Aibu, compulsory school trip costing £100

[kitkat463]

Aibu, my son's school ( secondary) are having an activity week at a local activity centre during the normal school week. They've said they are hoping for 100 percent uptake and don't have the option for kids to just go to school as normal. It will cost £100 per child, but they have said if anyone can't afford it they should ask for help. I can afford it, but my son doesnt want to go, it isn't his cup of tea. Aibu to be annoyed and resent paying £100 for something neither my son or I want him to do. I dont want him just to stay home for a week so I'll probably send him But Aibu to be annoyed? ! No, you are not unreasonable this is not acceptable for schools to do this, yes... Yabu it's a fun activity week and the school just want to give the teens a fun week after a rubbish year.

Nothing there, just a "not his cup of tea".

That’s enough to not send your child somewhere though. There’s no way I’d pay money to send my child to do activities that they didn’t want to do.

@Mistressinthetulips

I keep looking for the posts where OP has outlined the type of activities, or explained how her dc is bullied at school/introverted/hates being away from home etc. Nothing there, just a "not his cup of tea". Lots of projection from posters about the exact details.

Because that is more than enough reason.

A child doesn't have to be hurting or suffering to be allowed to say no to an extra curricular activity z

But not Because.

@waitingforthenextseason

£100 for a week of activities at a centre? Bargain! Lucky kids ... I hope enough take it up so it goes ahead for them.

Be grateful they're trying to do something nice that a lot of kids otherwise wouldn't get the chance to try.

My school charging nearly £500 for a week ...four nights residential ..on top of school fees !!!!

Nothing there, just a "not his cup of tea".
Lots of projection from posters about the exact details.

I don’t think it’s projection, just discussing around the scenario given that there aren’t specific details.

It's not extra curricular though, it is the curriculum for that week!

@Mistressinthetulips

It's not extra curricular though, it is the curriculum for that week!

Then it should be funded.

Why are people comparing to a whole week's residential? This is about £100 for ONE DAY!

@saraclara

Why are people comparing to a whole week's residential? This is about £100 for ONE DAY!

Oops, sorry, I'm wrong. I don't know where I got that.

@saraclara

Why are people comparing to a whole week's residential? This is about £100 for ONE DAY!

No it’s £100 for a week, but it’s not clear in the OP if it’s residential

Crosspost, sorry

Funded with what? They don't have enough funding for HE lessons, children have to pay a fund for ingredients. Why would they have it for

[quote Mistressinthetulips]Funded with what? They don't have enough funding for HE lessons, children have to pay a fund for ingredients. Why would they have it for

They can't make them to, even says that in the OP! But they want them to and will help out if someone can't afford it.
What more can they do? Should no child get this opportunity (whatever it is!) because some parents don't agree with it?

@Mistressinthetulips

They can't make them to, even says that in the OP! But they want them to and will help out if someone can't afford it. What more can they do? Should no child get this opportunity (whatever it is!) because some parents don't agree with it?

What they should do is offer the alternative of going to school.

I suspect they would have to let them attend school. But it wouldn't be school "as normal" as teachers will be involved in the activity. So likely to be sitting in a different year group for those days. Which I'm sure would also be complained about!
By fair the easiest is for schools to offer no enrichment activities, clearly.

@Mistressinthetulips

They can't make them to, even says that in the OP! But they want them to and will help out if someone can't afford it. What more can they do? Should no child get this opportunity (whatever it is!) because some parents don't agree with it?

They can offer an alternative that delivers the statutory education they are tasked with providing to their pupils whether or not their parents want (not "can afford") to spend money on a supercharged alternative and whether or not the children want to attend.

The main issue with the OP's school's trip seems to be that "They've said they [...] don't have the option for kids to just go to school as normal." Kids going to school as normal is what they are tasked and funded provide. They need to meet this obligation. If they can't do extras and meet this obligation then they can't do the extras.

We can change that at the ballot box (I would argue we shouldn't change that obligation, but should increase funding so it's easier for schools to provide extras), but trying to bow beat parents into accepting that that obligation won't be fulfilled because some parents want the extras is unethical and unreasonable.

OP have you raised it with the school and if so, had any response?

We still don't know what the activity is. For me it would be important that the activity is something that my DC wanted to do. Since the OP's DS doesn't want to do it I wonder if others don't either? It's a lot of cash for many families to find for an unwanted trip.

Saraclara, it’s absolutely nothing to do about professionalism but everything to do about my own time which I value. How dare you suggest that I’m being unprofessional.

@Seashor

Saraclara, it’s absolutely nothing to do about professionalism but everything to do about my own time which I value. How dare you suggest that I’m being unprofessional.

This poster has nothing to do with your school. But you said yourself that after reading her OP you're not going to run the trip any more. So a post on MN is leading you to take it your anger on the children you would have taken on this trip. How is that a professional attitude?

It also depends on what the PE lessons are like, if there is a culture of favouritism the school can’t expect much enthusiasm from the non favourites.

It won't be a residential at that price. DD1 had one of these weeks at school. Some of the activities you got to choose an some all took part. Choice included drama, animation, film making, journalism, radio production, rock climbing, canoeing ,sailing and a few others. Whole participation was a trip on a boat and bowling.

What more can they do?

They could drop the guilt-tripping about wanting to achieve 100% attendance, and make it clear that they will be complying with their legal obligations by providing education in school for those who don't go. Which is what other schools do routinely when they offer school trips and activities.

The main issue with the OP's school's trip seems to be that "They've said they [...] don't have the option for kids to just go to school as normal." Kids going to school as normal is what they are tasked and funded provide. They need to meet this obligation. If they can't do extras and meet this obligation then they can't do the extras

Except of course that the school has demonstrated to the government that the provision can be provided via "home learning" indeed they have that obligation, therefore the school could presumably argue that they do not need to provide in school provision, they can do it remote.