to think that expensive school trips should be banned

[Nicola10]

Year 8 pupils have, today, left for a school trip to France. Very exciting for them, yes, considering that they will be going to a theme park, as well as educational stuff. But, for the rest of the kids, whose parents could not afford it, including my twins, they have to do normal lessons.

The cost for each child is £400 each!

Don't be silly CloudsAndTrees, clearly everyone who can afford to pay for 1 school trip is filthy rich and needs to pay more tax

And state schools organising trips not affordable, and therefore open, to all, perpetuate this

You get parents complaining that they can't afford the £20 donation for their child to go to the local farm for the day, so by that logic, schools shouldn't ever do anything outside the confines of their own buildings and playgrounds.

Do you really think that's the best way to educate our future society?

provided mummy and daddy pay for the privilege

Or they earn a scholarship - in which case all fees, uniform, books and trips (purely educational and 'jollies') were paid for...covered by the fees paid by the families of the other students (when I went at least, and the same is true of the private prep school my dc attend).

It is choice on how to spend your money. If mine had the second hand pram, the hand me down clothes, the shared family computer, no TVs in bedrooms etc then I should be free to spend the saved money in school trips and not be told by people who had all new, give their DCs mobile phones etc that I can't do it because they haven't got the money. Only today so done was telling me their baby couldn't possible be dressed in clothes that were not new- how silly is that?!
If state education is going to be dull, dull, dull without even a visit to the theatre in case someone couldn't afford it, then I would scrimp for private.
I waited and had my DCs late in life- I want the school to offer a wide range of opportunities.

There have been some lovely mners on here who seem to genuinly care about those who are not so privileged. On the flip side There are also those who say life is unfair - live with it.

For those who say that their children should not miss out just because poor children cannot afford it (yet they claim to care about poor children) would you be willing to pay for the poor child to go on this educational trip that your own child will benefit so much from too? You would only have to budget £4 a week instead of £2.

Or is that just not your problem! (But of course you care)

Someone is complaining on another thread that the school shouldn't charge for swimming lessons- despite the need for a coach.who do they think will pay?

would you be willing to pay for the poor child to go on this educational trip that your own child will benefit so much from too?

Personally, no, I wouldn't be prepared to pay, but I would willingly support any fundraising effort they or their family did to pay for their own place, both with time and money.

Clouds agree with you that that would be OTT- but only the very poorest would not be able to afford 20 pounds- in which case a hardship fund could subsidise. When it's 1,200 pounds for a trip to New York though...

Just to clarify: of course I don't think that all trips should be banned- just that reasonable measures should be taken that all children who want to go, can go, regardless of their socio-economic backgrounds.

And to those who got irate at my comment about paying more income tax: joking!

I would be willing to do that defuse- if they could prove they had saved money in the past and got prams, toys, clothes etc from car boot sales like me- had a fairly basic TV etc.I am not paying out for someone who has spent their money on other things in the past.

That already happens Defuse. Certainly in primary schools. And certainly for me if there were some sort of assurances that said money raised would only be spent on very deserving cases then yes...i'd support that.

The issue is that 'afford' is a relative concept.

defuse- good post!
clouds- poor parents often have very hectic lives (low paid jobs, unsociable hours, young children). A bit unrealistic to expect them to start a fundraising campaign on behalf of their children, and one that would raise 1,200 pounds, or however much it was...

For those who say that their children should not miss out just because poor children cannot afford it (yet they claim to care about poor children) would you be willing to pay for the poor child to go on this educational trip that your own child will benefit so much from too?

Yes, I would (and have) - not directly for those at my dc's school because that's sorted, but for a group of children at a state school who would have really missed out. I could afford it so I donated the money on the proviso that it went on the trip, it did and the children were able to go.

I have friends who think nothing of blowing £20 on a round of drinks but say they can't afford to buy healthy fruit and veg.

The issue that 'afford' is a relative concept is the one I have a problem with. I am willing to assist deserving cases but not those who can't afford it because they have put other things first.

That was for exoticfruits and niceguy, not just a random post

I agree reasonable measures should be taken. That includes offering long term payment plans, various options of residential trips and access to a hardship fund. Every child should be able to go with their school friends to another area within an educational context once in their seven years of secondary school.

But stopping trips altogether as too many people on this thread seem to want is completely unreasonable, and IMO, very selfish.

E.g I have a very basic PAYG mobile phone, I do not wish to help a parent who has an 'all singing, all dancing' one!

It isn't easy- you have to give people freedom of choice on how to spend their money.

And my freedom of choice is scrimp on the things that don't matter- e.g babies can be cheap they couldn't care- and use the money when they are older and do care.

A bit unrealistic to expect them to start a fundraising campaign on behalf of their children, and one that would raise 1,200 pounds, or however much it was...

It doesn't need to be that expensive though. Schools should provide other options. As for it being unrealistic, what, you mean it's unrealistic to expect parents to help provide something that matters to them for their own children? Really?

That's basically saying no child should go on school trips because some parents have chosen to have more children than they can afford or have to so shift work. Which is just a ridiculous reason to deny other children a positive experience.

Exactly bacon. I think we can all think of people who can't 'afford' something but then spend their money on rather strange priorities.

Nice to know people will pay for those that cannot afford.Just exploring this further. Say your child goes on a £600 trip, would you contribute 50% so about £300 towards a child who cannot go as the parents cannot afford it? Realistically, you would not be able to check in detail on the childs family's lifestyle.

Perhaps schools should ask for £100 extra for each trip so that can go towards a trip for those children who cannot afford. Not sure if that would work though.

I still think that 1 trip during the holidays and not term-time would be better.

I think that's expecting too much defuse. A family who is already stretching themselves to find £600 shouldn't be expected to contribute anything, especially as much as £100. As has been said, not everyone who manages to pay for trips is rich.

I would support effort made by the particular child and family, but I wouldn't just hand over cash for nothing, especially when my family and my child will have to put in effort to fund our own participation.

That would probably reduce the number of people actually able to afford the trip in the first place, defuse.

Defuse you would squeeze the ones in the middle who can just afford the trip but no extra and the same trip would cost more for a family in a poorer area as there would be more families needing help than wealthier areas. Schools do get pupil premium for those in receipt of free school meals.