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Original poster

£1800 for a school trip

468 replies

Patchw0rk · 25/05/2023 14:55

Is it just me, or what are the school thinking?!

DC desperately wants to go of course- all their friends are, of course 🙄and we could possibly afford it with a lot of hard work (on my part, overtime!) but we could take the whole family away for that.

DC is 13 so old enough to understand about money really but so wants to go. It's a week skiing in Canada. I want them to have brilliant life experiences but it's just so much money.

I just think school have lost the plot. Could they really not have come up with something more reasonable for a y9 trip?

OP posts:
Lcb123 · 26/05/2023 14:12

thats shocking. Why can’t they go skiing in Europe. Not great the school is promoting long haul fights from an environment perspective. And it’s not even educational

DataNotLore · 26/05/2023 14:13

@EarthlyNightshade

Dictionaries are available

CaptainCaveMum · 26/05/2023 14:16

VickyEadieofThigh · 26/05/2023 12:47

"Teachers (rightly) don’t pay their own costs but it is disingenuous to suggest they get nothing out of it. Not least the organiser will visit the resort in advance for a few days to check out the facilities and do a risk assessment. Of course a ski trip will include trying out the slopes. Teachers don’t volunteer for these trips unless they are skiers. This will be paid for by the school and will usually be in school time, meaning supply staff covering their lessons at extra cost to the school."

Not the case for most trips - part and parcel of using the specialist school trip companies is that they do the risk assessments for the schools.

Not the case for my school. The overseas ski venue gets a pre- trip visit from the teachers

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Sugarfree23 · 26/05/2023 15:17

I absolutely loved my school ski trip. DH was introduced to skiing through Scouts. Neither of us had skiing parents. Skiing has become a big part of our life. If it was a money issue I'd rather bin the summer holiday than my ski holiday.

I'm in Scotland so LA still has a lot of influence over schools.
One LA near me has decided to stop the P7s (last year of primary) having residential trips. Kids have a local activity week instead, essentially 5 one day trips. The idea being they might continue to do activities if they know they are available locally, keeps the cost low for parents, no child should miss out.

Except it misses out a huge thing on the P7 trip the independence factor. The staying away with friends. The only holiday out with the area some kids ever get.

pleasehelpwi3 · 26/05/2023 18:23

VickyEadieofThigh · 26/05/2023 12:47

"Teachers (rightly) don’t pay their own costs but it is disingenuous to suggest they get nothing out of it. Not least the organiser will visit the resort in advance for a few days to check out the facilities and do a risk assessment. Of course a ski trip will include trying out the slopes. Teachers don’t volunteer for these trips unless they are skiers. This will be paid for by the school and will usually be in school time, meaning supply staff covering their lessons at extra cost to the school."

Not the case for most trips - part and parcel of using the specialist school trip companies is that they do the risk assessments for the schools.

Or a previous teacher will have gone many years before and set up the link (this was the case when I've supervised a French exchange) and passed on the 'knowledge.' I enjoyed the French exchange but I was the most junior teacher there, and you know your job is on the line for the whole time you're abroad. It's not a holiday- my Dad used to visit Japan for work....and look around factories. It's the same thing- he'd get the odd afternoon off and some nice evening meals- but it wasn't a holiday- and neither is taking teenagers on a school visit. During your own annual leave as well.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 26/05/2023 18:25

The thing is, it doesn't have to be Canada. Its not like they want a rainforest expedition so have no choice but to go to a rainforest.

They can ski in bloody Scotland! Or the Alps! Way cheaper.

Sugarfree23 · 26/05/2023 19:00

Ski in Scotland is fine for a day trip but not for a week, snow and weather isn't reliable enough.

I do agree they could do Europe, France, Austria or Andorra

Hollyppp · 26/05/2023 21:16

Hattifattene · 25/05/2023 16:14

Paying money to fly to Canada which will increase greenhouse gas emissions which will cause higher temperatures which will mean less snow to ski in the future. These trips should be banned.

If really desperate to ski can get train or bus to the Alps.

Just stop oil should be campaigning on this rather than making themselves unpopular with gardeners at the Chelsea flower show

Agree! There’s amazing skiing in many European countries. Absolutely no need to go to Canada to ski. Especially for kids - many of whom will be learners or just a bit better. It’s not like they’ve skiied all over Europe for decades and need somewhere new to explore?!

Jenn3112 · 26/05/2023 21:17

My son's school just sent home a letter offering trip for somewhere around £3.5k. Its a state school. Someone in the geography department really wants to go to South America.

