Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to not want to pay £5k for a school trip?

455 replies

Lincspeeps · 08/10/2019 14:54

In short, DD's school are running a trip to South Africa in 2021 - safari, time in Madagascar, trekking, social responsibility work etc.

Problem is, its £4.5k plus spends and optional extras - the safari being one. So, with insurance, visas, inoculations etc it'll be five grand and more.

DD's three best friends are all going and we, at a massive stretch, could probably afford it BUT in reading where they stay etc it just seems like such a rip off. I want her to do something exciting but £5k just seems a ridiculous amount.

She's not spoiled and completely understands the value of money but she'll be devastated if she can't go and I'll feel like a demon by preventing her (she's 15 now, will be almost 17 when trip takes place). I just feel that £5k could be spent in a much better way where travel is concerned - I'm sure you can buy a round the world plane tickets for a couple of grand, for example!!

Help...…..

OP posts:
helpmum2003 · 08/10/2019 16:10

That's very expensive for what it is. We recently did a family holiday there which was less than double that. These commercial school trips are dodgy I think.

Personally I would spend on a family holiday. As someone said there is no need for a 16yo to have such a holiday.

AhNowTed · 08/10/2019 16:10

Is this a state school?

Because I can't believe any state school would organise a trip for this amount.

I'm fairly comfortable but no bloody way, that's ridiculous.

Loopydizzylove · 08/10/2019 16:14

I'd suggest you letting her help pick a family holiday for all of you instead, 5k is ridiculous. That's a decent car or a good chunk of a deposit for a home.

VaguelySensible · 08/10/2019 16:14

My dd is doing a similar trip. We've said that we will match everything she contributes towards it. She's put her savings towards it and asked relatives to help her. When asked what she wants for birthdays, she explains that she would like money towards the trip. She's got herself a part-time job, too.

Timeless19 · 08/10/2019 16:20

I did World Challenge 17 years ago, cost about £2.5k and despite all the negative comments here it was truly the making of me.

They are well organised, safe and the kids will lead the expedition and learn about the real world under the guidance of someone who will step in if they are about to majorly cock up.

I worked through all my holidays to save up for my trip and did other "fundraising" such as 70s nights etc.

Don't dismiss it out of hand, yes its expensive, but it is so much more than a holiday. It gave me the confidence to travel the world safely, manage a large budget (I was our teams treasurer), work as a team and work under pressure whilst navigating a new environment. I went to a state school and employers (post graduation) still wanted to hear about my trip.

I'm so pleased my parents didn't dismiss it out of hand (I know they wanted to!), I still have very fond memories of it to this day.

LovePoppy · 08/10/2019 16:21

If she is extremely keen, I would tell her she needs to get a job to pay for a portion of it

OtraCosaMariposa · 08/10/2019 16:26

So don't pay. It's not compulsory and lots of them won't be going.

My kids' school do similar, World Challenge trips costing an arm and a leg. About 20 go out of an intake of 210. So fewer than 10%.

PlasticPatty · 08/10/2019 16:27

It could be the experience of a lifetime.

No child of mine would go anywhere near it. There is no way to ensure safety to the level I require for my loved ones.

Bibijayne · 08/10/2019 16:28

Yikes! That's a lot! Is there scope for her to pay in installments and work to save half?

Thegoodandbadlife · 08/10/2019 16:29

From what you’ve described I’m guessing it’s a world challenge type company or world challenge where the expect you to raise the money yourself not use the bank of Mum or Dad. Go on world challenges website if you’re not using that company or are and they’ll have some great fundraising tips for you.

ShadowOnTheSun · 08/10/2019 16:33

There's just no chance in hell I'd let my 17 year old daughter to go to SOUTH AFRICA, even if they'd offer to pay ME £5000. South Africa? Are you kidding me? What for? To be raped at knifepoint and left for dead in a dumpster? No, thanks.

I've been there. Extremely unsafe. And yes, our group was robbed as well. It's just that we were extremely lucky, and we're still alive (although we were hurt). Never again. Plenty of nice and safe-ish places to visit in the world.

The Highest rape rate in the world (132 per 100 000). Number 5 in the whole world with the highest murder rate. School trip to such country? Just wtf.

Derbee · 08/10/2019 16:36

A lot of ignorance about South Africa here. If you can afford it, I’d let her go. Or book a family safari to make up for it - they’re such fabulous holidays

sam221 · 08/10/2019 16:37

I had one do the old silk route, it was priced astronomically high, they did have to a bit of fundraising. We organised a high tea of friends and family, told them all beforehand what it was for and only a bucket collection(left on a table). The child did all the preparing, cleaning and hosting of said event. This did raise much more than expected but I most of the adults were impressed with the child's speech.

