Kids excluded from free trip

[AbiGabi]

Some of the kids at my dc’s school were selected to be allowed to go on an outward bound/activity trip where they had a great time staying in huts, having campfires, petting animals and doing some exciting and amusing team activities and sport.

The activity was free, and it wasn’t advertised to all parents in the year - only those who had been picked.

I only found out about it when I saw the school newsletter saying what a truly fabulous time the kids had had, and about 3 pages of photos showing them all havi nt fun. The school newsletter then banged on about how amazing it was that the school was to be able to provide this trip totally free to the kids who went, because the outward bound centre provided facilities for free so the school only had to pay for food and the coach to transport all the kids. Coaches are NOT cheap!

last month the school came begging for contributions to buy classroom equipment and I gave the school £50 not realising they were spaffing money on trips my dc wasn’t invited to!

Aibu to feel this is sharp practice by the school and unfair?

Can I ask - do you all think poverty is something to be ashamed of?

And it may very well be that they can’t say “pupil premium paid” as it may not have paid for it all.

For example I know the school used a fund to pay for my two boys to go on a trip that was mostly pupil premium kids. We didn’t qualify, but their sister had just died and the HT felt they’d benefit it.

schools can’t run every single decision by all of the parents. You just have to trust them that they’re spending what funding they have into the areas it’s allocated for if it’s specific funding, and sensibly if it’s not specific.

They don't say it's pupil premium because they are ashamed. It's not said because it's literally no one else's business. The fact it stops nosey people judging small children for having the audacity to go on a trip is secondary.

I don’t think it’s something to be ashamed of, but the only poverty I’d have the right to share is mine. Schools absolutely should not be sharing in newsletters which children come from poor families and which don’t.

Especially as pupil premium isn’t only given for low income and publicly identifying children who have been in care, for example, would be absolutely outrageous.

I remember when I was in secondary school, a group of kids were taken to the local university and given a number of outings. I was jealous. I now realise these kids were from poorer families.

I think it’s silly of the school to publicise this as it may make other kids jealous. However, as an adult @AbiGabi you could probably have put it together that it wasn’t just a conspiracy to keep your kid out.

I get it, DC's primary school did horse hiding lessons, swimming lessons and day trips for some children. We managed to cover our bills but nothing extra at the time, we don't claim benefits neither so it was a tough time. We did a lot of nature walk etc as it's free.

My children turned out okay. We still enjoy nature walks. They don't have too much expectation from me. 😅

That is not why they don’t declare pupil premium.

The school will have different budgets, each of which are accountable and money cannot be moved from one pot to another. The trip has probably been funded from a specific pot to help specific children. It usually doesn't need explaining. However you obviously do need it explained. Contact the school

The reasons may not be shameful but people do feel ashamed being poor, especially children in the company of not poor children.

I’d imagine there was a certain criteria for the trip, which could have been anything that you don’t know about. Examples include - Sen children, children who are lacking confidence, children who are young carers, disadvantaged children, children who get pupil premium and so on. In my area there’s quite a few children from military families (we are not!), they get taken out on trips and stuff which I think is lovely, I believe that military children get extra funding through pool premium. Whole range of things that it could be. YABU.

No, you can’t ask, that’s not the point here.

I think its wrong the reason was kept a secret. If it was for disadvantaged children or some other valid reason I would have no objection.

Do you mind me asking what the process was like for registering your child as a young carer please? My daughter is one but isn’t registered as one. I’m just wondering if it’s worth it! I don’t like the sound of social services getting involved….

I don't think being poor is shameful.

However, the poorest in the class aren't always the PP pupils. A lot of those seem to manage ok, some don't. I queried a child last week who is the shabbiest child in the class and was told no, not PP, Dad works!

These budgets are ring fenced.
They literally cannot use them in any way outside of the intended use.

Agree its either pupil premium for disadvantaged or military children......they also can be claimed for by the school. When ny dds were at school in Portsmouth where it was common practise for this to happen, it was always labelled under HMS Adventures so parents knew it was specifically for military kids.

@AbiGabi No, I don't but my mother did and because of that I did not have Free School Meals because she thought that I might be bullied or I would be made to eat separately... that did not happen in either school but I knew how much she struggled to balance budgets at home. I also forgot to tell her about a school trip that I knew we could not afford and spent the day in school in the library and the art room and she never knew.

I am now the Chair of an inner city school where we sit at around 50% for FSM in a three form entry primary school, we are also the borough with the highest poverty rate in London. For our Pupil Premium recipients, we spend every bit of the budget we can on them, to ensure that they receive enriched cultural capital, whether that be trips for which we pay because we can see that we can close the gap and the difference that it makes.

I am sorry that you children did not go on the trip, by all means ask what the criteria was for the trip, the school should tell you in the spirit of transparency.

Lots of school funding come with very strict stipulations and guidelines that they may only be used on specific children. This could be for pupil premium or free school meal children, SEND children, children who are young carers, children with recent bereavement or certain mobility issues, gifted and talented children etc.

In our science department for example, we get occasionally get small amounts of funding or bursaries from companies like Airbus or Rolls Royce or Leonardo who contact us and say they can fund a small trip for our “top ten science performers in the year” to visit them or something along those lines.

Parents only think money is being lavished on children in a competing way when it’s on trips. They don’t see that every day almost all children through their school life may get funding to do things or for provision at certain times when others don’t. Every time a PE teacher coaches or takes kids to a sports fixture that’s money spent on some kids and not others. Any time a kid is part of the school production and school funds are used for rehearsals, costumes, hiring venues, drama teacher time, that’s money spent on some kids but not others. Every time an anxious, nervous or SEND child has extra provision, extra support, extra pastoral care, staff being taken away from their normal working duties to coax or soothe or calm them down, that’s money spent on them and not other kids. Parents have got to stop seeing “trips” as the only way school money is spent on their kids.

It's not but like you said in one of your previous posts.

You were made fun of because you were poor

Maybe they want to spare the kids from any bullying

I don’t but it’s not for me to judge- If the people involved would rather not let others know then that’s their choice and the school/ parents have to respect it. Clearly there is a massive stigma to being on benefits generally- look at the daily fail for that.

Plus there will be loads of people who then take an unhealthy interest in the family finances of those involved- like “oh they are supposedly pupil premium but I saw her with a new phone, at the pub, they went on holiday last year etc”, when they don’t know the details.

Why would children from disadvantaged backgrounds have to have that information plastered all over the school magazine?

"Look, we took the poor people or the SEND people out on a trip" accompanied with photos for every one in the school knows who the kids in poverty or with additional needs are...

Yeah, not ok.

Not a complete idiot, but you came to Mumsnet rather than talking to the school about whether the funding used for that trip was ringfenced budget. You are coming across as not only unreasonable but a bit of an entitled prick.

Well you know what if they actually advertised the fact that pupil premium is helpful it might help! At my dd primary school people didn’t disclose they were eligible and the school struggled because of that. And it’s not about being nosey, I would like to know how the school spends its money. I think that’s very important when they are sending begging letters. And to the poster who said they cannot ask for funding for essentials, okay what is “essential” because I think calculators are essential so I’m not sure how the school is asking specifically for funding for items like this if it’s forbidden.

Why don’t you believe it was the reason stated in the newsletter?
If your child had been picked for the trip would you be so concerned about the criteria or the children left behind?