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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

What will happen if I'm behind on paying for the trip?

172 replies

UndertheCedartree · 25/02/2023 10:17

Really worrying about this. I have spoken to school about it but not been given a response. So just wanted to see what is usual procedure.

In December I signed my DD up for the Y6 residential trip. In January we found out the cost - £350 😮 A payment plan was set up for those who couldn't afford to pay it outright. £50 in Jan, £100 in Feb, £100 in March, £50 in April and £50 in May. Trip is end of June.

I'm on a low income and I'm struggling with the payments. I've paid the £50 for Jan and I've saved up £30 so far for the February payment.

Will my DD not be allowed to go if I haven't paid it all by May or even June? It would crush her. I wouldn't not pay but I wish it could have been spread out longer to pay. £100 out of a month's budget is so much! It's my DC's birthdays in March and April and I had a large unexpected expense in January too 😥

OP posts:
Original poster
UndertheCedartree · 26/02/2023 12:35

Thank you everyone for your responses, I've read and appreciate every one.

OP posts:
Tessabelle74 · 26/02/2023 17:46

Talk to the school. In ours we have a fund for situations like this where the trip will be paid for to allow parents more time to pay

Hmm1234 · 26/02/2023 18:11

I would talk to the school or borrow from family in this occasion. Can you ask a grandparent

DietrichandDiMaggio · 26/02/2023 18:25

I work in year 6 and our residential also costs £350. When we send out the letters we include information about those on FSM contacting the school regarding financial assistance and I think those who qualify pay around £100. The admin staff member who deals with it has even emailed one family who should qualify, but haven't claimed, to let them know that they don't need to pay the full cost.

Soproudoflionesses · 26/02/2023 18:26

My school just asks pupil premium families to pay the transport which is usually 1/10th of the cost of the whole trip.

But l think schools have autonomy to use pp how they wish .

Definitely speak to them op.

greymalkin71 · 26/02/2023 18:27

Woodendonkey · 25/02/2023 10:51

Apparently, the government now says PP has to be used for academics.

I don’t think is true

That’s really not true. And a residential is part of the curriculum. Otherwise few children on PP would be able to go and that would not look good for the school. I’m surprised they’re not part funding at least if it is the main one-off yr 6 residential.

Rubbishagain · 26/02/2023 18:50

Sometimes the school has a discretionary fund for situations like this so the children don’t miss out. Set up a meeting with the welfare person in the school. Really hope DC can still go

ExhaustedPigeon · 26/02/2023 18:50

Please speak to the school and say you are struggling to pay. We would sort you a payment plan over as long as possible and as long as you were in contact and making some payments we would sub you to pay over a longer period (we would also reduce your payments with PP money. I know your school have said they won't but they can and might if they know your situation.)

ExhaustedPigeon · 26/02/2023 18:52

Also are there any local charities which might support you? We have one that you can apply for funding for things like residential trips (they've paid for some of ours to go previously)

BeaLola · 26/02/2023 18:57

I am sorry that the school have put you in this position.

When my DS was in primary we were given an estimation of year 6 trip at start of year 5 based on his class numbers and they set up a payment plan for anyone who wanted to use it plus FSM children were given a reduced cost.

PP now can still go against trips. My friends son gets PP and his school Dof E was reduced by £100 as a result .

Please approach the school and work out a plan and take the good advice from other posters - your daughter will get so much out of the trip . In my sons year 2 children didn't go - one who would not have coped being away from home at all but joined in for a whole day of the trip and the other no one is sure why the didn't go but it wasn't due to cost

DaisyDando · 26/02/2023 19:06

I haven’t read the whole thread but I very much doubt you will be the only one in this position and our school would be thrilled if you offered to pay the full amount in as much time as you needed. Or even made a decent contribution towards the trip - which you already have.
Because schools and indeed all public services are being run into the ground by the Tories, the school will be massively underfunded. But they will still want to help. Good luck.

niugboo · 26/02/2023 19:13

Speak to the school.

They likely won’t exclude her unless there are a large number of children who haven’t paid in which case they will have to cancel the trip.

for clarity. If it’s during school time they have to let her go.

AIU · 26/02/2023 19:17

Speak to the school, if you are on a low income the school will get pupil premium, our school have used that to cover my sons trip in similar circumstances as that money is to benefit the child.