Argar · 26/05/2023 21:31

Oh goodness, OP. My DC were always coming home with this sort of thing. The answer was always a firm no. (though I can't even say we did similar things as family holidays, as we didn't - all the money went on school fees).

Sugarfree23 · 26/05/2023 21:38

£3.5k - ouch! I'll be completely amazed if they get enough kids to make that trip viable.

Runnersandtoms · 26/05/2023 21:40

I would think it's extremely unlikely that "all his friends are going". Our school ski trip has very limited places and is first come first served so loads of people don't get a place. And a much larger number don't even consider it as a possibility.

Do the school do other, cheaper trips that he can do with his friends? Ours go to Cornwall in year 8 and basically the whole year group go. It's a few hundred quid and the school help in cases of genuine hardship.

evtheria · 26/05/2023 22:12

Jenn3112 · 26/05/2023 21:17

My son's school just sent home a letter offering trip for somewhere around £3.5k. Its a state school. Someone in the geography department really wants to go to South America.

WHAT the actual fuck

THEDEACON · 26/05/2023 22:14

No way I would be paying that for a week for one child I'd barely pay that for a family holiday!

Thatladdo · 26/05/2023 22:22

Sounds awesome, life long great memories - cant put a price on those

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 26/05/2023 22:28

Thatladdo · 26/05/2023 22:22

Sounds awesome, life long great memories - cant put a price on those

Evidently you can.

wishful2012 · 26/05/2023 22:46

My sons schools wanting that for skiing in FRANCE !!

Passelevin · 26/05/2023 22:56

Yes it’s a lot of money but would pay it without a second thought! I want my children to get the things I never got.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 26/05/2023 22:58

Passelevin · 26/05/2023 22:56

Yes it’s a lot of money but would pay it without a second thought! I want my children to get the things I never got.

Then you come at this from a very privileged position. It's 4 months mortgage payment for us. Simply not doable.

TeenLifeMum · 26/05/2023 23:19

My school always did a Switzerland ski trip and my parents agreed I could go in Year 10. Usually it was just under £1000 (I’m 41 years old now) but that year they went to USA via a night in Boston at the price of £3,000. I didn’t ask my parents because that was nuts!

my Dd went skiing this year to Italy and it was £1300. There’s also the chance to go to Tanzania next summer got £4000… I’ve said no to that one! This is a state school. Usually there’s payment plans and support via pupil premium for some dc but yes, some dc won’t get to go. With twins also in the school, they too will want to go on the ski trip so I’m already saving for the double cost plus dd1 at uni. Not entirely sure how that’ll work but ignoring it for now.

TeenLifeMum · 26/05/2023 23:21

I’ll add that out if 200 pupils in the year, 75 won’ went skiing and I have to say it did surprise me so many could afford it. We’re not in a very affluent area. School is very mixed.

TeenLifeMum · 26/05/2023 23:22

Ignore random “won”… I’m tired and didn’t proof read.

CM1897 · 26/05/2023 23:27

Patchw0rk · 25/05/2023 14:55

Is it just me, or what are the school thinking?!

DC desperately wants to go of course- all their friends are, of course 🙄and we could possibly afford it with a lot of hard work (on my part, overtime!) but we could take the whole family away for that.

DC is 13 so old enough to understand about money really but so wants to go. It's a week skiing in Canada. I want them to have brilliant life experiences but it's just so much money.

I just think school have lost the plot. Could they really not have come up with something more reasonable for a y9 trip?

My daughter has just gotten back from Iceland with her school, a couple of years ago they took them to Austria too. Both cost a lot of money but she had so much fun and learnt so much.

I really did struggle to pay for them both, but it was worth it. Some families just can’t afford it though, the school should subsidise it for low income families

NeverDropYourMooncup · 26/05/2023 23:30

Mistymornin · 25/05/2023 15:54

I was told many years ago that the reason why these trips are so expensive is because it covered the teachers/helpers costs. I don't know how true this is🤷🏻‍♀️

The companies give staff travel and places for free because, without them, the trips wouldn't go ahead.

The parents aren't paying £1200 for their kid and £600 towards the PE teachers' accommodation. Yes, it can be argued that the Tour Operator is charging for it built into their profit margin, but you can't stick 90 14 year olds on the train to Gatwick and tell them to make sure they get off at Vancouver.

Parkandpicnic · 26/05/2023 23:33

yes agree is totally unfair of the school to be offering this, wish they would consider the pressure it puts parents under

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