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

Cost of year 6 school trip.. AIBU?

195 replies

BanginChoons · 23/06/2021 19:11

My dc came home from school today with a letter for a school residential. It's for 4 nights in the UK, at an activity centre. The children will be doing things like canoeing and high ropes. The cost is £360. Aibu to think this cost is too high? I would prefer a shorter trip and a lower price, I am concerned that families on lower incomes will struggle to afford this.

OP posts:
GrandDuchessRomanov · 23/06/2021 20:31

Just worked it out and oddly enough 24 hours at £15 is exactly £360 so I would be technically getting 3 days free!

GiantToadstool · 23/06/2021 20:35

Budgiegirl - I guess thats why it seems so much . When people pay much less for their children to go away with cubs and scouts it seems so much more with school!

earthyfire · 23/06/2021 20:39

Ours was almost £400 to wales, PGL. It included all meals. In year 7 there was a ski trip at over 1k, my child didn't want to go thank goodness.
At secondary school my child has enrichment week, a week before they break up for summer - day trips at a cost of £50 a day, if we don't pay they stay at school and the ones who pay go on the trips, we can afford to pay but it doesn't feel right that there is an obvious divide when this enrichment week takes place.

LilacSorbet · 23/06/2021 20:45

For PGL & KIngswood (don't know about other centres):

Coach (expensive - puts us off even going to local events)
Insurance
No extra money involved with teachers (free places for adults, no extra pay for going) but TAs paid overtime until 9pm so a cost there
Three cooked meals a day
Accommodation
Fully staffed activities (5 a day), all with 1 or 2 trained instructors

The children honestly get so much out of it, but equally there are sometimes children who don't attend - it's not the end of the world.

frumpety · 23/06/2021 20:53

Sounds about the going rate for the length of time. Our school gave plenty of notice so you could pay it over a prolonged period of time, so a years notice which makes it more doable for most people, although still tricky for some, perhaps if they started a payment scheme in year 4 or 5 it might make it easier ?

frumpety · 23/06/2021 20:58

Oh and if you can beg, borrow or steal old shoes and wellies in their size for the trip, do ! they get wrecked and wet and smell very bad by the time they get back Smile

allthegoodusernameshavegone · 23/06/2021 21:03

Surely it’s not compulsory? Just say no. Simple

cjpark · 23/06/2021 21:18

Ours was £330 for 4 nights back in 2019.
You could pay £33 per month for 10 months and about 5/30 kids didn't go.

DonGray · 23/06/2021 21:23

Sounds cheap for 4 nights
£500 for 5 nights here & £900 for 6 nights - different kids at different schools

viques · 23/06/2021 21:26

@HopeValley

It's usually the coach that bumps the cost up - they're hideously expensive.
I think that is why so many schools opt for the one centre trips these days. We used to do a full week (Monday to Friday - don’t ask me how, I was young and had more energy) with several days out factored in which needed coach transport. The accommodation was heavily subsidised, the old ILEA ran several activity centres, basic huts, grim showers, but great fun.
Nat6999 · 23/06/2021 23:22

Ds's Y6 residential 6 years ago was £550 for 4 nights, I paid £295 for a 2 night residential the year before. I didn't think they were that expensive until ds went to Italy with school just as Covid was starting, everything including flights was £600, this included a trips to Capri, Mount Vesuvius, Pompeii, a 3 star Hotel & half board.

CiaoForNiao · 23/06/2021 23:33

DS1 refused to go on his Yr6 residential. DS2 went, paid for by PP which I am so grateful for.

Their secondary school owns an outdoor centre so the trips there aren't too expensive. DS1 refused to go again. And DS2 had another PP funded trip.

Both schools said to let them know if you can't afford it and don't get PP.
When I was at school my mum had to apply to a charity to fund my German exchange trip. Again I'm so grateful these things exist!

They seem like a lot of money (especially when I booked a week in a caravan for not much more more 1 child going for 4 days). But by the time you take travel, staff costs, insurance etc into account you can see why its so expensive!

aiwblam · 24/06/2021 00:22

It’s a standard cost, it could have been even more - ours was 450 for 4 nights (same type of activity centre as yours). If money is tight, tell the school. They most likely have funds to help families who struggle to afford it.

chipsandgin · 24/06/2021 00:30

Ours have been similar, as pp’s have suggested you can apply for help or a reduction (kids don’t have to be on FSM as that only applies if parents aren’t working at all - if you get working tax credits then you should be able to get some help, or even if you don’t if you can explain your circumstances, which you shouldn’t have to in great detail). When things like this have come along at tricky times in the past I’ve spoken to the schools who have always been helpful.

