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

[UndertheCedartree]

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 😥

Totally up to school how they operate.

Have a conversation and they will likely set up a payment scheme. How they spend PP is up to the school and will be on their website under PP Strategy.
Maintained and academies get PP funding. We don't have a decretionary fund but others may have.

In the past I didn't pay for trips as PP covered them - but obviously these were just day trips. Last year and this year I've had to pay for trips. I did have another look at the letter and it did say to speak to them if struggling to pay.

Because I knew I'd get lots of useful advice which I have!

We had to sign up in November and pay a £25 deposit. They always say they need to know numbers going before working out the cost.

Yes, exactly. Thank you @ancientgran

Thank you @CantFindTheBeat that's it. And it has all been so helpful.

Thank you for that all very helpful. But yes budgets are so tight and I will absolutely make as much contribution as I can.

I hope you manage to sort something OP. My year 6 is going on residential in June and it's costing us £350 too. Our payment plan is £100 by November, £100 by January and £150 by April. They did give us more notice though regarding costs than yours have though.
We're not struggling too much at the minute but it's still an hefty sum to be paid out and so you really do have my sympathy.

Hopefully school will be sale to sort something out and maybe you can carry on paying towards it after the trip. I do think yabu to have agreed to a payment plan that you couldn't sfford from the outset and should have spoken to the school from the very beginning.

I didn't go to my yr6 residential, my parents couldn't afford it. It hasn't scarred me. Fear of missing out should not be used as an excuse to put yourself into situations you can't afford.

echoing many others PP can def be used for this. We use a big chunk to pre-subsidise for PP kids, and there is a substantial extra layer of subsidy for those who still can’t pay the cost. But that’s a choice we make each year and it means less PP for other things.

am shocked tou get so little time to pay too. The residential is on our school accounts (ParentPay) from Yr 2 on so people can put money in when they have it.

i hope school listens and helps, they really should.

When you hear back from the school see if there's flexibily on making the payment plan longer. The PTA might also have some funds that can be used if families are struggling, and the school might have a discretionary fund.

I'd caution too much optimism from the replies saying PP funds can/should be used for trips. They can be, but they don't have to be and it isn't a pot for individual students. It's a PP pot to raise attainment for the group of eligible students. Sometimes on here people suggest that each child has a pot that parents can claim to find certain things but it doesn't work like that.

DD has now left primary but where she was, there was absolutely help available to families struggling to pay for trips, and nobody would have missed out on y6 residential due to not being able to afford it. Like a PP poster we voluntarily paid double for every trip DD did for the whole of her time there, on the understanding that it should be used for a family struggling to meet the cost. And on the flip side, once I forgot to make one of the staged payments, the school secretary called a week later and said 'we realise it's hard so if you can just pay a bit that will help, but don't worry if you can't'. In my case I had simply forgotten, but the phone call was definitely not 'we'll cancel her place if you don't pay'.

I really think that once school get back to you or you speak with the head, that they will be able to stop you worrying.

As much as of course the trip will be so worth the money, it's still a lot to find, isn't it? Sounds like your school spread it out a bit more than ours.

I haven't 'agreed' to the payment plan. It was just what we were told to pay. And it was only last month we were given it so I've spoken up pretty quick. Also it's not fomo that makes me see this trip as so important for my DD. It is that she has been suffering terribly with Long Covid and along with the physical symptoms has been anxiety and depression. I believe this trip will help with those things and not going will increase them. It might not have affected you but it will my DD.

Unfortunately, the pastoral care teacher hasn't been very helpful. So I've emailed the head of year and cc'd the head teacher.

I did have a look at their PP report and they do use some of the money to help with trips so hoping they may be able to help.

This.

Contact the school, as others & yourself have said, but ask what grants the governors can made for a child like yours. My granddaughter regularly got help with GCSE study guides, residential costs etc. Most schools are inclusive and keen to help.

I work in a primary school and if you are struggling this much speak to the school they may be able to help you with pupil premium, especially if your child is allowed free school meals beyond KS1. Please contact them (apologies, if you have already) they will not want any child to miss out as this is a key moment for a year 6 child. Good luck

£350 and it's not even a week long trip. 😮
Travelling there on a Sunday and back on Wednesday means just 3 nights plus 2 whole days (Mon Tues) and 2 half days (Sun Wed)
Crikey! Is the trip in the UK. I really don't see how they can charge so much unless it's partly subsidising the teachers accompanying them. Just as the tour guides on coach trips don't pay entrance fees or included meals as it's tacked onto the fares.
I'm glad my 5 children weren't asked to pay those kind of trip prices.

I would imagine it is entirely subsidising teachers. Trips are the most stressful part of my job, it is bad enough having to give up the Sunday and work the Monday and Tuesday night unpaid, why would there be an expectation that we pay for the privilege? I have to pay dog boarding fees when I go on residential, I’m not willing to pay for the trip too, I would just cancel it.

OP did you manage to get this sorted?

When my dd was 12, she's now 50, she was invited by the school to go to Poland on the march of the living. I could not afford it. She was asked again the following year and didn't even tell me. She said no. Then my dad who lived in England asked why I didn't tell him. He'd have paid but I didn't ask them for big things. More like an M&S bra. She never held it against me. These things are so hard when the money isn't available. I hope your dd manages to go.

I've not heard back from the school yet but I've been able to pay the Feb installment as a kind someone gave me some money ☺️