I have to say I was dubious at best of the benefits but when mine came back, there was a complete positive change. Which I know was not the same for most of the group that went and some really hated it.

Said 'child' then changed future career direction,which then was motivated towards a more social responsibility aspect. They learnt a lot about themselves, resilience, perseverance and mostly empathy.

The terrain was rough, mountain climbing,camping out and working with impoverished children. I know there are serious issues with volunteer voyeurism but i am not sure all voluntary work benefits should be dismissed.
Indeed the end result of our journey is that the 'child', now works for the UN and specifically deals with girls access to education.

FindusCrispyPancakes · 08/10/2019 16:37

Err you say "no". That's an eye-watering amount of money, especially a "roughing it" style trip. Isn't SA dodgy at the moment anyway? Sounds like the teachers fancied an African Safari to me...

BarbariansMum · 08/10/2019 16:39

Yes Shadow if you are a black woman or girl living in the townships your risk of rape is shockingly high. Not so much for a tourist who is part of a chaperoned group and only there for a week.

I've been to SA too. It's a society with a lot of problems. And also a popular holiday destination.

Leflic · 08/10/2019 16:41

Stupidly expensive even for expensive trips of a lifetime.

Ours is Maylasia for £3,000. I thought that was reasonably good value for two and half weeks as it’s not somewhere we’d likely go to as a family.

Frankly I’d rather spend a grand or two and send her and friends to a festival or city break if they want to go away together. Without parents or teachers even a night or two will be the best experience ever .

Original poster
Lincspeeps · 08/10/2019 16:42

Yes, it's World Challenge.

No, it's not a private school but it is an academy.

We were assured that they know SA very well and can keep clear of any problem hotspots which tend to be city based.

I have confidence in the company but they advertise themselves as 'for-profit' so obviously their motivation will be to make money.

I will Google this 'voluntourism'.

OP posts:
TamarindCove · 08/10/2019 16:42

My nephew did this a couple of years ago, was just over £4K then.

He was at state school, about 20 odd children went but there were others from the other local schools there as well.

He was supposed to save some of the money from his weekend job but needless to say it was my brother and SIL that ended up paying the majority.

He had an amazing time and came home with a much greater understanding of how fortunate he is and he is now involved in raising money for a couple of the projects they visited.

I think it’s a huge amount of money and I can’t see me letting my children do it!

Rachelover60 · 08/10/2019 16:44

It does seem terribly expensive. If your daughter has her heart set on the trip, which sounds exciting for someone of her age, perhaps she can get a job to contribute to the cost. Also grandparents are sometimes quite generous, worth dropping a hint or two.

Tinkobell · 08/10/2019 16:44

We said no to our DS for a trip to Vietnam ...similar sum. We are well off and could afford however we just thought it was extortionate tbh. Apparently the insurance that schools have to pay for is very hefty and accounts for a big bite of the costs. A few kids returned from the trip traumatised by some of the poverty they'd witnessed and required counselling in the weeks that followed.

ambereeree · 08/10/2019 16:44

I wouldn't say SA is safe for children to go trekking. I travel there for work so know it fairly well.

Grumpyperson · 08/10/2019 16:45

I am going to live up to my moniker but this makes me grumpy. Too expensive, long haul flight, not eco-friendly and not very safe, either.

I think ds' sixth form college have something similar running (Swaziland?) but fortunately sensibly he hasn't expressed any interest.

Jux · 08/10/2019 16:46

There is a brilliant school near us, one which has people from London moving house, lying about where their child lives etc, in order to get them into it. We went to an open day as dd would have liked to go there, and saw a notice about the school ski trip. Bearing in mind that dd's second choice of school's ski trip was £500, this school's was over £1000! We realised that we would never be able to 'keep up' if she went there.

She was disappointed. Not devastated. Your dd won't be either, she might rage and scream but hey.

TheoneandObi · 08/10/2019 16:46

I think that sounds too spenny for what is. For context my son did Raleigh International in his gap year - a British Government backed volunteering thing and a long way from being voluntoursim. He had to raise £2500 to go to Nicaragua for 3 months - flights etc paid, but he lived in a tin shed for three months and actually built a concrete water tank among other things. And learned Spanish. It was grim at times but looks fab on a CV and was a proper, tough experience.

DC3dilemma · 08/10/2019 16:47

Cost aside, that’s not a trip I’d sent my child on.

Sorry to those who feel SA is misunderstood...but the stats are horrifying, and personally, with my children growing up somewhere rural where we don’t even lock doors, and store our car keys in the ignition, I couldn’t allow it, not with the teacher/pupil ratios that are typical at that age.