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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think £320 for a 4 night year 6 residential is crazy?

76 replies

Thankyouforthemusic · 21/10/2015 21:41

My children's primary school has a residential at the start of year 6 which is 4 nights at an activity centre 50'ish miles away. Today I received a letter from the school asking parents to start paying towards it (it's 11 months away) and telling us it will be £320 per child. I have twins so it's £640 for me. I'm shocked at how much it is and don't want to spend this kind of money on a school trip. AIBU? What would you do?

OP posts:
PennyHasNoSurname · 21/10/2015 21:43

I would say thats about the usual cost.

Transport
Insurance
Activities
Four days worth of food (three meals and snacks and drinks)
Four days of childcare

These things dont come cheap.

Sirzy · 21/10/2015 21:44

I would say that seems about right, these things aren't cheap. They are giving lots of notice too.

If your going to struggle to pay for 2 talk to school to see if they can help at all - but they may not have much leeway.

JeffsanArsehole · 21/10/2015 21:45

The transport is really expensive now for schools

GenerationX2 · 21/10/2015 21:48

sounds like a good price to me - they have to provide 24 hour supervision, plus as PP state food, transport, activities etc

timeforabrewnow · 21/10/2015 21:48

I'd say that's a rip-off and would struggle to pay for that. I sent my son on a full week's PGL trip this summer (with all food, activities, insurance etc included) for £300.

My daughter is in Year 6 and she's going to a major city (I guess for only 2 nights though) and packing in a lot of activities and it's going to be around £170. Ooops, hang on, maybe for 4 days, that is about right Blush

MirandaWest · 21/10/2015 21:50

DS went on a 4 night residential in July and I think it was £180.

DD is going on a two night one next May which will be £165.

I think £320 for 4 nights sounds steep.

TalkinPeece · 21/10/2015 21:52

Activities at £40 per day
Transport at £20 each way
Full board at £50 per day

and its a life changing memorable event for them

OddBoots · 21/10/2015 21:55

I know it seems a lot but that is normal. We didn't have a family holiday last year so our DC could do on residentials, I know that's not possible for everyone though.

EldonAve · 21/10/2015 21:56

sounds normal to me

fuctifino · 21/10/2015 21:56

At my dd's school twins pay full cost for one and £100 for other.
Also, those who are, or ever have been on free school meals get a reduction in costs.

TheDailyWail · 21/10/2015 21:57

Ours had a four night residential in France for £310.

Scarydinosaurs · 21/10/2015 21:58

that isn't expensive. I would approach the school and see if you could could stagger the payments into smaller amounts over a longer period.

EduCated · 21/10/2015 22:02

Coaches are horrifically expensive these days. We were recently quoted £800 for a coach to and from a residential. We got it down to about £600, but it's still a massive chunk of our costs.

Muchtoomuchtodo · 21/10/2015 22:03

Our ds is going on his first 4 night residential trip soon. It's £215. We're in Wales. The cost includes transport (3 hour trip each way), 4 activities a day, 4 meals a day (breakfast, lunch, tea and supper), supervision throughout from staff (school and centre), insurance and £10 spending money. I can imagine that in different parts of the country, costs of most of these things are more.

Families who receive fsm get a discount, so do those with children in both years 5 and 6 (both have residential trips).

You've got nothing to lose by asking school if you are eligible for a discount as you will have 2 DC to pay for but YABU to think that the costs are crazy.

Verypissedoffwife · 21/10/2015 22:05

I think it's quite steep for a primary residential. I've sent my oldest two (also twins so I feel your pain!) on camp Beaumont holidays - a full week Inc all activities meals AND transport for 600 quid for both of them.

I'm not sure what you can do though. Probably do what i would do and stump up but bitch and moan in private Grin

Original poster
Thankyouforthemusic · 21/10/2015 22:27

Muchtoomuch - yes I'll ask for a discount good idea thanks

The rest of you who think 320 is reasonable (by the way the coach is paid for by the PTA), is it really worth that much money? Do the children get that much out of it?

OP posts:
namechangedtoday15 · 21/10/2015 22:40

OP - I agree with you. I also have twins - 5 night trip next summer to Isle of Man (couple of hours away) and it is £430 each - so £860. For everyone who says the children will love it and it's not that expensive, actually it is when you're paying for 2 at the same time.

We can pay it in 3 or 4 instalments I think but that's not really the point.

CupboardOfBacon · 21/10/2015 22:44

My ds is in year 6 and his 3 night residential is £150. I guess it depends on how far they have to travel and how much the place actually costs. It does seem like alot to me

Babyroobs · 21/10/2015 22:45

My year 6 dd has just come back from a 4 night PGL trip and had a fantastic time. I think it cost around £260 which I think was reasonable. All the instructers were fully qualified, there were night time security officers patrolling the site, coach costs and insurance, it all adds up. The school gave plenty of warning, I think we started paying in instalments about a year before. I appreciate twins are expensive though.

Sallyhasleftthebuilding · 21/10/2015 22:49

We have known about year 6 residential since reception. It shouldnt be a surprise really. I also have twins, cost is £400 each. We (me and DH have saved £10 a month for the last 4 years.

Babyroobs · 21/10/2015 22:49

Also , if you don't want to pay that much, then they don't have to go. In my dd's year there were quite a lot of kids who didn't go this year for various reasons ( not just the cost).

ButterflyUpSoHigh · 21/10/2015 22:50

Ours is £150 for 4 nights. Our city council own a house in North Wales so there are limited costs. They also own the coach and employ the driver. Anyone on free school meals doesn't pay at all.

lexigrey · 21/10/2015 22:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FortyFacedFuckers · 21/10/2015 22:59

My DS is 9 and going on his first over night school trip after Christmas they are away from Tuesday - Friday so 3 nights and it is £360 which I felt was very expensive for what they are doing ie travelling Tuesday & Friday going to a museum one day & a smallish theme park the other day.?

slkk · 21/10/2015 22:59

Lots of schools offer discounts for twins. School try and keep costs down by going in autumn instead of summer or Fri-Mon instead of Mon-Fri.