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Original poster

Paying for school trips

294 replies

Workinghardeveryday · 17/09/2022 09:47

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.

OP posts:
MermaidEyes · 17/09/2022 10:46

TwinkleChristmas · 17/09/2022 10:28

What do you mean ‘I don’t use parent pay’ … There isn’t really a choice to use it or not. You have to use it to give consent for the kids to go on school trips. What a bizarre argument.

I was thinking this. All schools use a payment system, not just for trips but for school meals, donations, payments for materials for subjects like Art and DT, after school clubs....How can you not have the school payment system?!

Abraxan · 17/09/2022 10:48

HappyHamsters · 17/09/2022 10:23

I thought trips on the national curriculum and religous studies were funded, I will look for the link. Do your xhil3dren want to go on the trip.

Funded by who?

Schools don't get any money from the government or LEA for school trips.

toomuchlaundry · 17/09/2022 10:49

I assume funded, as in has to come out of normal school funding

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Bernadinetta · 17/09/2022 10:52

Do you think the school are trying to make a profit?

NeedAHoliday2021 · 17/09/2022 10:56

Who should pay for your twins? (I also have twins and another dc - big trips in Year 6 for £350 per dc are obviously expensive so I try to plan for them but I’ve said they can’t have lockers at secondary because they are £40 each and I don’t have a spare £80 right now.) I say this to show I understand but while you you can discuss and all for school support you shouldn’t assume. Also, why can’t you use parent pay? Stop being difficult for the school - parent pay is easy.

UnityO · 17/09/2022 11:00

Have you actually told the school that you can't afford to pay the £60?

Your OP sounds like you just told them you can't use the parent pay.

You need to be clear with them that you can't afford it - there may be funding the school can access to help so your kids can go.

Noteverybodylives · 17/09/2022 11:04

I know lots of students who don’t go on trips because they’ve not paid or been given consent.

If you don’t give consent they can’t go, even if the trip is free.

Many parents can afford the trips but don’t want their child to go, so they refuse to pay or give consent.

If you want your child to go but can’t afford it then you need to ring it email asking if you can set up a payment plan or get it cheaper.

You can’t just expect the school to pay for your child without explanation.
Every single parent would also just not pay.

GretaVanFleet · 17/09/2022 11:05

There’s a difference between a low income household and not being able to afford it.
Quite often schools have charitable foundations attached to them. Maybe ask at the school office if they have such a thing.

ClocksGoingBackwards · 17/09/2022 11:08

You can’t just decide not you use parent pay if that’s the way the school does things. You can’t realistically expect them to take consent over the phone, at the very least you need to write an email.

Times10 · 17/09/2022 11:10

A tip for next time, that I found helpful, is if you log on to parent pay you can add money to your parent account, so you could log in and add for example £5 extra every month. It wouldn’t cover the whole trip, but it means you don’t have to find the full amount with no notice when they spring a trip up. I started doing that after an expensive Christmas lead-up and then we were told of a trip first thing in January so had to scramble paying for it. So now whenever I log in, I try to add £5 here and there, just to make it easier when the time comes.

I wish schools would tell you at the beginning of the year, we think we’ll be asking you for x amount throughout the year, as an estimate, so people could try to budget it instead of 2 weeks notice or less for some events. I know they can’t foresee all costs, but if they could look back at previous years and give a ballpark figure it would really help.

LIZS · 17/09/2022 11:12

Is that not for those on pupil premium?

sheepdogdelight · 17/09/2022 11:16

DC's school offer an "on site alternative" for all schools trips that are not absolutely essential (an essential trip would be e.g. field trip for GCSE geography which is an inescapable part of the syllabus).

OP - what is your school doing for those who can't/won't pay?

Luredbyapomegranate · 17/09/2022 11:18

Well you need to generally use parent pay, because phone calls and emails take up unnecessary time for the school.

It sounds like you can pay but are annoyed about it?? Your point about notice is a good one. Why don’t you email the dep making this point and asking if £40 will do.

