How much was your child’s residential?

[SisterAgatha]

Just interested to know as it’s our first time and it seems cheap.

3 nights/4 days
UK
State primary school
Activity centre with some external activities like high ropes
Food and travel included

Our school has just canvassed opinion and parents have voted to not do it this year due to the cost of living and the potential for so many children to have to miss out. I think they were quoted £300 for 2 nights, with activities.

Instead they are arranging a week of activities which includes a cinema trip, visit to the zoo about an hour away and a couple in of other things, all for £60.

It seems obscene to be asking families to come up with £600 for one child just now. We would have managed the cost for ours but there are loads around where I live that just wouldn't.

These prices are shocking. How can families afford this type of stuff?

Arent state schools suppose to be about fairness, equal opportunity etc yet children are being left behind because school trips are costing what could pay a month's rent.

DD1 has nearly finished reception, I best get saving....

We have just canvassed our parents for next year. 3 nights 4 days £300, not including transport that is looking like another £30-40 per child.

I spent about a week trying to find cheaper - prices have rocketed since Covid (the 2019 residential was 4 nights, 5 days £260 including coach transport)

on the lack of replies so far, I don’t think it’s going to happen next year 😰

I remember low income parents. For school residential I think there was also about 9 months and you could pay in instalments. I know my grandparents often contributed. it wouldn’t have been that high 20 odd years ago, but they definitely struggled to pay.

Ours want £600 for mom-fri PGL about an hour or so away next year

this year -Year 7 residential Mon-Friday. £300

next year he’s been offered a place on a trip costing £750 !
he’s not going. That’s a ridiculous figure

When I went to collect the younger ones yesterday (eldest went on Monday) I noticed that there were 5 or 6 from his class that had not gone as their class was coming out. That does seem a shame, especially as we are on the cheaper end of the scale it seems. Most I know are FSM, but one of the other children definitely isn’t so maybe they just opted not to send her.

i am genuinely shocked by some of these prices!

£350 for P7 (last year of primary) UK center, all activities, food Inc tuck. 4nights / 5 days.

It seems expensive but break it down, the cost of doing all the activities alone would add up, and accommodation and food.

£200 for 4 days / 3 nights does seem cheap that's £50 per day. Maybe it's getting subsidised from school funds or something.

We are £350 for 5 days / 4 nights so £70 per day.

You can't compare to overseas high-school trips they have always been £££, I think my folks paid £400 for me to get a weeks skiing in the 80s. We travelled by bus from Scotland to Austria!

My kids Primary school opt for camping on the school field. Completely free to parents (school, or presumably PTA, covers the food costs and tent hire).

At the Secondary school, its £25 for three nights camping. They are fortunate to own their own campsite (basically a field that is left alone most of the time separate to the rest of the sports grounds etc... I appreciate that inner city schools or indeed most schools won't have a spare field!)

I plan my school's residential. The costs have soared this year. It's gone up nearly £60 in a year per student. Mainly the activity centre trying to stay afloat. We went to the same one we usually go to this year and they have cut many corners (not safety) to save costs too. The coach is also £100 more each way.

@PuttingDownRoots how long do they stay in the field and what activities do they do?

Seems a bit boring to be in the school field. Rather than actually being away somewhere - I can see my house from here. And kids are more likely to wander, have other friends visit, causing more work for staff than if they are 60 mins by bus away.

Skiing at DD's school in 2018 was £1200, the dive trip was £1400 and (gasp) the Borneo trip was £3200. State 11-18 school non selective.

(She didn't do any!!!)

P7 mon-fri £15. (Fifteen - not a typo). Council outdoor education centre. The £15 covered the bus, the actual residential was "free" (covered by fundraising from the PTA). If you couldn't afford the £15 you could privately contact the school.

Y5 - £200

Three days 2 nights.
Loads of activities (museums, stadium, zoo, boat trip) plus 90 mins coach to get there and coach and driver stayed with them to take them to and from all the above!

Year 6 - 5 nights was £650. I said no, I'd rather go abroad than send her on a trip to somewhere we go regularly (Yorkshire).
Que meltdown, it's not fair etc... covid came along and scuppered that so then a 4night activity camp was booked. £450. Again no. Covid meant it was cancelled anyway.

Y6 Mon - Fri £175

i don’t understand the complaints about an activity holiday for 4 nights for £500. It’s not like no one knows they are coming - you could say from reception. If money is so tight and you are on benefits then it’s school fund (from pupil premium)

what do you get?
12 activities - fully equipped, insured and safety instructors. Ours included rock climbing, abseiling, raft building
full board - 3 cooked meals a day with multiple choice
bedroom (share with 4 or 6) with en-suite
coach travel
evening entertainment

plus independence which many seem to be lacking

@Dinoteeth they go out to activities during the day. And have others going on in the field.Plus this is rural Yorkshire, they have no where to escape off too, its more comfy than the alternative hang outs.. (plus they get to hang out with friends from the other villages who they normally can only see if a parent drives them!)

It seems popular around here, and no one misses out due to expense.

My nephews trip was 4 days to London. It was £550 plus spending money. My sister could not afford it so family chipped in birthday money so he can go. 5 kids in class did not go. Nice area. Pity they could not have gone somewhere cheaper and all kids go.

@MrsPear £500 is a lot of money for many people. Even people who are not on benefits would struggle to pay that, especially if they have more than one child, or if they would wish to go on a family holiday.

You're bloody lucky that you think that £125 a night is good value. I pay less than that for an all-inclusive holiday, which most children benefit from more than going to an activity centre.

£500 for a trip to London sounds expensive to me.

But I have an odd view city breaks are something that people can do as a family. Activity centres are something different that families wouldn't normally consider for a family holiday.

I wouldn’t say I’m lucky I just see it as another expense and it’s one that my school allows plenty of time to pay. It certainly isn’t oh next week we are going away money now please. As for activities look at the price of go ape as an example. That is just climbing for an hour £30 per child. I always find that it is the parent with the most who complains the loudest. Plus speak the school - they can and do help.

£240 (year 6, 5 days/4 nights, activity centre around 150 miles away). There was an installment payment plan for everyone and a lower rate for anyone on pupil premium (although I know it would still have been a big stretch for anyone on PP).

Most of their regular non-residential school trips are free and make use of public transport instead of hiring coaches.