To be cross about paying for school trips....

[fulltimeworkingmum]

..for DC's when other children can still go whether their parents stump up or not?

We received a letter from school about an upcoming trip to the theatre for DD. It stated the cost (£7) and then stated that " no child will be disadvantaged because of a parent's inability or unwillingness to pay"

I have no issue at all with people who really cannot afford it (though £7 is only a little more than a packet of ciggies) the bit about "unwillingness to pay" has really cheesed me off. The school does not clarify this any further and I am left with the impression that we who are prepared to pay are subsidising those who are not.

When I was at school in the eighties - a while ago , I admit but still within recent memory, if your parents did not pay for the trip, you did not go, end of story.

DD is in her first year at school so this is all new to me.

The subsidised places are for the children. Whether they have parents who can't afford to pay or parents who can't be arsed to pay. Why should the child lose out because their parents have the cash but won't spend it on something that benefits their child?

To be fair to the OP and her ciggies reference ,when i lived in a homeless hostel ,everyone smoked and we were people who on paper didnt have tuppence ha'penny between the lot of us , so i kind of see where she is coming from . It does rather sound as though the school has previous experience of parents who are finacially able ,not paying , as opposed to the children of families who genuinely cannot afford it .

One of DCs school trips was nearly cancelled because 4 families hadn't paid. The school always put the voluntary contribution note on the letter but with the proviso, if not enough people pay the trip will not go ahead.

I can see the point you are making. I used to feel the same way at times when mine were at primary school.

A classic example was the school journey for my ED's year. We had to hold a bring and buy to raise funds for those who supposedly could not afford the trip (I know there were some who could not but I believe some could).

My friend was on the fundraiser and one of the parents who allegedly could not afford the trip drew up in a fantastic brand new car with DVD screens in the back etc (This was 2004) and my friend looked at his own clapped out car and thought what was going on.

I did not support the sale as i was really annoyed about the whole thing.

I think some people have very selective ways of spending their money.

Just had an interesting convo with 2 parents.

niether can afford to pay for school uniform, shoes etc. but both can afford for their children to go on the £600 + school trip.

rubyrubyruby - I went to a mixed ability and mixed social class village Primary school in North Yorkshire. It was 35 - 40 years ago though.

We went on nature walks around the village, studied local historic buildings, visted local farms and businesses but nothing that involved going anywhere on a bus etc.

Jeez - When DD was in Y6, and wanted to go on the residential holiday, I was at that time a lone parent on benefits. I paid £5 a week every week from the September until the trip was paid off. Yet there were 3 dc (out of 64 in the year group) that didn't go - and tbh, I can assure you they had more money than I did, yet their parents either couldn't or wouldn't pay. They had two parents, both in FT work, running 2 cars - yet they wouldn't pay the £160 cost. The school paid for those dc to go, yet offered me NO help whatsoever with the costs. I find that quite frustrating, but I can understand that the school does not want those dc to miss out on that experience. Why should someone with MORE money get away with not paying, when poorer people pay.

And as for your apparent prejudices about it being parents on benefits that wont pay, every parent on benefits that I know of will pay for every school trip, even if it does leave them in hardship. Yet the people that seem to 'crow' about not paying for trips seem to be the ones with posh clothes/ nice cars/ big houses etc. And that goes for our weekly swimming costs from Y3-Y6 of £4.50 a week. Have a

The Belgian school curriculum includes 2 residential trips which are part of the curriculum and are obligatory - a week at the seadide in year 3 and a skiing trip in year 6. My dd has just started year 1. I already had a letter advising that I started to pay a small amount each month in the "account" to cover both trips.

We get about 100 euros child benefit here so practicallty all parents should be able to do this. I just wish they would include all the other "small" stuff in this account. I am forever being asked for 2 - 5 - 10 euros for something or other. They seem to do a LOT of activities....