Paying for school trips

[Workinghardeveryday]

I was under the impression that no child could be excluded from a school trip even if it wasn’t paid for?

We got a letter on their first day of high school advising there is a school trip for RE in less than two weeks time.

I rang to give consent, to be told I had to log onto Parent Pay, make my payment of £30 each child and give my consent there.

I explained I don’t use Parent Pay and would give my consent over the phone or via email.

I was advised this is not possible the deputy head rang me, she advised she wouldn’t want my children to be excluded from the trip (twins so £60!!) unless I pay.

I consented a school trip for dd just now. 1hr trip assume free entry for schools - £4. 30 is ridiculous

Why assume free entry for schools-where are they going?

National trust have free entry but only of the school is an NT member (so not actually free!)

Many places ask for a donation eg churches etc.

Museums are free. Check with those that they're not getting a gift pack for a reduced cost rather than letting them run riot in the gift shop buying shite

Most other places charge for entry...because they've got to make enough money to stay open

@iamjustwinginglife umm because I do. If it wasn't free I would be asked to pay. And because its probably free because of who runs the place.

Sorry-I thought you meant you'd paid £4:30 for a trip you think has free entry.

Entry might be free but they could be doing a workshop run by the venue, and need to pay for that?

I'm just booking a trip for Kew Gardens. £65 for a workshop for a group of 15. So £130 for the class. That works out about £4.30.

When my eldest was at seniors. The travel part of trips was compulsory to pay. The education side was voluntary.
However the letters always stated along the lines of
: if we do not get enough people pay then the trip will be cancelled for everyone '

Once it was cancelled. And ds said he felt awful for his mates as the head said in front of everyone
' Im afraid the trip to xyz has been cancelled, you can thank the same few classmates who haven't paid, im sure you can work out who.. Yes' harry, eric, simon, Daniel, anna 'etc.
Ds said he felt awful for those people. They were humiliated. One of the kids had just lost his dad 2 months prior and the family were struggling so much.

2.weeks isnt much time to find £30 if you dont have it. More so with 2 dcs

As for the app. Its definitely worth downloading. Most schools now do all communications via that, even standard mailings.
One of my other dcs has just started primary and its all on there.

Try reading the post. I have never said I don’t expect to pay.

Get your facts right before you send nasty posts.

I think you're arguing about the wrong things OP. Rather than focusing on having to use ParentPay/whether the cost of the trip is justified/whether it is educational or otherwise/whether your DC have to go .... it seems that your issue is really just the timing?

DC's school produces a list of all upcoming trips around May/June of the previous year. So this will detail things like Year 8 have 3 trips - to the science museum, to the local nature reserve and to the local Sikh temple. It will also offer indicative costs for each trip. They also offer "onsite" alternatives in place of every trip. It means that parents have plenty of time to put aside the money and to have conversations with their DC about whether they wish/need to go, well in advance. Sounds like what you need your school to do is something similar.

Sorry my grammar was bad. I have paid £4 for a trip today on parentpay and felt £30 was a lot.

You said in your post at 17.17 yesterday that you expect the school to pay.

Even on this thread you’re full of contradictions.

Did anyone else catch that the OP supposedly works in financial services?

For someone in that line of work they seem very naieve about how school finances work and not particularly good at managing their own finances.

There may well be a back story as to why the family is so skint at the moment. Yes, I know most people are feeling the pinch financially at the moment but most people can come up with the money to send their children on school day trips.

Hmm yes. Wind up thread?

I do work in financial services and have done for 23 years.

why on earth would I have any knowledge of how a school is run?!!!

financial services is a vast industry fyi.

how dare you insinuate I cannot manage my own finances to be unable to come up with this money. You know nothing about me and my life.

how extremely ignorant of you to assume this.

people feeling the pinch you say… you clearly are not to be so naive and judgmental of a total stranger you have never met. Shame on you

I was responding to a previous poster stating I did not expect other parents to pay for my kids, school should.

I would pay, have stated that over and over yet you choose to pick out something to try and be nasty for the sake of it.

OP. You are extremely entitled and the only reason you will pay is because others won't subsidise you and you know it. You have been very awkward from the beginning. If you're going to pay then cough up and say outright you'll cough up. You're original posts implies you don't think you should pay. The only nasty one is you.

From reading your early posts, it sounds like you disagree with the cost because they're going to a church which has free entry.
Coach hire costs have gone sky high recently so I can completely understand the charges.
Please understand that schools have no money, perhaps previously they might've covered the costs for children who hadn't paid but there is just no money in the pot to do this anymore. I'd go without food myself to not let my children miss out on a school trip.
Please also register on Parent Pay. It's the quickest and easiest way to transact for the schools. Gone are the days of dropping in money and verbally consenting.

I'm confused as that link says you can charge for transport 🤔

No, no. My whole reason to post was because I really don’t think it is fair for me to be given less than 2 weeks to come up with £60. Without doing so my kids not attend a school trip I have been told really is important and they should attend for educational purposes.

I have no problem with wanting to pay as much as other posters have tried to insinuate I have, I just wanted more notice to find the funds. I do expect given the circumstances for school to pay and agree to me paying back from say the end of the month.

I actually did not understand how expensive coach hire was, but I do now given advice given here, a lot more than I thought.

I understand schools are very stretched, as a parent though I find it very unfair to my kids they are unable to attend an educational trip that has been stressed to me by school they should attend because I cannot come up with the funds before the short notice trip.

and with the up most respect, I haven’t eaten since yesterday lunchtime, yes I am hungry. I am doing my best I promise you.

I have no one to ask. Maybe I should give next door a knock eh?
How on earth did you come up with I am a troll?
why jump to conclusions I came up with the money?!

you are the one being nasty to a mum who posted for advice on school trip costs, because I wanted more notice to pay, my embarrassing situation - well done you.

sleep well hun

You seem to be conflating refusing to use parent pay (why) to consent and pay for your children and the cost of the trip- which are two seperate issues. Why are you refusing to use the parent portal?

It's also a bit crap that you expect the school to phone and gain verbal consent because you have never bothered to download the app.......

Never have refused. Already said I will

Ok, read all my posts then post again?

Ha OK so you don't have the money so how will you pay you numptee? You've just had a go at me saying you're going to pay and now saying you don't have the money. Point proven.