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Original poster

School Trips! Arghhhh!

33 replies

TequilaMockinBird · 14/12/2010 14:51

This has probably been done to death on here but after receiving a letter from the school regarding the next school trip, I was Shock more than ever before!

Basically they want a minimum of £800 for a weeks skiing holiday. If there are less than 50 children going, the price will increase. They will be travelling by coach not flying. They will be staying B&B so will also need money for meals.

On top of that they will be taking the children to skiing lessons in the UK beforehand, and this is also not included in the price.

We will have to buy clothes (salopettes etc) aswell.

Now, this obviously isnt a compulsory trip or anything but how on earth do they expect people to be able to afford this? Where do they get their prices from?!

OP posts:
sleighBELLasringing · 14/12/2010 15:45

Tequila - he didn't go!!

Original poster
TequilaMockinBird · 14/12/2010 15:44

Shock £1300?!

I've told her that if she does want to go then she can but it will mean we do not have a family holiday that year (it's in 2012).

She's currently deciding what she wants to do, I'm secretly hoping she decides she'd rather have the family holiday Wink Grin

OP posts:
sleighBELLasringing · 14/12/2010 15:38

The letter that came home from DS1 last year re a snowboarding trip was £1300 - that was without all the extras!

scurryfunge · 14/12/2010 15:36

You probably would find a cheaper trip but the school will have used a specialist school trip company which will be more expensive and parents will be paying for teachers places too. On a school trip the ratio will be quite high, so plenty of teachers/helpers need to go too.

I shop all year for ski bargains and buy plenty of e bay stuff too. If the school trip is a regular thing then there will be parents of older children who want to sell off their ski wear.

Original poster
TequilaMockinBird · 14/12/2010 15:32

I found a deal on the internet for a family of 4 skiing for a week over Christmas (19th - 26th December) for £680 which included flights! That's what made me think £800 was a bit steep!

We've never been skiing before so I have no idea how much it all costs. DD wants to go as most of her circle of friends are going. Just not sure we could really afford it. Surely we'll be looking at approx £1500 all in, will we?

OP posts:
Greenshadow · 14/12/2010 15:15

If you want to ski, that's the kind of price you have to pay.

I suppose this kind of school trip is good for families where parents don't want to/can't afford to ski themselves, but would like Little Johnny to have a go (i.e. could afford it for one child to go, not a whole family).

scurryfunge · 14/12/2010 15:10

My DS' school(comp) offers a ski trip to the USA for £1300. That includes all skiing, all meals, all entertainment in the evenings, flights and hotel. They do a ski-fit class at school before hand for free and don't feel the need to have lessons beforehand.

We only have to buy or hire the clothing.

prh47bridge · 14/12/2010 15:06

They get their prices from the companies that offer this kind of activity for schools. Most of them seem to charge around £800 per head for a week's skiing using coach and ferry. Indeed, prices can be significantly higher than this depending on dates and destination.

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