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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:
Leavingsosoon · 22/10/2015 07:05

I appreciate that twins make it harder for all sorts of reasons but even for families with just one child it is a lot.

WhyCantIuseTheNameIWant · 22/10/2015 07:05

Scouts, on the other hand wanted £380 for a weekend!

No way can I afford that...

hobnobsaremyfavourite · 22/10/2015 07:10

We've just paid £197 for a four night year 6 residential to west wales.
Tons of activities and transport food insurance etc included
£320 is a lot, we paid that for our eldest to spend a week abroad on an exchange in year 10

LadyPenelope68 · 22/10/2015 07:11

I literally have just returned from a 3 day school residential with my class. The price you're paying is totally normal IMO, and the question you asked about do they get much out of it - the answer to that is you wouldn't believe how much they get out of it!! I have seen a huge difference in every single one of the 30 children I've been away with, they have blossomed, their confidence has flourished, they have conquered their fears and have matured immensely. It's been an absolute joy to have given up my own time to take them.

Iamnotloobrushphobic · 22/10/2015 07:13

It is about the same price that we paid for our DS to go on a pgl in year 5 for 4 nights.
Around the same time we also paid £300 for a residential trip for his older brother so whilst having twins means the expense always comes in double at the same time it sometimes does with children of different ages too.

hobnobsaremyfavourite · 22/10/2015 07:14

Oh am reading this thread makes me wonder if a few of us have children in the same place this week in west wales Wink

SanityClause · 22/10/2015 07:14

What are they doing on the trip? If it's lots of activities like abseiling, canoeing or raft building, low ropes etc, they need lots of specialised staff to supervise. Also, the equipment has to be kept well maintained, etc, to ensure the children's safety.

Then, a few trips out to museums, or maybe a steam train ride, or similar. If they have to take coaches out during the journey, that will add to the cost.

Incidentally, DD1 is just on her way home from a 4 day school trip to New York. They went to at least one gallery every day, and visited lots of the other sights, and saw a Broadway play. Dinner was included, but breakfast and lunch were not. We paid £1400. So, you might want to start saving, or practise saying "no".

Grazia1984 · 22/10/2015 07:14

One of my mine after I'd paid for his rugby tour of Italy at his prep school said it was theft of his half term. They don't all appreciate or want to go on school trips by the way. Depends on the personality of the child although I think all of them should do at least one so they get that experience of being away not just with family.

LadyPenelope68 · 22/10/2015 07:15

As for the costs, you're paying for the staff from school to be covered, the fully qualified staff at the centre, the equipment they use, the costs of running the centre, food and drinks 3 times a day plus snacks to keep up their energy and the transport costs. It all adds up and is worth every penny.

CookieMonsterIsOnADiet · 22/10/2015 07:21

It's exoensive but full childcare, activities, food and insurance are all included.

It's a bit cheeky to ask for a reduction though simply as you have more than one child. Any shortfall from parents has to come from the school budget so takes away from all the other children.

It's not compulsory so if you think it's too much money and don't want to pay then there's the option of not signing up.

Mistigri · 22/10/2015 07:27

My daughter went to Rome and Pompeii for 6 days for less than half that much :-/ (Cost included coach transport, all accommodation and food and entry to major sites).

It might be common to charge those sort of sums, but it doesn't make it right.

It is possible to organise cheaper trips. But it is more difficult, and requires more effort and planning.

Mistigri · 22/10/2015 07:31

And she went to Spain on an exchange for a total of about £100 last year - this included travel by overnight bus - a bit grim but they survived - and museum visits, accommodation was provided by local families.

It is possible - it's just that UK schools choose to use expensive providers rather than organising trips themselves or in partnership with other schools.

iPaid · 22/10/2015 08:02

It's a lot for a primary school residential.

Schools should set a budget and find what they can get for that.
DD enjoyed hers but I'd hardly agree with pp who said it was 'life changing experience'.

ineedaholidaynow · 22/10/2015 10:01

My DS's school charge between £350 - £400 for the Y6 residential, which is for 4 nights in France. So will include coach and ferry costs. However, I think they stay in a youth hostel and it isn't an activity based trip more a sightseeing one eg war graves, cheese factory.

