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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that the cost of this Year 6 Outward Bounds trip is too high!

76 replies

MidnightVelvetthe3rd · 02/10/2015 15:36

DS started Year 6 last month, there is the option to go on the Year 6 residential trip which all the classes go on every year. Do you know the one I mean, its where the kids & some staff members go & stay somewhere & have a week abseiling/potholing/kayaking etc

Well I really liked the sound of it in theory, there was a meeting last night (that I couldn't attend as we were at a secondary open evening) but DS had the spiel in school yesterday & came home full of the planned program & things that they could do & is desperate to go. Its 6 hours away so there's 2 days of just travel there & back & then 3 full days of activities. I've just spoken to a mum friend & she says the cost of the trip is £275. They want £75 deposit paid by 1 November, another £100 paid by Christmas & the remaining £100 in the new year.

Fuck me I didn't think it would cost this much! I can find the money but it will mean some cutting back & careful planning. Is this a pretty normal cost for these kind of trips where you are? aibu to not expect it to be this much?!

OP posts:
TurnOffTheTv · 02/10/2015 15:40

Pretty standard. I'd expect to pay about 300/350 for that actually.

ilovesooty · 02/10/2015 15:43

It sounds very reasonable to me given costs of travel, accommodation, food, insurance and instructors for activities.

laffymeal · 02/10/2015 15:45

That's cheap. 5 years ago I paid £365 for a similar trip and then the week before they asked for another tenner because petrol had gone up!!!

Trust me, you're getting a bargain.

Spartans · 02/10/2015 15:45

We paid the same. How much were you expecting?

irregularegular · 02/10/2015 15:46

I think it is a normal costs, but I think that going 6 hours away for a short trip with Yr 6 is bonkers. If they went somewhere closer they could incorporate two more half days of activities into the trip.

Boredofthinkingofnewnames · 02/10/2015 15:46

I actually think that's reasonable.

NotMeNotYouNotAnyone · 02/10/2015 15:47

Standard. Yabu. What did you exoect it to cost?

We were charged £140 per child for a weekend at a similar place

I think a week was about £100 when I did it 20 years ago!

Contraryish · 02/10/2015 15:47

Ours was about £485 last year.

TheOriginalMerylStrop · 02/10/2015 15:48

Stupid to go so far away
Unreasonable of the school not to tell you to anticipate it at end of last year
Not a great payment schedule

But the cost itself if fair enough imo

LaLyra · 02/10/2015 15:51

I think the cost of it is ok, but I think they should have been letting parents know the cost before now. It could be a lot of money for people to find in a relatively short space of time.

Katinkka · 02/10/2015 15:51

So cheap.

Lonecatwithkitten · 02/10/2015 15:51

£570 for five days in the summer and then my DD missed two days for illness ( there was no travel insurance).

SistersOfPercy · 02/10/2015 15:53

Not sure where you are OP but here in Staffs I'd call that a bloody bargain.

feebeecat · 02/10/2015 15:55

My twins are currently on way back from year 6 trip to other end of country - 4 days, £250. Can't tell you the number of parents who were moaning to me about the cost before the look on my face made them realise, yes, I had two of em going!!
That said, school issued letters twelve months ago & I have been paying off bits over the year.
Can't wait for senior school Hmm

Original poster
MidnightVelvetthe3rd · 02/10/2015 15:57

Hahaa Ok I'm being massively unreasonable then :) I think I'm having a knee jerk & the panic will subside soon :)

I thought it would be cheaper because last year we were at a different primary & all of the Year 6 parents were up in arms on their facebook pages & complaining to the school because their trip cost £140 & it was too much. So I was expecting around £140ish....

OP posts:
redskybynight · 02/10/2015 15:57

Yes, our Y6 similar residential is £300 - so sounds pretty standard.

ellenjames · 02/10/2015 15:59

Blimey all of you saying how cheap this is! Our school residentials in yr4 in y6 are both about £160 for 4 days!

madmotherof2 · 02/10/2015 16:01

I'd say that's pretty normal. We paid £300 for our son to go last year, we did get longer to pay it off ( the trip was in the sept of year 6) as we had the majority of year 5 knowing about it. Also id been given the heads up to expect a pricey trip in year 6!

Wait until secondary school though, we've already had a letter for a skiing trip, in 2017, for £1250! It is very much optional though!

LikeASoulWithoutAMind · 02/10/2015 16:06

Similar trip at our school is c£380. It does feel like a lot doesn't it? But they had a brilliant time.

Youarentkiddingme · 02/10/2015 16:08

It is a lot of money amount wise but for 5 days holiday, accomadation, activities, food and travel it's actually cheap per person wise.

Ime school are very good with regards spreading payments if necessary and also have funds available for children whose parents aren't in a position to pay. So have a chat with school of needs be.

Youarentkiddingme · 02/10/2015 16:09

We also paid throughout year 5 at £30/40 a month as trip was November of year 6.

SolidGoldBrass · 02/10/2015 16:14

Depending on the school and your personal circumstances, it might not cost that much. DS' primary school offers discounts for low-income households and if your DC get free school meals then you should almost certainly get a reduction in the cost of the trip.

KaraokeQueenOfTheNorth · 02/10/2015 16:18

Ours is £350 for a 5 day trip

sproketmx · 02/10/2015 16:24

Fook me. That's more than I make a month. That's more than I spend on food for the whole family for a month.

frumpet · 02/10/2015 16:29

Sounds a normal figure and also payment plan . However I know when the school did this to us , they offered the option of more staggered payments , so it was a monthly amount from end of October until the end of March if parents were going to struggle .

Wait until you get the kit list , just pray they aren't going in winter , if they are primark do cheap thermals .