Will my name be mud at school?

[UndertheCedartree]

My DD is very lucky to be taking part in Young Voices in January. I've had to buy the expensive concert tickets for myself and her brother to go and watch alongside it being Christmas. School said they would put on a coach and asked who was interested. I put our names down. They have come back with a price for the coach and said it needs to be paid now. The cost is 4 times what it would cost to take the train and I simply don't have the money especially not now. (As an aside I hate the way you are always expected to pay everything for school instantly without a chance to save up). I had no idea it would be so expensive. So I've said we will be getting the train. I know this will mess up the numbers for the coach but hopefully not too much as only 2 of us? Will they be annoyed at me?

@Howshouldibehave

4x the price-wow, how much are they charging??

They are charging £25 per seat so it would cost me £50. On the train my DS can get a child ticket and I also have a Railcard.

@Ellieboolou33

My daughter is also doing the young voices, our coach was £12.50 T-shirt pack was £12.00 and tickets £21.50 each, seems very reasonable to me.

The cow k is just for the children, for those miserable ones complaining about the event still going ahead 🙄 there is more to life than covid!

Luckily, as my DD is on Pupil Premium I don't have to pay for the t-shirt pack or the cost of her coach. The ticket price I agree is reasonable but it is an awful lot for me. They quoted £25 per seat for the family coach.

@DeepaBeesKit

If the coach was 4x cost of train I'm willing to bet either the school are making a fat turn on it, OR the coach company are insisting on loads of empty seats between groups such that the coach is barely a third full.

I don't think the school would make money off it they really aren't like that. But my guess is either coach company wanting empty seats or not that many people signed up for the coach.

Coach costs have rocketed, diesel is at an all time high . There is no way the school can be off with you, they simply can't ask you to confirm something without giving you an idea of price first.

YANBU, the coach trip cost should work out cheaper than alternative transport, and if it doesn't no-one will sign up anyway.

Particularly as you are pupil premium they should be understanding.

@DeepaBeesKit

If the coach was 4x cost of train I'm willing to bet either the school are making a fat turn on it, OR the coach company are insisting on loads of empty seats between groups such that the coach is barely a third full.

Unless it's changed schools aren't allowed to make a profit on trips, if that happens at your DCs school you should be reporting it.

Coaches have always been expensive, my DCs are older now but I remember the play group they went to having to cancel some activities because the coach costs were ruinous.

I can’t believe this event is taking place. It seems like a complete recipe for a superspreader. Grannies and Grandads watching hundreds of kids singing out Covid particles in January?? What could go wrong!!

Thing is, the current year 5/6 (I think that’s the contingent that do this) have as much right to take part in exciting events as the kids now in years 8 and 9 (my Dd is in the older age group, my son is in year 3, so not talking about my children). Young voices is brilliant - my daughter adored it back in 2019, and it was fun to watch too!

They can’t miss out on all these things, it’s not fair.

But OP, definitely jsut tell them it’s four times as much.

If it's 4x the price of train tickets I'd say they will have a few cancelling.

@UndertheCedartree where did you get that from? As our school are still saying it's going ahead as of today, which I find very surprising!

Sorry to say but it's been cancelled. It's on their Facebook page. I had one disappointed child last night.

We were informed today it is postponed.

@LuckyAmy1986 - school let us know. It is on the Young Voices web page.

@lollipopsandrainbows - it's not been cancelled just postponed so hopefully they can take part in the Spring/Summer. Bless them, they've worked so hard for this!

My DS is also in young voices and we got told today it’s being postponed.
I think I paid £3 for his place on the coach and we have to make our own way there.

You could have a child who gets travel sick on coaches but not on trains (hopefully not), as I did when young. Not unreasonable to decline in the way you did.

Hope the event takes place in the summer and you both love it.

[quote UndertheCedartree]@RainbowBriteUk - they've made the decision to postpone the concerts now to Spring/Summer 2022, which seems sensible.[/quote]
Have they? I'd be really pleased about this. My DD is due to do the O2 arena one in January. The website is still showing a January date, and nothing from our school.

@SimpleHoardOfTruth - that's the one my DD is doing. The announcement is on the Young Voices website

@seconddayout - thank you so much