to think that this is too much money for a school trip

[aquariel]

Hi all,

Eldest son (13yrs) brough a letter home from school for a trip they are planning to Iceland in October 2015. Cost of trip is £790 and will take place during October half term.

I run a very tight budget (currently clearing off all credit cards etc aiming to be debt free by 2018 - just in time to help him with fees for university no doubt!) and while we could stretch to it if pushed this seems like an obscene amount for one child (although I guess at his age he's probably charged as an adult on international travel). School has said they'd like a £50 non-refundable deposit to secure a place to be paid immediately (I couldn't pay till payday anyway - mid month for us) so probably wouldn't be able to commit to the trip.

I really don't want to disappoint my son as he rarely asks for much and he seems really excited about the (possibility of) this trip. We have in the past paid up for trips to London and Belgium for him so I'm not worried about him missing out on that side of "the experience" (although I appreciate Iceland is a totally different kettle of fish) but the most either of those trips cost me was £350 including his spending money.

So .. what do others think? Reasonable price or unreasonable?

DD is going to New Hampshire skiing, in 2015. The cost is approx £1500. We have known for months and can pay in installments, via Parent2pay.(or whatever they are called!). I assume it would cost us this much to take her at least for a weeks sking to America.

It's optional. 40 kids have signed up. I think she will have an amazing time. DS did water sports in the summer and had a ball. Said the teachers were amazing and worked really hard, they did stuff every evening.

The school also offer less expensive trips, weekends to sporting events etc.

And always offer the trip at least a year in advance so you can plan.

I was a bit initially when the DC started secondary and the letters came home at the cost, but you get used to it.

Its also whether you think a child would enjoy/ benefit from this more than say piano lessons/gym/ballet weekly. More trips in uk at weekends. Tutoring. Money toward uni accommodation or living expenses.

Also think its odd people dont think its a lot of money when reading benefits threads about how lots of working people need/get CTC and WTC etc.

I didnt go on expensive trips but did have piano lessons did DofE.

Learning you cant have everything is good for kids.

I think they should still offer it even if 'poor kids' or should i say all but wealthy kids cant afford it. It may be unfair but no more than that other kids may go abroad several times a year or do all activities at school or outside of it. Most people cant afford everything their kid wants to do. And some celebrities kids dont seem to do too well getting everything they want.

Though it would be good if the kid can help save up say 50% of it over the year. Though with large amount involved that may be too much.

Yes chipping I think there is a definite 'fun' police element from some on this thread. God forbid our children should have some fun every now and then.

Some of our [state school] school trips cost thousands. It's an awful lot of money (x3!). I think we will let them choose one big one each - if they go to these amazing places I'd like to be experiencing it with them while they are small(ish) and would prefer to go as a family as they'll want to do their own thing soon.

PS most schools do cheaper European ones too - maybe let them go on those instead?

Misread post - didn't realise it was for Iceland. That's a good price - in that case I think I'd let them go if you can afford it.

I can easily top £790 for a trip to Iceland. My daughter came home the other day asking if I would fund her £3000 plus for a trip to Nicaragua! My son had wanted a similar amount a few years back for a trip to Tanzania. I said no to him, but now feel a bit unsure as the trip was just this summer and several of his friends went and seem to have had a life enhancing experience. I would have thought hardly anyone could afford such a trip, but it turns out a significant number could. Dd says they are encouraged to raise the funds themselves (they have 2 years) but I just can't see her even getting halfway to raising £3000. And surely, if she could raise the money, she would do better to put it into a uni account?

The thing with the "fun" trips is that I tend to feel that the rest of the family deserves some fun too so I'd rather we all went on a cheaper fun holiday than just one DC go on an expensive fun trip. There's no point the rest of the family having an educational experience tailored to a particular agegroup / child's area of study, so it isn't the same argument.

I wouldn't argue with that skylark if paying for a school trip was at the expense of a family holiday, then that is a different matter.

I'm talking about the miserable buggers who can afford a school trip, and a family holiday, but for very spurious and mean spirited reasons deny their children the opportunity.

The thing with the "fun" trips is that I tend to feel that the rest of the family deserves some fun too

The way I see it is that the others will get a chance of a similar trip at a similar age. I think there is a different, and valuable, sort of fun to be had going away with friends than going away with your family.

Bue
But I think if teachers HAD to pay for their own trips they would be a lot more realistic in terms of the cost V value

This is hilarious. Can't believe the poster hasn't twigged that if teachers had to pay there would BE no trips!

And that is exactly my point.

I'm talking about the miserable buggers who can afford a school trip, and a family holiday, but for very spurious and mean spirited reasons deny their children the opportunity.

Just because you can afford to send your children on these trips doesn't mean that you should.

it is not that expensive for a trip to Iceland. And having been there it is the trip of a lifetime. If you can find a way to afford it, do.

It isnt a once in a lifetime trip. Iceland will still be there in 10 year's time.

I wish our school's Iceland trip was "only" £790! The one currently being offered to DS2 (Y8) is £1,025 for 5 days, term-time.

DS1 has come home with a letter re a 10 day trip to China for £2,275 and another for a one week USA ski trip + New York for £1,450.

I am having to think hard about whether these are justifiable.

I am laughing at the thought of other jobs and the following scenario:

'Now Ms X - I know it is your holiday week in April but I need you to use it to take a group of teenagers abroad. You will have to arrange child cover, your DP will have to have a week off, or get grandparents over, and you won't get another week in lieu. Oh, by the way you need to organise it, write a risk assessment, write letters to the parents and have at least one evening meeting to present it and answer questions. Do not expect to have free time while away you will be on duty 24/7 and if a pupil is sick at 3am you need to deal with it. You are held responsible, there is no such thing as an accident- if anything goes wrong it will be your fault. Oh - one last thing - this is going to cost you £750 because if not the parents will assume you are on a freebie jolly'!

Haha love the above post by Delph

I think it's good value and do like the fact that schools offer trips of this nature, some may not like them but you can't please everyone and nobody is forced to go. Every parent will have different ideas what to spend money on, educational memory making trips is a valid choice.

Exactly Daisy - it is how I choose to spend my money after having scrimped and saved when they were younger.

goodness i couldnt ever afford that

Some people can't afford it anyway - but some spend their money differently e.g I had a pram from my neighbour's shed for free - it was functional. Many wouldn't do that. If I save hundreds - I should be free to spend it later in the way that I want.
If you don't offer these things it is yet another thing that private schools offer and state can't.
It is in the holidays and it is an extra. My children couldn't go on everything offered - they accept you can't afford it.
Since he is only 13 yrs I would say 'no' to that one and save for a future one.

Delph I hope even the dimmest poster 'gets it' after your post

I'm sure some will still see it as a 'free' holiday!

Looking at the cost of these trips I can safely say that my children will never be able to afford any of them.

Do schools still run rain-sodden camping trips to Wales or is that now unfashionable?

Bogqueen I don't think there would be many takers for a camping trip in Wales
That's the sort of thing teens have to endure when they're doing something like the Duke of Edinburgh award.

Really?
I have happy memories of getting lost on a mountainside in the driving rain with our geography teacher squinting at the map.

I couldn't afford a ski trip so some teachers took us on the Coast to Coast walk. It was fantastic.