I assume you will be paying more for the activities. When DS has been on 2 night cub camps where the activities are organised by the leaders the cost is usually in the region of £40. When the cub camp has been held at an activity centre the cost has been more in the region of £150 for 2 nights. For both sorts of camp they have slept in tents provided by the scout group and parents have to transport the children to the camp themselves. So the costs for the basic camp mainly relate to food. If camps are further afield and transport would be required, then transport costs would be added to the cost to the parents.

YaMasYaDaWithAWigOn · 22/10/2015 10:48

It does seem a lot to me, DS1 had his YR6 residential in May that cost £360. This was for 4 days in France (PGL Paris) and included food, accommodation, travel, activities and trips (including a day at Disneyland). They also received personalised hoodies.

northernsoul78 · 22/10/2015 11:35

Ours is £280 for 2 nights. Sounds lioe a bargain to me.

Deliaskis · 22/10/2015 11:51

I really don't understand the variation in costs for these kind of trips. I take Guides away and we have very similar requirements re insurance, ratios, qualified instructors etc. and often do similar outdoorsy type activities, yet manage to do 2 nights/2 days away for about £50 all in, and for £400 the girls had 10 days away by coach to Switzerland including full activities etc. for the whole time (cable cars up mountains, trip up the Jungfrau glacier, rafting etc.). We fundraise for those trips but only for spending money so we can also buy the girls a few ice creams etc.

I do understand there is a lot to pay for where school trips are concerned, but I don't understand the gulf in costs for broadly similar trips, as other posters have outlined, with some trips to UK activity centres costing less than half the OP's.

Original poster
Thankyouforthemusic · 22/10/2015 18:59

Thank you all for your comments. I agree with Deliaksis that how can there be such big differences in costs for what seem to be similar trips? Also Mistigri - 'It might be common to charge those sort of sums, but it doesn't make it right.' You are so right!

OP posts:
Cabbagesandcustard · 22/10/2015 19:15

Ours is £415 for four nights next Summer. About 100 miles away. It's the coaches that are so expensive. People, especially those with first children, are moaning but I know the kids will have an amazing time (like my older DC did) so I don't resent paying it. We have a year to do so and I only have one child going, not twins. It's a residential centre with activities laid on morning, noon and night.

Marynary · 22/10/2015 19:23

A lot of the cost is probably transport. DD1s trip was about 100 miles away and was a similar cost. DD2s trip was much cheaper as it was only about 15 miles away and we didn't pay for transport back (school asked the parents to collect).

Marynary · 22/10/2015 19:30

It is possible to organise cheaper trips. But it is more difficult, and requires more effort and planning.

I think that is true. I think that teachers are expected to give up their free time to organise/go on these school trips so aren't very inclined to make an effort to keep costs down.

AntiquityOfTheTauri · 22/10/2015 19:38

Our 4 nights at PGL Paris including Disney land was about £160. I assume cheaper because it was January!

ragged · 22/10/2015 19:42

Our 4 nights, £210 per child, 180 miles away. Price went up about £20 in 2 yrs and I thought that was cheeky!!

They do hiking in hills (local scarcity of same), ice skating, a cable car ride, tour of a stately home, seeing farm animals, group ice cream (other stuff I forget).

No horse riding, quad biking, abseiling, canoeing or raft building, low ropes, PGL, or furren parts & yet the kids all seem very happy & for many the first time ever so far away from parents.

Titsywoo · 22/10/2015 19:53

Dd is going to the Isle of Wight in June for her 4 night residential and it is that amount. Didn't seem too much for me since it includes food and pocket money. I have paid a 50 pound deposit and will put 10 pounds a week towards it until the full amount is due at end of march to spread the cost.

Bambambini · 22/10/2015 20:22

Our residential is the exact same. The school likes everyone who wants to go to go and I know they help out financially for those who are really struggling.

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