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!

Yabu.

Schools do a payment card for me, as they recognise that I can see the educational benefits of these trips for my DC, and want them to go on them, but paying in instalments is the easiest way for me to do it.

I disagree. They should still be permitted. They are not compulory and ime not everyone goes and for a huge number of reasons, not just cost.

I couldn't afford to go on such trips when younger. But it was fine. Plenty couldn't go. I never begrudged others going. I still wouldn't.

It is, however, bad planning if your school is making those not going do a full week of normal activities with no special treats or enrichment built in. That's the bit that isn't fair.

In a school year of say, two hundred pupils, how many actually go on any given trip? I never went on foreign trips when I was at school, there were only a few kids in each class who did. I didn't feel left out, the majority didn't go.

I can't wait until my DS is old enough for foreign trips, I am looking forward to the peace and freedom already and I couldn't give a toss if its educational or not. As long as its fun, I approve.

cloudsandtrees what a sheltered life you must lead

For so many parents it's not a case of prioritising their money elsewhere... Well maybe it is... Prioritising their money on food and electricity :(

I've worked in very deprived schools and many of the parents, some who work damn hard in shitty jobs won't have a chance in hell of sending their children on expensive school trips no matter how much they want to.

Every parent at my school has a payment card and can be filled in weekly.

I think we are very lucky teachers bother to organise them to be quite honest.

As I've paid the school, the money isn't available. It's gone, paid - the most I hold is 4 week's worth, for PRECISELY that reason.

So, if the cooker breaks etc, I just have to get a loan. But then, I put another £2 a week away in a separate bank account that only has branch counter access FOR a broken cooker / fridge freezer / washing machine.

OK, the fund only currently has £48 in, but that's because I had to replace my washing machine just 4 months ago!

It's about being sensible and budgeting IMO.

YANBU if you are talking about term time trips when the children who cannot afford to go have to continue with lessons.

As TeenAndTween says. It's cheaper than the whole family going.
I often feel bad that we don't have more money to take DD abroad and have more varied experiences and opportunities.
This would be a way she could go.

YABU.

I can't afford for all of my family to go skiing/ to the Serengeti. But I can possibly afford for one child to go.

I didn't go on every school trip as a child, although my parents could easily afford it. DS hasn't gone on all school trips because he doesn't want to. I'm glad there are some kids who've had the opportunity, though.

My DN went on some very decadent (IMO) school trips but her parents put their foot down on going to India aged 16 to see Batik art.

Never had a child at school that held term time trips though. That would be daft and can't see how it's allowed actually?

I appreciate that some families simply won't be able to afford it no matter how hard they try. But the families who genuinely had nothing to budget with, or who have literally nothing that they can sacrifice are going to be a tiny minority. And that's what school funds and PTAs are for.

It seems like an awful idea to limits the chances of experience and opportunity for everyone because of a few.

I do agree that schools should organise cheaper options as well as the expensive ones, and that they should offer payment plans. I am dreading the letters that come home for trips costing ££££s but I am also hugely thankful that my children will have experiences through their schools that we can't have as a family.

Frankly - I'd rather pay for one child to go somewhere than think about affording a family to go.

I was gutted when he refused to go to South Africa for the rugby tour (on the grounds he didn't do rugby) - I said, just go and we'll get you a Docs note you have pulled a hamstring! I thought it would have been money well spent £2,500 for 2 weeks, sun city, ostrich riding , shark fishing, oh and there might have been some rugby as well.

But I was delighted he declined the St Lucia cricket tour 5K - I thought that was patronising as fuck, sending a load of privileged white kids to teach West Indians how to play cricket. Although, that was 2.5 weeks, and they had to man up and build a school for a week of it, I doubt few of them had been hod carrying and plastering in their spare time. That truly would be enlightenment

You will find a way to do it if you can. There are lots of charities that support enrichment facilities - our local grammar school forever has pupils bag packing on tills, as does our local air cadets and taekwando club. The taekwando club serves a very under privileged part of the borough, with economically poor parents - I hate my bags being packed but I really don't mind putting a £1 in the bucket to help those children compete across country competitions. One girl is a likely candidate for selection for Rio

OP YANBU. These trips either ARE educationally important in which case all the children should go or they are NOT educationally important in which case, why are the schools organising them?

It seems like an awful idea to limits the chances of experience and opportunity for everyone because of a few. On the contrary. To me it seems awful to further disadvantage those children whose parents can't afford things in everyday life. Presumably the children whose parents can't afford these trips are also not getting family holidays.

School funds don't pay for those who can't go on these trips, nor do PSA/Parent Council funds.

Yanbu.

Public schools should be all inclusive for all children.

In not only children that have parents who attend school, what about those who are in the care of social services and who live in children homes or are with many foster parents.

I think most families could budget for most trips if they are reasonably priced - especially if they are given enough notice (which seems to be something many schools could improve on).

However, the really expensive trips really bug me. If they're so vital, they will fall into the curriculum and be covered by 'voluntary contributions' only. If they're not vital, then they're basically jollies. Jollies that can broaden many children's horizons, yes, but jollies nonetheless. Personally, I would like to see school one of the few places i society where children are not force-fed the the disparity of life chances caused by parental income.

Yes, life isn't fair and some will always have more than others. But by taking only children who can afford these trips we are reinforcing that unfairness. Those children will undoubtedly come from families where other horizon-broadening experiences will be offered. Far better to have cheaper trips but more of them to broaden the horizons in a slightly smaller way but for many more children who would otherwise not get the opportunity at all.

Personally, I was under the impression that the whole reason behind the introduction of school trips and residentials was to do that (i.e. provide opportunities to all children, regardless of income). However, a quick look at the prices of PGL, etc., confirms to me that someone somewhere is making a lot of money out of this.

Wow. I had no idea that there would be school trips like these for my DS. I remember there being a day trip to France when I was at school, which my parents couldn't before for me to go on.

Looks like I'd better stop taking my son on his once a month only treat he gets trip to the cinema and put that £10 in a savings account. He'll just have to never go anywhere special till he's at secondary school

afford, not before!

Id keep your dts at home for the week and do fun stuff

Of course some parents cannot afford certan things. Some will choose to carry on smoking or decide not to work for all sorts of reasons (good and bad).

Doesn't mean that the trips should be cancelled. We had an otption for a Y9 trip for 600 pounds. Its sounded like a big jolly and was cancelled due to lack of interest. If the majority (or even 50 percent plus) of parents can afford then it should definitely go ahead!

Its just life

If the PTA can help, then why don't all the children go on these trips?

I think some posters are forgetting that all the budgeting and saving in the world is not going to pay for these trips when you are struggling to pay your bills. Just to keep a roof over your children's heads.

But no, op, they shouldn't be banned, more incorporated into education funding and more accessible to low income families.

The PSA don't fund school trips here - they may be able to subsidise the day trips or visits by a small amount, but unless your PSA is very wealthy, they'll be funding a new set of instruments, or books for the library, or something that will benefit the children educationally.