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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:
Wheat2Harvest · 12/10/2019 00:11

As it's a faith school could you perhaps have a word with the priest or vicar, explaining the situation? Word will get back to the school and hopefully they will be able to sort something out, like a payment plan over an extended period of time.

Dieu · 12/10/2019 08:18

How is going to Italy 'not fun'? Hmm
Not all school trips have to be Disneyland Paris.

Atalune · 12/10/2019 08:28

Schools have discretionary funds for exactly these types of situations. More so when it’s a faith school.

Go in and make an apt with the head of year.

Ask DS to get some small jobs in around your locality to get some spending money together.

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PurpleCrazyHorse · 12/10/2019 08:32

You need to talk to the school. They might be able to offer a discretionary fund to cover some of the costs or extend the payment plan. I expect using PP funds follows some sort of policy and might well depend on the nature of the trip.

I agree that disappointment at age 15 isn't an awful thing to teach your child. It's not nice to do, but it also teaches your child that you should pull out if you can't afford something, not barrel on through getting yourself in more difficulty. I would be honest with him, that the cost has increased and you need to speak to the school first.

totallyradllama · 12/10/2019 08:45

Try and get some money off etc.

But if not, keep it in perspective. It's only a week of his life and he will survive not going. I don't think spending all his xmas money etc is a good idea also then you will be stretched at Xmas from meeting the payments. Xmas will be miserable then and by then the trip will be forgotten. You need to give yourself permission to say no even though it's hard and you feel like you're letting him down. If you had known the true costs upfront you'd have said no at the start.

Original poster
WWLoss · 12/10/2019 10:04

@Dieu because its a religion trip to the Vatican. And he's a 14 year old Atheist who can't even stand going to religion lessons.

I thought he would have chosen one of the other trips. The Vatican and an audience with the pope doesn't sound fun to me. He can't even sit through mass!

OP posts:
ClemDanFango · 12/10/2019 10:10

He’s old enough for a Saturday job now he might be able to get Xmas temp Saturday work. I think he can do up to 8 hours a week at his age.

WatcherintheRye · 12/10/2019 10:27

It doesn't sound like much of a payment plan, if the whole lot has to be paid by Christmas! Any school trip payment plans I've had any dealings with usually spread out the payments at much wider intervals.

Definitely ask the school if they can
sort out something more manageable for you. I may have missed this, but when is the trip actually taking place?

Ledkr · 12/10/2019 10:29

Ask the school if there are any local charities that would help. My Dd gets a grant each year for her bus fare to college from a local trust.

marjoretta · 12/10/2019 10:35

Given the nature of the trip, it's supra-curricular so no obligation for the school to pay anything. For PP students, schools only have to contribute / support pp students if it's something that everyone is going, and essential for their learning (like completing Geography fieldwork). Essentially, the rules are that PP students can't be disadvantaged by not going on trips that they need for their learning, but there is no obligation for the school to pay out for PP students to go on "extras". This trip is an extra... so the school does not have to support at all.

That said, I'd contact the school... they can probably come up with a new and different payment plan so that you pay right up to going on the trip. I have organised this before for my PP students.

I also agree with getting the son to work and earn money to go. My daughter is 15, but she's had a job since she was 14. She wanted to go in two expensive trips last year. I paid for one, she paid for the other.

Typical jobs her friends got at 14 were:
Pot washer at local pub, working in local cafes, working in butchers, some help out at local attractions. Gardening, dog walking, cat feeding businesses and babysitting are also all things my DDs friends do. Most of her friends have some kind of paid work or another.

You said you could afford the original amount... how about saying you'll pay that but your son has to raise the extra? (Passport, spending, and the additional amount the school has added on). If he really wants to go he'll raise it!

He could work, as above, but other things my daughters have done to raise money for things they've wanted have been to sell stuff at car boot sales, selling things on eBay (and for others with them taking a commission - mostly for grandparents who were just going to take stuff to charity shops etc).

Good luck.