ESPjane · 26/02/2023 19:44

hi my sisters child is going on a trip and she is on people premium and got the school trip paid for,she only had to put £50 towards it, I would double check and ask about it…
x

Owl55 · 26/02/2023 21:00

Talk to the school , if you are entitled to free school meals school could pay via pupil premium. If they are aware they could let you pay as and when you can manage x

UpToNewTrix · 26/02/2023 21:04

UndertheCedartree · 25/02/2023 10:44

Oh I wish we could have done this. Or even started at the beginning of Y6.

Yes, my DD gets FSM. In the past school trips were paid for by PP but they stopped doing that since Covid. Apparently, the government now says PP has to be used for academics.

Thank you, I will approach school again and ask about all those things.

Show quote history

Hi teacher here!
PP very much can be used for school trips, the justification of taking pupils on it will be to develop their character and will be linked to the curriculum and therefore this is academic!

PP spend has to be published on the school website so ask how they spend it if you have to.

At the end of the day the money is to create equity of experience. And if this trip is being offered as part of their curriculum to all students they have the obligation to not exclude your daughter due to financial issues.

As all have said speak to the school, make them understand the stress you’re under with it and be honest and candid - you’re clearly trying to pay what you can but you need support.

If they refuse or continue to not communicate speak to the governors and ask them to question PP spend.

jillycat72 · 26/02/2023 21:14

I am not sure about the area you live in but for my son’s year 6 trip on the letter from school it mentioned that you could also contact the local parish council if struggling to pay as they could help with grants to fund residential school trips. Might be worth a look and contacting them as well?

UdoU · 26/02/2023 21:20

Isn’t there a reduced rate for low income families? I was on FSM and paid reduced rate (about 50% off).

mummyh2016 · 26/02/2023 21:24

You might find that the school haven't advertised any discount for those who claim FSM so those that can afford it do pay the full amount. So say if 100 kids get FSM and 30 of them pay the full amount no questions asked they're only reducing the amount asked for those other 70 rather than the full 100. Not great obviously but makes financial sense for the school. Try not to panic but I agree with other posters, I'd email the HT first thing tomorrow rather than bother with pastoral care or anyone else.

shehasglasses48 · 26/02/2023 21:27

?

JudgeRudy · 26/02/2023 21:28

At the risk of sounding blunt, why are you asking us? We've no idea. Speak with the school and see what they suggest. There might be provision for cases such as yours. Don't sign up for stuff in future till you have more details.

CantFindTheBeat · 26/02/2023 22:37

JudgeRudy · 26/02/2023 21:28

At the risk of sounding blunt, why are you asking us? We've no idea. Speak with the school and see what they suggest. There might be provision for cases such as yours. Don't sign up for stuff in future till you have more details.

Erm.... have you not grasped the point of MN at all???

It's a forum to canvas thoughts, views and experience from those who may possibly have some insight.

Or empathy. Of which you, my dear, seem sadly lacking.

ancientgran · 26/02/2023 22:45

JudgeRudy · 26/02/2023 21:28

At the risk of sounding blunt, why are you asking us? We've no idea. Speak with the school and see what they suggest. There might be provision for cases such as yours. Don't sign up for stuff in future till you have more details.

You must have missed the bit where she asked the school but they haven't got back to her with an answer. I guess she asked us as she was looking for a bit of reassurance, maybe people who have had similar issues and school have been flexible.

Anele22 · 26/02/2023 22:54

A few years back schools weren’t allowed to charge for trips and could only ask for voluntary donations with the caveat that if they didn’t connect enough money the trip couldn’t go ahead. Has that rule changed? Great shame if it has. Or was it only ever for trips during the school day that the rule applied to?

freddy05 · 27/02/2023 00:18

The school should have a charging and remissions policy on their website, if they don’t have them they can’t charge for anything, this policy must comply with the law.

if the trip is Sunday to Wednesday on a none bank holiday week it is 2 none school sessions (Sunday am and pm) and 6 school sessions (Monday Tuesday and Wednesday am and pm) therefore, as more than 50% is school time, the whole trip is designated as in school time.

so, school can’t charge anyone for the education or the transport for the trip but they can charge for bed and board.

but

schools cannot charge bed and board for children eligible for means tested free school meals.

schools can ask for any voluntary contributions they want to and can say that they’ll cancel trips if they don’t get enough money but ‘charges’ are legally restricted by the education act.

it’s not ‘help’ or ‘support’ you don’t have to ‘apply’ for it or feel grateful for it because it’s simply illegal to make the charge in the first place.

that being said, we all know that school budgets are tight, that things need paying for, and that school are doing their best to do a lot with very little, so everyone should contribute as much as they can towards these thing but that doesn’t absolve schools from the requirement to comply with the education act and their legal duty to ‘disadvantaged’ children

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