Neverfullycharged · 17/09/2022 11:20

Today is the 17th September, so more than halfway through the month.

Grocery bills are astronomical, fuel is more expensive than it was still, heating (it’s just gone chilly) probably just paid for school uniforms, shoes and Christmas is looming. And everyone is being snotty to the OP not having £60 to hand. You know what OP? I don’t either. It’s not the cost, it’s the lack of advance notice. It’s perfectly reasonable to want a bit more warning for these things.

DSGR · 17/09/2022 11:24

It’s normal to want more notice I totally agree. But if you don’t pay, the kids don’t get to go.

MintJulia · 17/09/2022 11:25

Children can be excluded from trips, it happens all the time. Who do you imagine is going to pay for your children if you don't? Our PTA used to help those who were on PP but that was voluntary.

Your refusal to use ParentPay sounds like you have no intention of paying for anything, which feels wrong. Ask the school for a list of likely trips/months for your children this year and try to put a couple of pounds aside every week.

On the bright side, your children are unlikely to be the only ones not paying £30 each to go to a place of worship.

Neverfullycharged · 17/09/2022 11:26

And if you can’t pay, they can’t. Well done, the school.

Neverfullycharged · 17/09/2022 11:27

Am I the only one who reads the OPs posts? Here is her second post on the thread.

I told them we were really stretched and I couldn’t afford it, very short notice.

she can’t afford it.

mrsnjw · 17/09/2022 11:32

At secondary many of the trips are optional. If you don't pay they stay at school. My son has a geography field trip this month that he has to attend and this was a voluntary contribution (I still paid £25). Secondary is very different from primary. Why can't you use parentpay? It's a great app. I can see what they've had for lunch etc.

MissMaple82 · 17/09/2022 11:36

I dont believe you did say your stretched. You said "I don't use parent pay". Actually to them an explain you can't afford it, they may come up with a solution, but ny just saying "I dint use parent pay" you sound like a d##k that's just refusing to pay.

WTFNowPeople · 17/09/2022 11:45

The letter was received on the first day of school so a couple of weeks ago. Was the conversation with the deputy yesterday or two weeks ago? The school won’t know every parent’s financial circumstances. The OP needs to be blunt with the school, telling them if they can afford one or can’t afford it at all and asking what they can do to help. If they can’t help then your children learn that if you can’t afford something that you can’t have it. A tough lesson but true in life. If we couldn’t afford a trip then our children didn’t get to go. Likewise if I didn’t want them to go on a trip (like skiing) they were told they couldn’t go. Families with multiple children in different years having trips at the same time face the same problem with regards double the cost of things. If you have 2/3/4 children you accept that your outgoings will be greater than those with one child.

EverydayIsPJday · 17/09/2022 11:55

I think the short notice thing isn't good. We had a similar event last school year for DS1, we were given about a week to agree to a trip which cost about £60. As he was in nursery class they also asked for parents to attend which I found irritating, as myself and DH had to scramble to find leave/time off work. That said we were lucky to work it out so we could go, but I was wondering what will happen in the future. However like pp said, we accept we have multiple children so the cost will be more and perhaps we will have to say no to things. Also, those that couldn't pay for that trip were infact left behind.

SunflowerOrange · 17/09/2022 11:55

Just ask what the onsite alternative is . Its a shame for your kids but jsut explain to them you won't use the online payment system and that's why they aren't going. 🤷‍♀️.

caringcarer · 17/09/2022 12:05

Parent pay is easy to use. Having 2 kids to pay for at once must be hard but you need to do as other poster suggested get a parent Pay account and pay in an extra £5 each week. Then when a trip comes up you won't have so much to find. Speak to school and ask if you set up Parent Pay can you have an extra couple of weeks to pay as you have twins and only 2 weeks notice. They might agree. Coaches are so expensive and with fuel cost going up they all put their prices up. £6000 sounds right to me. Schools can charge for transport costs. Do your children get Pupil Premium? If so they might get a discount. If you really can't pay the twins will have to miss this trip.

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