Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think school trips are too expensive?

242 replies

lucyhoward · 24/05/2014 11:19

My son has just come home from school for half term with a letter about a school watersports trip in France next summer. Whilst I am sure it will be great fun I am not sure whether we can justify the £500 price tag. By the time we have sent spending money and paid for any kit they will need we will be lucky to have change from £600 I imagine.

Is this even something schools should be getting involved in? Surely holidays should be a family thing?

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 24/05/2014 13:38

It's the school's responsibility to provide as many opportunities as they can for their pupils Belleze

My DC's school provides an after school club that some people don't or can't use.

Does that mean they shouldn't provide it?

HesterShaw · 24/05/2014 13:38

Have they asked to pay in instalments? Rather than simply thinking the school doesn't offer this?

I don't see why none of the kids should get the opportunity.

I had a parent (single mother of three on benefits) come to me and explain that her son simply didn't want to go, rather than her deciding she couldn't afford it. She said she would have saved for a long time for it, and had been in fact since he was in Y4. There was no divide when the others got back. The ones who had stayed behind were yacking on for ages about the fun week they had had at home.

Bellezeboobian · 24/05/2014 13:39

worra I think chucking 2 quid a week into a school club is different to a £400 holiday that all your classmates are banging on about for the forseeable.

HesterShaw · 24/05/2014 13:39

worra but why is that the schools responsibility?

Bloody hell, schools just can't win. It seems that society expects everything else to be their responsibility. Why not this too? And perhaps they do it, because it's fun. Many children's lives are sadly lacking in fun.

Bellezeboobian · 24/05/2014 13:40

Many children's lives are sadly lacking in fun.

Especially those from low income families. Who can't afford the holiday.

HesterShaw · 24/05/2014 13:41

There are many children from all walks of life whose lives lack fun.

WorraLiberty · 24/05/2014 13:42

Belleze the after school club costs £10 per week

But the point you seem to be missing is, just because some parents can't use it (due to the pick up time or the money) does that mean no-one else should?

Bellezeboobian · 24/05/2014 13:42

Yes but it's not a financial factor is it for those who are from good income families. This is.

HesterShaw · 24/05/2014 13:43

You still haven't made a good case for ALL children missing out because SOME can't go.

marne2 · 24/05/2014 13:43

It's a subject very close to my heart and makes me very angry, being the mum and step mum to 5 children it can get very expensive. DSd is 14 and at a high school in quite a wealthy area ( but it's not a private school and there are plenty of children there with parents who can not afford these trips ). Most weeks I get messages from DSD asking if we can pay for a trip,sometimes it's £30, sometimes it's £500 and most of the time these trips are nothing to do with what she is doing at school and are not educational. She's been on many trips to watch musicals, although some of these may be related to drama or English I don't see how they are a must. Her school rewards high achievers by offering them places on trips ( trips us parents are asked to pay for ).

We have got to the point where we have to refuse and dsd can't go you then feel guilty when their friends are going but what do you do? We can't afford these trips, they are not educational so she can't go. I am happy to pay for a trip to a museum but not a trip to a theme park. The most recent one was a trip to Belgium to visit a chocolate factory and a few other silly places, the price for a 3 day/2 night trip was £500 Shock we had to say no! we have never spent that much on a week away for the family let alone 3 days for one child.

Dd1 has her first residential trip in a few weeks, it was a trip I went on when I was at school, the price when I went (20 years ago ) was £30 for 4 nights away, the price for dd to go for 2 nights is £140 Shock.

I am happy to pay for a small trip once a term ( quite often these are around £10 at primary school, £30 at high school ) but these trips are becoming more often and costing more money, then you have the requests for spending money, lunch money and 'oh, I need a pair of wellies or a rain coat'.

Bellezeboobian · 24/05/2014 13:44

worra I see the correlation you're trying to make, but as someone who did both I can't compare. The school trips were built up beyond belief in my schools, posters everywhere, teachers and students continuously going on about them etc etc. After school clubs were always a bit naff.

I just think school should be the one place children should feel they have equal opportunity. They won't get it elsewhere. They should have security. If fun is being offered, it should be open to all.

