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Original poster

Upset. School trip

77 replies

WWLoss · 11/10/2019 16:29

DS wants to go on a school trip.

It was 390 quid. He filled in the form for a provisional place (based on behaviour etc)
It all has to be paid by December.

I was told on here to ask about pupil premium being applied as DS is on free school meals.

I emailed and never received a reply. Emailed again. Was still waiting.

DS has just come home all happy as he has 'got a place'
Only they have upped the price by almost a quarter :( because of some changes.

He also has to take spending money and food money as its half board only.

I feel really shit.

I just tried to email the person organising it, but the email bounced back, and now school is closed.

I just feel like I shouldn't have let DS fill out the provisional form before I found out about the pupil premium.

Now the price is almost 500. I have to get passport. Spends. Food money...

I just can't do it all before Xmas. He has 3 siblings and 2 of them have December birthdays

I feel like I've got his hopes up and now I'm going to have to crush them.

I'm so mad at myself.

OP posts:
BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 11/10/2019 16:33

I think you need to go back to the school and say the forms were completed on the basis of the trip being 390 and whether they are able to honour that price for you.

Was the need for extra food money detailed at the 390 quote?

The spends and passport is much of a muchness as they'd be the same regardless.

Original poster
WWLoss · 11/10/2019 16:36

I know the extra costs were always there but now I have to find another 100 on top of everything and I was hoping there would be a reduction via PP.

I know it's my own fault. That's why I feel so shit.

I should have told him straight away it wasn't affordable rather than getting his hopes up.

OP posts:
LoveGrowsWhere · 11/10/2019 16:36

Do you have relatives that buy for DS at xmas? Could they be asked for donations to fab school trip DS is really keen on as his present this year?

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General education
Original poster
WWLoss · 11/10/2019 16:38

Not really Love.

My mum gets him a £20 voucher and we just do token £5 gifts with my siblings as we have a very large extended family with a lot of nieces and nephews so it would be unaffordable to do more.

OP posts:
SpiderCharlotte · 11/10/2019 16:38

That's a big jump from the original price, that hardly seems fair? Don't email again, phone the school to ask about pupil premium - even if he doesn't meet the criteria, which he still might, they should be able to arrange some kind of payment plan.

Original poster
WWLoss · 11/10/2019 16:38

There is a payment plan but it's deposit in 2 weeks. Then 3 more payments before Christmas.

OP posts:
Original poster
WWLoss · 11/10/2019 16:39

The price increase is due to flight changes to make it less travelling time

OP posts:
Namechangeforthiscancershit · 11/10/2019 16:39

When is the trip? There might be some flexibility on the payment plan?

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 11/10/2019 16:42

Ok so all family and friends could give in cash for his Christmas what they would spend on a gift - there's his spending money.

Passport can be your Xmas gift to him.

How old is he? Can he earn any extra money?

mummmy2017 · 11/10/2019 16:42

How old is your child?
As if teen he could do no s for people.

mummmy2017 · 11/10/2019 16:43

Sorry .do jobs for people.

Original poster
WWLoss · 11/10/2019 16:44

The money from my mum and siblings would still only be £35 though.

I'd need to get his passport now as he needs it to book the flight I think? They've asked for his passport number.

OP posts:
BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 11/10/2019 16:46

How long is he away? 35 is perfectly adequate for spending money for a couple of days. The food money would be extraof course.

DonPablo · 11/10/2019 16:46

You need to talk to the school. Your dc won't be the only child in this position. Just tell them what you could do, so if it's 50 quid a month, see if they can work with that. See if they can reduce the price by applying to a fund or the pp funding.

Good luck

PhysaliaPhysalis · 11/10/2019 16:49

At our school we would alter the payment plan for you - see if yours would do the same.

WowOoo · 11/10/2019 16:57

I told my son that we can't afford to send him on a trip. He was upset as a lot - but not all- of his friends are going. Apart from the initial cost, there was a list of essential items that we can't afford to buy only for them to be used for a week. I looked into second hand. It's shit.

I hope your son can go somehow.
I've promised Ds a future treat in the meantime. I'll cross that bridge when I get to it!

TheQueef · 11/10/2019 16:58

Any chance it's a faith school?

Original poster
WWLoss · 11/10/2019 17:02

It is a faith school.

I will contact them Monday morning and hopefully something can be sorted in regards to the PP or maybe a longer payment plan.

I cna understand why they made the changes, it does make it easier for them but it quite a lot of money ONTOP of the original without consultation.

Thankyou all for the helpful suggestions. I'll update when I have more info

OP posts:
Skyejuly · 11/10/2019 17:03

I had similar and we still paid the full amount but I extended the payment plan which carried on after thr trip.

Original poster
WWLoss · 11/10/2019 17:04

That's good to know skye.

If it wasn't this time of year I could pull it off with careful budgeting but pre-Christmas is a killer for most families.

OP posts:
LoveGrowsWhere · 11/10/2019 17:06

Sometimes Parent Teacher Association/Friends of School will donate to help with cost of a school trip. Ask school if they will ask them.

TheQueef · 11/10/2019 17:07

Depending on the faith they may have a charity or collections just for this purpose (RC school had a collection at mass when there was a trip that was pricey) it's worth enquiries to the church or whatever.

Crawley65 · 11/10/2019 17:08

I thought they were obliged to help ensure poorer pupils were financially assisted so they don’t miss out.

weeblefeet · 11/10/2019 17:09

PP pays half at my school, LAC kids get the full amount.

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 11/10/2019 17:09

Pupil premium doesn’t usually cover optional trips. They have to show on their website what it’s been spent on and how’s it made a difference,

If the trip isn’t over subscribed they may agree to a longer repayment period if their budget can take it.

I don’t get why you signed the form if he had no passport and costs were an issue.