AIBU to think this is a ridiculous homework exercise

[coralpig]

One part of the Year 6 holiday homework:

The school are planning a trip to the neighbouring historical town. Get a quotation to travel using X train company for 35 children (whole year group) and 4 accompanying making sure that this is the group rate.

The children have been told that the school is thinking of taking them on a trip there as they have been learning about the town in lessons.

The problem is, even a cursory Google shows that you can't get an instant quotation online using this train company. For bookings of more than 8 people you need to fill in a booking form, scan it and email to a special group booking email address. The form asks for details that the students haven't been provided such as dates and times.

AIBU that this is ridiculous? Poor train company getting 30+ quotes for a fake trip and the scholl should do their own costing for such a trip!

That is ridiculous.

Normally they use a fictitious, senario, thus achievable by online (or brochure) pricing and then ask you to explain what was done.

Oh dear. Poor planning on the side of the staff there.

Coralpig
I agree that is ridiculous if it is true you cannot get an on line quotation for groups and, if so, it would mean contacting the company for fake quotes.

It would not be ridiculous in my opinion if it were a maths exercise based on all the information being given with various options and the pupils had to work out the cheapest. Or an IT lesson in class, using a simulated site, to learn how to make accurate and safe bookings.

Can you not just use the National Rail website to get an approximate cost? It's not as if the school are going to use the quotes when they're doing the booking? Since you don't have accurate dates, i'd give them the lowest & highest prices quoted on the website.

Yanbu to be irritated but you are massively overthinking this.

As old says, approximate costings are fine.

It's stupid, but quickly done by plugging the details into a booking website. Just ignore the group rate bit.

Could you not get a quote for 8 and then multiply it by 5 to get an approx of 40 people.

I agree that it is a daft task.

Why should children have to waste their lives on this daft task; and why should parents have to waste energy on it?

Just put down a random number and say you got the quote over the phone.

You had me at "holiday homework". I'd be tempted to put that as a heading at the top of a bit of paper and then write out the definition of "holiday" underneath and do nothing more.

It's all part of the drive to give children "real life scenarios" to use their skills. You can either phone up the train company or phone the parent of the keenest child in the class and ask for the answers! Or write a note saying you all had diphtheria over the holidays and didn't have time to do homework.

Poor students having to do work in their holiday. We are only allowed to set holiday homework for exam classes. I like the diphtheria option.