YR Residential Trip

[nobutyestbut]

Please help resolve a debate I'm having with another school parent

Our DS are going on the yr6 residential trip and we have to pay £290,

I believe this is a mandatory payment, she says it's voluntary as is part of the curriculum

Who's right?

Ask the school

If you’re in the UK it’ll be voluntary, schools can’t compel you to pay for trips.

There had been a few kids that I know if that opt out of the residentials. Our school goes to the lakes and France. So not mandatory at all.

How is it part of the curriculum?

I read that as YR= Reception

Our residential trip has elements which may support the curriculum, but is entirely optional. Pupils can stay in school, therefore payment is mandatory. Don't pay, don't go. The school does subsidise pupil premium children.

It isn’t voluntary at my dcs school. If you don’t pay, they don’t go.

Voluntary trip, mandatory payment.

They have to say it’s “voluntary”

In reality, they demand it.

It can't be mandatory, but your option may be either to pay or for your DC not to go. Some schools will offer assistance with paying for this sort of thing, some will offer a payment plan to spread the cost, some will pay for the child if the family can't afford it. Best to speak to your school and find out.

They can’t compel you to pay as payments can’t be mandatory for state schools however if people don’t pay they will cancel the trip. The school may be able to fund some pupil premium children as they receive other funding but not the majority of kids.

Well it's voluntary because you don't have to go, but there is probably funding available for certain pupils.

Sorry my response probably isn’t clear, the school can’t compel you to pay but it’s very unlikely they’ll have the funds to subsidise any children who don’t pay. Our school subsidises trips for low income children but only for local day trips. They give a discount for residential trips but wouldn’t take a child who paid nothing towards it.

Residentials start in year 4 here. I can't imagine what possesses the school to do it in Reception. They are so young! What's wrong with day trips?

I also read it as reception residential - can you imagine the chaos!

Oh it's year 6! Ignore me

it's Yr 6

I missed the 6 out by mistake in the title

@TweetUsOnFacebook year 6 not reception.

Sorry cross post

Residential trips are voluntary. The payment is a donation, but if all parents take the option of no donation then the trip can't go ahead.

It's usually to encourage those from lower economic backgrounds to do something they couldn't normally afford, you will get some entitled pricks that expect everything for free though.

Hang on a residential trip in reception??

I read it is year reception too! I've only ever been away from my reception age ds for 2 nights and I would not willingly do it again. He was only 2 at the time and even now no way.

Dd is off on the year 6 residential this week. It's not mandatory but it's all based on moving up to high school therefore it would be a shame for her to miss it and it's not out to us as optional but a standard part of year 6. It's a dear do as my dad would say.

Crossed post!

If it's not part of the national curriculum the school can charge. If you want your child to attend but can't pay, you can ask if there's any funding available.

Our school it's a voluntary payment, but it's a don't go if you don't pay trip.
At £300 a go, who would pay if the parent didn't? Tax payer or other parents of the school with slightly higher invoices?