To think they could ski in Europe?

[Panting]

NC’d as this is outing.

Got a letter from DD’s school with details of the school ski trip.

They’re going to the USA. Cost £1500.

AIBU to think they could just go to Europe for about half the cost so that people could have a chance of affording it? There’s no way we can stump up that much.

State school in London btw.

I think skiiing is a great trip. Introduces the sport to children who would otherwise never go due to the expense.

We went at school and I loved it. And I turned out to be good at it. Helped when I later worked in the city where you often get invited skiing and being the one who has never been can be nerve wracking

I'm also 43 and went on a ski trip to France in S6. It was £400 then so £1500 to the US doesn't seem a massive leap over 25 years.

Me and DP went to Tignes last year over New Years. Half board (breakfast and dinner), hotel right on the slopes. Flights and transfer included. £950! The only extra on top of that were the lift passes and lunches. So I don't think prices have gone up terribly much in 25 years.

That's £950 in total, not per person.

chocolate You sure that's not been misread and it's actually four nights in Bournemouth for £40?

We're in Germany & school trips have never been abroad & the recommendation for spending money for the week (Mon-Fri) was usually 20Euro!

DS's school does ski trips to both Europe and the USA. He went on the Europe one, which was £900, by coach. He loved it, and I'm really pleased he was able to go, but I considered that epensive.

The USA one was (I think) £1400. But it was clearly an amazing holiday - they did skiing plus Disney - which frankly isn't bad for the money.

Like anything else, you can go bargain basement (relatively speaking of course with skiing!) or bells and whistles.

I'd just expect schools to be going bargain basement, which 1500 to the US isn't.

sharklovers

ODFOD. No one gives a shit what the tree huggers think.

What right do you have to attack someone for raising valid concerns about climate change. There's a big conference about it taking place in Germany right now. Travelling to Europe by coach (which is what my school did for ski trips) would have a much lower environmental impact than flying to the US. I used to go on a group ski trip and they switched from flying to taking the train at the request of many of those who attended.

Getting back to the original point of the thread, while skiing is never going to be cheap, I agree that it would be cheaper and more inclusive to go to Europe. Maybe the teachers fancied a change this year. Many children might not be able to go skiing with their families if their parents don't like it or can't afford for the whole family to go, so a school trip might be their only opportunity.

Actually from prices I've heard quoted £1500 for a ski trip seems pretty cheap wherever they are going.

Well it isn't Witchend, believe me.

We're going "bells and whistles" to Europe this year and its about 1000 per adult, 900 per child WITHOUT flights, lift passes and equipment hire.

1500 per kid is a lot of money, even comparatively.

Me and DP went to Tignes last year over New Years. Half board (breakfast and dinner), hotel right on the slopes. Flights and transfer included. £950! The only extra on top of that were the lift passes and lunches. So I don't think prices have gone up terribly much in 25 years

This confirms that DGD 's (state) school trip is good value as her £1,000 includes transport to UK airport, French transfers, lift passes, lunches, equipment - skis, boots and helmet, and entertainment every evening.

And all day ski school, forgot that.

why it is necessary for schoolkids to go on a FOREIGN trip?

Because travel broadens the mind.

This particular trip is expensive, but in general it would be good if as many children as possible had the opportunity to visit other countries and realise that there are different ways to live etc.

why it is necessary for schoolkids to go on a FOREIGN trip?
Lots of things school do aren't necessary. It doesn't mean they shouldn't happen.
It's not like it's compulsory to go on them.

Isn’t some of the cost for the teachers?

I'm joining you in the NC thing to tell you that my DD (y9) is going skiing in the US for the grand sum of £2,600! It's the only holiday abroad she will have had by then but I'm still reeling from the cost. State school too. Nearly 2 years notice to pay. Still bonkers.

Oh, not including lunches!

Agree. Ridiculous. Bet one of the teachers has always fancied the US!

As if that is how it works

I went to Holland with my primary school in 1979 and ski-ing with secondary school in 1983, so this isn't a new thing (both state schools).

My DDs secondary school (state, London) do several trips - ski-ing (Austria £900) - Spain (£600) - South Africa (£2K).

Nobody gets bullied if they don't go - very few do go as there are usually approx. 30 places and over 200 in the year.

What are you on cathyclown?!

"Education secretary outlaw foreign trips"? "School trips should be banned"?

What bullshit 😂😂😂

It's not lose lose at all; it's win win. Win for the children who get to go because they get a culture and educational experience, as well as learning to cope without their parents in a safe and framed environment before they are forced out into the real world to go it alone.

It's also win for the kids who don't go because while it sucks, it's an important life lesson that not everything will go your way and you need to make the best of what you've got in life. Learning that early is important.

Another reason the USA isn't such a good choice occurs to me: No language opportunities*. I admit that ski resorts are going to be full of English speakers anyway, but at least there could be some chance to speak French/German/Catalan/Spanish/etc. IIRC on my (non-ski) trips we were encouraged to try and read and speak a bit of French while we were there.

(* Well, there are areas with a lot of Spanish speakers, but I'm not sure many school trips would go there).

My mum went skiing with her school in the 1960s (state grammar school) so it definitely isn't a new thing. (Unfortunately she hated skiing). Her parents almost never went on holiday but were happy to pay for school trips.

Our school always used to go to Austria by coach, but one year they changed it and went to Canada instead. (I didn't actually go on the ski trip but wish I had now - there was always some other trip that I was going on and it was run by the PE department who I hated with a vengeance).

Jeez that is a fortune. Feel for families with limited access to that kind of money. That is the cost of s family holiday! Maybe more than one - crazy expectations

But it's not an expectation that everyone will go.

Why should all trips cater to those in a certain income bracket? Why should the kids whose parents can afford it miss out?

When did all these mad school trips come into being I hear about on MN? I'm 43.

I'm 48, went to a very low-income rough comp, and they ran a ski trip to France. It only cost about £200.

We were too poor though so I didn't go.