MitziK · 12/10/2019 13:10

As an aside, LAC kids get trips 'for free' because each receives an individual budget administered solely for them, and when that money has spent, it's gone - when they could have lived in five places in the last three months and might find themselves moved halfway across the country with minimal notice, foster carers can't consent and start paying for something they could have no authority to approve in two months' time. So they aren't free, they're paid for out of an entirely different pot.

Original poster
WWLoss · 14/10/2019 16:32

I didn't call today as I had a sick DD but I did find this on the school website so that is promising.

I'll call tomorrow.

His Dad says he can't help with the school costs, he's not being selfish, he just doesn't hasn't got the spare cash ATM, which I knew already.

So fingers crossed for tomorrow.

I appreciate the poster that said about PP as I wouldn't have had a clue.

Upset. School trip
OP posts:
LoveGrowsWhere · 14/10/2019 17:04

That looks very promising. Good luck !

Hovverry · 14/10/2019 20:18

One of our kids desperately wanted to go on a school trip which we could not possibly afford. I felt guilty for years. Recently I mentioned this and Kid looked blank and said they couldn’t remember ever wanting to go.
Our children can’t have everything they want. That’s life.

ArtieFufkinPolymerRecords · 14/10/2019 20:46

As others have said schools do not fund trips that only a few children go on, just because a child's parents can't afford it.
I'm sure most people understand that schools don't pay for children to go on a ski trip, but would not expect a child to miss out on a geography field trip that the whole class are going on, and which will enhance their learning.

Original poster
WWLoss · 14/10/2019 21:32

Artie it says o the website pupil premium helps fund capital cultural trips.

That's exactly what this trip is described as on the forms

OP posts:
ArtieFufkinPolymerRecords · 14/10/2019 22:36

But not all the children are going,are they, so it's obviously in the nice to have but not essential category. If he doesn't go he isn't missing out, because most of the other children in the year won't be going either.
What if there were 40 places and 40 children on low incomes wanted to go, would the school fund the whole trip, I doubt it.

Perunatop · 14/10/2019 22:44

TBH I would not even try to fund a trip to the Vatican for an atheist, especially given what you have said about his attitude to RE and church. It gives you the perfect excuse to tell him he cannot go.

C0untDucku1a · 14/10/2019 22:47

I agree with the perunatop.

Original poster
WWLoss · 15/10/2019 08:30

He obviously has his reasons for wanting to go.
Do you really think any 14 year old boy would be excited to see the pope?
They do other things too and his teachers obviously haven't got an issue as they offered him a place.

He's in year 10 and this is the FIRST trip he's ever asked to go on.
He's never even done the end of year ones to Amusement Parks as he has never shown an interest.

Plus we've been working with the pastoral team to build his confidence so this would be. A great opportunity to do so.

OP posts:
Clearwater788 · 15/10/2019 08:41

Can you put it on a credit card and pay it off? You sound pretty shrewd with money so once Christmas is out of the way I’m sure you’d have it cleared.

readingnc · 15/10/2019 08:43

"I think he wants to go on a plane. He's almost 15 and never flown"

So save yourself hundreds and take him on a plane for his Christmas present! You could have a fantastic day with him somewhere for less than £100.

Original poster
WWLoss · 15/10/2019 08:52

I can't get credit unfortunately. Have some CCJs Blush

He's just really excited to go, I honestly couldn't tell you why when it doesn't seem like his thing but he is. He was saying 3 of his mates got a place too and who was going to share rooms with who and sit next to each toehrr in the plane etc..

OP posts:
Clearwater788 · 15/10/2019 09:03

Best of luck with the school then. It’ll be tough if he can’t go but he’ll understand I'm sure.

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 15/10/2019 09:04

Would you not let him get a job, @WWLoss ?

I had to pay for any school trips I went on from 13. I think we got a small amount of PP towards one (although I'm not totally sure it was named that back then), but only the whole class one and it was less than £100. My form teacher made a list of things I could do with me and I earned it. That seems the most realistic option here - he's 15, if he wants to go and see the Vatican with his friends for whatever reason, he can help to fund it. It's good experience for him as well as taking the pressure off you.