BackforGood · 24/05/2014 13:44

It's not compulsory - it's an opportunity.
It means many youngsters get to go on trips they'd never do with their families.
If however you can't afford / don't want to spend that much, then don't sign up to it.
I hugely appreciate the teachers that have organised and accompanied my dc on trips over the years, and given them opportunities to do things we'd not do as a whole family.

HappyMummyOfOne · 24/05/2014 13:46

I didn't get to do any of these trips but still wouldn't ban them. If anything, it gave me great drive to ensure I worked hard so that any child I had wouldn't miss out if they wanted the opportunity.

Agree with nearthewindymill, school has always had costs yet so many parents seem surprised and put out that they have to part with money.

Bellezeboobian · 24/05/2014 13:46

You still haven't made a good case for ALL children missing out because SOME can't go

If they didn't exist children wouldn't be missing out. It's a bonus to be able to go on holiday.

No child would be aggrieved if their school didn't offer expensive trips. But those who's family can't afford them are when they are offered.

WorraLiberty · 24/05/2014 13:47

Belleze fun is open to all in schools

But not providing opportunities to some children who may otherwise never have them, is wrong just because it's not within reach of every single child.

That would be a bit like communism.

Bellezeboobian · 24/05/2014 13:48

worra you can't go on about offering opportunities to those who will never have them, if you're secluding those who have a lesser chance of ever having them.

Bellezeboobian · 24/05/2014 13:49

They are children. They shouldn't have this put upon them. School should be a safe, fair place. Not creating divide between those on high incomes, low incomes or whatever.

I couldn't imagine how heartbroken I'd be as a parent if my child came home asking for a school trip, all their friends were going but I couldn't afford it.

I couldn't imagine how gutted I'd be if my parents couldn't afford it, all my friends were going and having fun and I'm in a classroom.

WorraLiberty · 24/05/2014 13:51

The school is not secluding them

The parents financial situation is what's preventing them from taking the opportunity.

That's not a good enough reason imo, not to offer the opportunity to parents who might just be able to scrape the instalments together...and give their child something they would never have experienced otherwise.

Bellezeboobian · 24/05/2014 13:52

Well we will have to agree to disagree as it is, I'm still of the thought schools should provide an environment of equality despite outside factors.

WorraLiberty · 24/05/2014 13:54

I couldn't imagine how heartbroken I'd be as a parent if my child came home asking for a school trip, all their friends were going but I couldn't afford it.

I don't understand this. Surely you'd just tell them they can't always have what you can't afford?

Does your heart break in September when your child finds out their friends went abroad in the six weeks holiday, because their families could afford it but you couldn't?

WorraLiberty · 24/05/2014 13:55

Yes, you're right we should agree to disagree.

Sorry, X posted.

Bellezeboobian · 24/05/2014 13:59

I did really enjoy my school trips so I can see why people are supportive of them, I just hated seeing other people missing out.

France was an eye opener. Someone tried to commit suicide by jumping off a bridge in front of our coach

GreenEyedGoblin · 24/05/2014 14:00

I understand that pov though Worra.

My children are by no means spoilt but it IS horrible having to turn down something you know they desperately want to do.

Nevertheless, I don't think all these opportunities should stop just because not everyone can go. That's life.

marne2 · 24/05/2014 14:09

I don't think there should be so many trips, I don't understand why they need trips away all the time.

I also think children need to learn that they can't have everything because these things cost money, it's a part of life, we all want things that we can't have ( apart from a few lucky ones ).

We find it hard saying no to dsd, mainly because dh feels she has missed out on things not having her dad living with her ( he feels guilty ) which makes us feel guilty but sadly 'that's life' she can't have everything and she can't have what we can not afford.

It must be hard seeing their friends ( who have parents who can afford it) going on all the nice trips when they can't.

GnomeDePlume · 24/05/2014 14:17

IMO schools should not be acting as travel agents for the 'holiday' trips. The school should not in anyway be marketing these holidays as school trips. In these straightened times many parents struggle to afford even the day to day necessities. Having their noses rubbed by the school in the fact that they cant afford an unnecessary trip is to my mind quite cruel.

It amazes me how often schools will use the argument for school uniforms that they allow all students to be equal then go and offer a skiing trip which is only an option for a few.