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.

Not RTFT but surely they aren't compulsory? I didn't go to any of the ones organised by my secondary (state grammar) and neither did quite a lot of others. Always going to be people who can afford to do things you can't.

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

The kids from the poor backgrounds who can't even think about going on these trips will have learned that while your pampered poppets were still in nappies.

What a revolting attitude: the richer kids get a ski trip, but don't worry peasants, you get another lesson that life isn't fair. suck it up, bitches!

I’m not sure that it would be much cheaper in Europe. My sons school have organised a ski trip in Europe and that’s over £1000.

I’m glad schools have these trips as options. Some can’t afford it but some can. Having been on both sides of that situation I wouldn’t want schools to drop extracurricular trips.

hotbutteredcrumpetsandtea What's with the assumption I could afford it? And no need to be rude about any children I may have.

You shouldn't just cancel trips because some can't afford it; life doesn't (and shouldn't) work like that.

No it doesn't. But neither do you have to be such a dick about it.

Win win is some kids get a ski holiday and some kids get a lesson that life isn't fair?
What kind of person actually says that?

Hotbuttered, I agree with you. I am not sure whether to be cross or laugh though!

where to start....

Maybe they won't meekly swallow this life lesson, maybe they'll start a revolution against the established classes....

I have never once encountered a child who was bullied for not going on a school trip!

hotbutteredcrumpetsandtea I'm not being a dick about it.

WhatToDoAboutThis2017

Actually it did sound like a dickish thing to say!

How is it a win for the kids to get another life lesson in not having fuck all? Do you not think they already know?

No, I don’t think they should ban school trips but don’t dress it up as a good thing for kids who can’t afford it. All it is, is another cool thing that they can’t go to.

juddyrockingcloggs Life lessons like that are important to learn.

Perhaps win win was poor choice of words, but I was quoting a poster saying it was lose lose so bouncing off that.

I never minded paying for them. They were an experience I could never have afforded for the whole family to go on. I'd rather forego my summer holiday to facilitate a once in a life time experience.

The unfortunate thing is not all schools run these trips. I had one child who went to a far better school, academically and pastorally, than the others, who, as I recall, never got past a camping trip in a field outside Gatwick under the guise of PGL. Ah well.

Some kids will resent not being able to go. Some may let it influence their future choices in life so that they are in a position to do it in the future. So I can kind of see the win-win point though it was bluntly put.

RaymondinaReddington Yes, I was trying to make that point thought clearly didn't do it very well!

Nothing wrong with blunt.... except on mnet!

But isn't some of the coat for the teachers?

Yes & no Dowsers. The company will pitch this as 'one free teacher place per 10 students' (or whatever the appropriate ratio is - 1:15 to poke around a museum or go to the theatre, 1:10 for Forn Parts generally, lower ratio for risky activities).

Now obviously they cost that in & work out that they need to charge £X per student to cover the 'free' teacher places!

However, this doesn't mean a lovely free holiday on the kids' ticket for accompanying teachers. It's bloody hard work. You don't get to sleep much & you're constantly on at least Amber alert mentally because you're responsible for hoards of other people's kids. I've done it for years & I regard each one as about the toughest week of any given year.

Plus, it's more often than not taken out of holidays, so you lose a week with your own dc (with all the obvious childcare costs & family aggro).

If it happens to take place in term time - uncommon in UK schools, but I'm international private now & we're more relaxed about that one - you have to leave a week of planning & come back to a week's worth of marking - which is actually probably worse!

I've said it before but there is nowhere on the planet I couldn't just fund a visit to by tutoring or exam marking & have it be a million times less work & stress than organising to take 50 teenagers!

Honestly this is NOT about jollies for teachers. Try asking for volunteers in the staff room & see how much begging you have to Do!

I couldn't imagine anything less 'jolly' for a teacher either. Helping out on one-day school trips, as a parent, is stressful enough! And surprisingly exhausting. I'm sometimes asked, and go when I can, and I'm always amazed at the effort required to make sure that any little group I've got enjoys themselves and stays safe.

Glad someone else has pointed out that school trips aren't jollies for teachers. I've only ever taught Primary, and our residentials are usually to a PGL type place. Not always fun, not a jolly, absolutely exhausting. I love taking the children away but it's a stressful experience. I'm so glad I don't do it in KS1

Most schools offer several different trips and activities each year of varying costs, so there are opportunities to do other trips that are less expensive. The ski trip is usually the big one but not everyone goes for various reasons and I have never heard of anyone being bullied for not going. Schools also usually allow parents to spread the payments over a few months so it’s a bit easier.

Our school does both - a trip to Europe which cost £1200 and was via coach for younger year groups and a trip to the USA on a plane for £1500 for the older year groups. I told them they could choose one or the other but not both. I felt the US trip was better value as it was for 10 days vs 7 and included a couple of nights in NY. They had a bit of a tour around NYC too. Both my dc enjoy skiing and this was the one school trip they desperately wanted to do. Both were required to save up their own spending money so that they had a sense of responsibility towards the costs.

I was a poor kid who could not go on school trips abroad - but I did not begrudge or envy others who did. It was just a fact of life. I am fortunate to be able to send my kids on these trips. It is during holiday periods and does not impact on pupils who do not go. There are various other foreign trips that my kids have not gone on too - mainly because not their area of interest.

I don't think a European trip actually works out that much cheaper when schools do them.

So it seems to be the case that if someone cant afford a school trip then no one should be allowed to go on it. We are all equal at the bottom!

It’s a good price for Feb half term week especially if they have 5hr lessons per day over 6 days which is what DS’s school offers. I would have to try harder or slum it more to get our family skiing Feb half term holiday much cheaper and we don’t have that many hours of lessons. The slopes would be less crowded in North America but it’s a long way to go for just one week!

Mine went on the ski trip to France and it was £1000... That was 6 years ago. Sounds like a good price for what they're getting.