It is wildly expensive but it’s pretty standard - it’s as much as I’d spend on a holiday for all of us but it is something they’ll love doing & worth it if you can find a way.

SkiingIsHeaven · 24/06/2021 00:31

4 nights is 5 days so £72 per day for three meals, accommodation, insurance, activities, equipment and staff costs.

Seems reasonable to me.

Even if you split it 4 ways it is still only £90 a day for all of that.

PastMyBestBeforeDate · 24/06/2021 00:33

Ours is £400ish. The emails do say to discuss with the school if you can't afford it.
If parents who can afford it (us) pay a bit over the odds to ensure everyone goes then it's fine.

SionnachRua · 24/06/2021 00:36

God love those teachers, 4 days of an overnight trip sounds like hell! Ours (though different country) do one night stay and Lord knows after that I won't want to see them for a week.

I think the daily cost breakdown is reasonable when you take everything into consideration but I can see why it seems like a lot.

Pinuporc · 24/06/2021 07:45

God love those teachers, 4 days of an overnight trip sounds like hell! Ours (though different country) do one night stay and Lord knows after that I won't want to see them for a week.

DD wanted to go to Germany on a school trip. It was going to be a 20 hour coach trip. I wouldnt want to do a 20 hour coach trip on my own let alone with a coachload of teens! I wonder if the teachers drew straws who went? Wink

Pinuporc · 24/06/2021 07:52

It's easy for PP to say it's not that expensive (as in I'm sure no ones making a huge profit out of it) but if money is tight something beyond rent, bills, clothes, food etc can seem really expensive especially if you've got more than one child or that that would be what you'd pay for a whose family treat.
...but it's not a simple as just dont go. Even when I was at school the very vast majority would go on trips like that and parents might feel bad if their child is one of only a few not going.

Bluntness100 · 24/06/2021 07:55

The pricing is fine. If you can’t afford it decline, others will too. Plenty of children will hugely get benefit from it. Not everyone has a happy home life, not everyone has parents who do things with them. The trip can be hugely beneficial for many.. It’s really not just about people on low income. It’s not all about you.

GiantToadstool · 24/06/2021 07:57

Wow Bluntness. Yes lots of children dont come from families that do things with their children. Can you not see that is exactly why yr 6 trip is so important and should be accessible to as many as possible.

Our school isn't in a high income area and I can see why they wisely chose a 2 night/3 day trip. It seems expesnive at 200 but 400 would be out of reach of most.

GiantToadstool · 24/06/2021 07:59

Pinuporc exactly. Yr6 trip is a rite of passage and it would be a shame for parents to get into debt over it. Saving £40 a month for 10 months is a lot for somepeople to find. Especially if you have several children.

hedgehogger1 · 24/06/2021 07:59

Just to point that teachers won't be paid any extra for having the kids 24 hours a day instead of 6/7 so that won't be included in the costs.

Bluntness100 · 24/06/2021 08:05

@GiantToadstool

Wow Bluntness. Yes lots of children dont come from families that do things with their children. Can you not see that is exactly why yr 6 trip is so important and should be accessible to as many as possible.

Our school isn't in a high income area and I can see why they wisely chose a 2 night/3 day trip. It seems expesnive at 200 but 400 would be out of reach of most.

Can you see why it would be important for many children and they should come first?

It’s not all about low income families. I grew up poor as hell ans these trips were not accessible to me, but even I understood that it was beneficial and done cor a reason and people who can’t afford it can speak to the school for help.

LoopyGremlin · 24/06/2021 08:05

@hedgehogger1

Just to point that teachers won't be paid any extra for having the kids 24 hours a day instead of 6/7 so that won't be included in the costs.
Yeah but they get a free “holiday”…joke! Whenever this topic has been discussed before and people point out that it’s expensive as teachers go free you always have some smart arse pointing out that teachers get it for free and should pay. As if anyone in any other profession would volunteer for hours of unpaid overtime and then pay for the privilege.
Swipe left for the next trending thread