount. There’s 30 kids in the class and I think there’s one definitely not going that I’m aware of so 29 year 6 kids plus around 15 siblings at best guess. Perhaps the pizza is coming my from Italy and they’ve got Pete Tong to do the disco!

OP posts:
Coconutter24 · 10/05/2026 09:47

yearsixparty · 10/05/2026 09:29

It’s a fairly middle class area I suppose and yes, the ones organising are those that are better off.
Everyone will go unless they are on holiday because they don’t want their child to miss out.
The group of parents organising have not been asked to do this but have done it behind the scenes then announced it as a fait accompli. It’s a great idea and I think I it’s great that they have arranged something. I just think it’s a lot of money for what is essentially a birthday type party in a hut.

What is the cost to hire the hut?

Justwonderingifthisisnormal · 10/05/2026 09:35

Oh dear god, don't go if you think it's over priced. Cough up if you're worried your child might miss out.

vincettenoir · 10/05/2026 09:33

I would expect something closer to £15-25 for what you’ve described. Presumably there are a lot of kids going so a lot of people splitting the cost.

Original poster
yearsixparty · 10/05/2026 09:31

DD’s prom was £80 last year and that was deemed expensive. When she told me there’d been barely any food o was not impressed and they were only given water to drink. At least ds’s prom won’t cost me a fortune in a dress and shoes in a few years.

OP posts:
Original poster
yearsixparty · 10/05/2026 09:29

It’s a fairly middle class area I suppose and yes, the ones organising are those that are better off.
Everyone will go unless they are on holiday because they don’t want their child to miss out.
The group of parents organising have not been asked to do this but have done it behind the scenes then announced it as a fait accompli. It’s a great idea and I think I it’s great that they have arranged something. I just think it’s a lot of money for what is essentially a birthday type party in a hut.

OP posts:
stripesandspotsanddots · 10/05/2026 09:06

My son’s Y13 prom is only £35! I think £40 is a ridiculous amount - is your school in a very affluent area? Where we live most families could not afford that.

Moonnstarz · 10/05/2026 09:05

We have paid similar for a party which was organised by some yr 6 parents who called themselves the leavers party committee (this was self elected it seems).
No one has had a say in it, when people have shared ideas they have been stomped on and it has just been expected to pay. When questioned what about kids that might have parents who can't afford it, then have brushed over or ignored those posts.
I never knew this would be such a issue.

Roads · 10/05/2026 09:02

I'd be surprised if many went. It also sounds like the hosts would be financially benefitting from hosting the party which feels quite grubby.

ElfAndSafetyBored · 10/05/2026 08:58

My son’s secondary school prom in London isn’t costing that much. That has food and is at a golf club.

£40 is ridiculous for a year 6 party. It’s not inclusive at all. Are the parents who are arranging it wealthy?

Original poster
yearsixparty · 10/05/2026 08:55

I don’t think they are raising money for anything with this, it’s purely for the year 6 class to have fun. There are plenty of fundraisers throughout the year and they raise thousands. I think this is more a case of the PTA members have organised it but not as an actual PTA event.

I’ve just remembered there’s a year book to pay for too 😩 I’ve had other dc go through the school and the party and the yearbook are new things this year and not organised by the school.

OP posts:
Comewhatmay25 · 10/05/2026 02:58

Considering its not the actual school party that can be attended for free, I think they can charge what they want. If you don't think its worth it, don't go and just attend the free one. But parties can be quite expensive and if they are covering all the costs and possible raising a bit of money on top, it sounds about right.

Original poster
yearsixparty · 10/05/2026 02:37

No, no staff. I think the pizza is being delivered. The hut is often used for birthday parties but there’s a huge field so people tend to spill out onto that if the weather is fine. Parents are expected to transport their dc and stay on site. Parents are welcome to bring their own food and drink if they wish to eat and drink Siblings can attend at an extra cost.
The hut isn’t that big so you’ve got a point about it not sounding big enough for a disco plus games, especially with siblings. Most of the children have at least one sibling.

OP posts:
greenspaces03 · 10/05/2026 02:31

For year 6 up north it’s a bit much

Original poster
yearsixparty · 10/05/2026 02:30

This party is in addition to the end of year 6 party at school. I think the school party is the night before the PTA party. The school party is free as far as I know.

OP posts:
OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 10/05/2026 02:29

Does this ' hut ' supply staff to cook / warm up the food and clear up afterwards.
Is the ' disco ' inside or outside, as hut doesn't sound big enough for all this activity

Are parents expected to take their child there and stay ? or return later.

Ours had a limo ( well three ) and bowling ( and ate lunch at the bowling ) can't remember how much, as it was years ago.

fairy cake to take home makes the children sound 4 years old, not 11 years old.

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