Can't afford Dd's very expensive school trip

[Wario54]

My DD is 15 and in year 10 at the moment. We live a deprived part of the North of England. She goes to a local, state comprehensive

My DH has had his hours reduced at work in recent months. I work part time in retail (can't get anymore hours unfortunately - I have asked). Like a lot of families, we're financially struggling to keep our heads above water. But we get by (somehow) and I never take the little things for granted (that we have each other, food on the table and a roof over our heads). We've not told our kids about our financial worries - they know there isn't much spare money but not about the extent of our problems.

Dd has come home tonight with a letter and great excitement about another school trip. They had a guest speaker today (external travel company) in assembly today enthusing them about a trip to Borneo of all places. It's 4 weeks long and the cost is £6,500. Currently planned for June/July 2027 (just after her GCSE'S). They are expected to fundraise some of the cost themselves (bake sales, sponsored walks etc) but we will have to pay the majority if she's to go.

She said today that she'll get a Saturday job to cover some of the cost herself. But even with that, taken into account we just can't afford it. It breaks my heart, because I'd love to give her that opportunity but I know we simply can't.

She's full of excitement about trekking through the jungle and cuddling Orangutans. But how do I tell her when she's already set her heart on it? 😢

I just think the school are being completely ridiculous by offering such an expensive trip in a cost of living crisis.

Holy fuck, that is a lot. My kids are at a London independent, most parents on v high incomes, and they would never organise a tip costing that much. Just bonkers for a state school to do it.

Also how do you gift aid that ?

You aren't everyone now, are you? And you have zero idea what I do, so pipe down.

Would you say the same for any other job that has work abroad?

CEO in meetings all day in NY. Ooooo fun weekend away!
Finance manager in Berlin. Enjoy your holiday!
Business consultant in conferences in Qatar. Lovely few days away! Did you get to do much sightseeing?

No? Then when would teachers work be any different

(Except for the fact they're not being paid and will be doing the entire trip in their unpaid holiday. And won't get weekends off. And will be on call throughout the night.)

God no please don't get your children to pack my bags. It is an acquired skill to do it correctly, I don't even let DH do mine.

Trip of a lifetime 🙄😀. Sales pitch.Dd did a gap year worked for 6 months in a restaurant then used the money to travel with a friend for 4 months. They got way more of that than a trip like this.

Actually when I travelled with work my MIL couldn’t get her head round it and kept on like I was on some sort of holiday.

Teacher will be sightseeing all day on trips
not sitting in boring meetings in an office block !

While having to herd teenagers and dealing with any mishap that might happen to them, day or night. It's not a holiday I would choose.

Teacher don't go on these types of trips - they are externally organised and don't include teachers

You honestly think that supervising a bunch of other people’s teenagers on an international trip is a holiday?

@Yesimmoaningaboutbenefits my H as part of his job tour manages a mature band, uk and overseas - it’s hard work, early start, late finishes , dealing with crew and promoters, hotels, venues , keeping all fed and watered etc -around 11 people in total - You would be suprised how many say ‘did you have a nice break’

That’s ridiculous & id be pissed off. Sit her down & say you’re sorry it’s too much money & sadly she can’t go. Although it’s unlikely that
most of her friends will go, it was unfair of the school to advertise it to everyone. Tell her sooner than later & a quick complaint to the head asking for an explanation

I think schools need to get a grip . If they want to do these independence building type trips, go to Sweden and do the woods/lakes use their rather fabulous hostels or maybe camping in Transylvania or the Tatras in Poland etc - there are so many options that could come in at under £1200 and be a great use of time and an experience and be far more doable even if you had to do a bit of fundraising - these exotic location ones are usually run by a load of Tabitha’s and Tobys who honestly think these amounts are in the real world and gets them loads of trips too . Actually having commercial ‘experience’ companies in cold selling and building things up in impressionable teens is incredibly unacceptable and even more so I feel in deprived areas -

My kids go to an independent school and that trip would be a hard No!

I was about to post the same.

OP I would maybe take your child to see how much a similar trip would cost in 18 months and see if she could realistically save for it by then. If she has her heart set, it is a life lesson and take strain off you.

School trips are fully of beareaucracy. You pay for insurances and extras you most likely don't need. Plus I wouldn't be surprised if yiu cover some costs for faculty too.

It would be a hard no from me too.

Yes. Especially 16 yos who most likely know how to behave and don't depend on you.

That is a crazy amount of money for a school trip. Even better off folk would probably prefer not to spend that amount of money on one child. The school is totally out of order here. And expecting other folk to bankroll the trip with sponsorship is really cheeky. Its not a charity. Maybe a complaint to the Governors and Local Authority might be an idea.

I certainly couldn't think of anything worse!

I'm glad it all calmed down op.

I'm assuming now you're either very hard of understanding or a troll.

It's a shame when any school thread just descends into this nonsense

It’s a thing! Most of the schools seem to be having similar. World Challenge do the rounds at state schools.

And sneak off to drink/smoke/worse...
And find secluded places for privacy with their bf/gf...
And are noticable targets for local crime...
And are known for making poor decisions...
And think they know better and know everything because they're teenagers, despite never having travelled alone before...

It beggers belief how unaware people are to anything outside their own experience!

The Stones?

Rather him than me!

Except the whole point of it is to fundraise 😂