AIBU to object to school asking parents to cover trip shortfall?

[BingoBongoBusted]

So, I coughed up the required £23 for my child to go the school's "celebration day" for all year 5 and 6 children.
They have now said there is a shortfall, as not everyone had paid, and another £182.50 is required for the trip to happen, asking if any parents would like to pay more.
Pupil Premium families get half paid anyway, so those of us that have already paid in full are essentially being asked if we'd like to pay a bit more to fund the freeloaders who haven't paid.
AIBU to think this is outrageous???
I get that it's a trip in the school day,contributions have to be voluntary and unlike residentials either everyone goes or it doesn't happen, irrespective of who has/hasn't paid, but I thought charging extra to cover the non-payers wasn't allowed, which is what this very much feels like.

Or maybe some people can't afford it. I was a single parent, injured from DV so couldn't work for some time when my DC started school. I had NO money spare for school trips.

Nice mindset -
OP says freeloaders -
I say the disadvantaged
food banks are used these days more than ever -
families are genuinely living hand to mouth -
if some families can contribute a bit more, and are willing to do so- good on them,
OP don’t be so naive

One of the things we asked for a few years ago on the PTA is to have the option for parents to pay extra for class trips. We have a really mixed catchment from SMID 1-10 and so there are plenty of families who can easily afford £15 and probably an equal number of families who can’t afford £5. So we give the option for a double payment for the fun things and we almost always exactly meet the figure needed due to that. I would never think of it as freeloaders - my kids are lucky and I’m lucky and I hope I never have to worry about an extra £5 and I hope no child needs to sit alone in a classroom for the lack of it.

One time we were selling tickets for our cinema night for £9 and two separate families came up with a handful of change and asked to pay in installments. They were desperate to pay their way and ensure their children didn’t miss out but it was a genuine hardship for them. We obviously waived the cost but it really stayed with me.

How has it gone from £23 to £182? Where is the trip? How many days?

So, the children from more privileged backgrounds, who would likely do these trips with their families get to go, whilst the children who would benefit the most miss out.

Above anythknyg else, state education, means children get equal opportunities. Not create a two class system.

It's £182.50 outstanding in total. Not each. So if half the parents from one class chuck in an extra £10 it's covered.

That's how I read it anyway. Not that they are now asking everyone for an extra £182 individually.

Our school budget doesn't allow us to subsidise trips in this way anymore.

OP said the trip was just under £25. If you can’t afford £25 for a school trip then your life must be really really difficult with children. She isn’t talking about the astronomical ski trips barely anyone goes on.

We live in an affluent area with a c of e school less than 40% of the parents pay the voluntary contribution. Its £4.50 a week. its a load of bollocks I dont get how people cant be fucked to take a basic interest in their kids education / want them to have nice things.
School trips are the same only about half pay....

I'll be told everyone is living in poverty and i dont know their circs. These are the same women who turn up in range rovers / with costa coffees in hand / have kids dressed in boden, mini rodhini and Ralph Lauren etc.

It's always the same arsehole moochers...

To be fair to the school, they are between a rock and a hard place. Most school budgets are cut to the bone. So they could either cancel and risk everyone being angry and upset. Or they can send this out and hope that a) some parents who forgot will cough up or b) other parents will donate extra.

I don’t see there is much more they can do.

I have no problem with our school asking this. Ours is a big secondary with a majority affluent parents and fewer PP etc. Loads of parents can easily afford to chuck in another £20 to help fund a place for someone who's struggling. As long as it remains voluntary and anonymous (ie nobody else knows who has or hasn't contributed ) I think it's fine for the school to ask.

25 quid is still costly for a school trip imo, this stuff all adds up.

Love this idea. I'd absolutely make a double payment too. As it is the letters frame the cost as a voluntary donation, about 90% of parents pay then the school ask the PTFA for a whatever they need to cover the rest, we say yes to whatever amount it is. Might suggest this to the head next time I see her though.

At least they’re honest. My DS school tours is now extortionate, they bump the cost upwards to cover the people who don’t pay, the usual suspects.

Our school sometimes struggles to cover the cost of school trips; it's a real mix of income levels. I've always volunteered to pay a bit more to cover the costs so that ALL the children can go. If you can't afford to, or don't want to, don't do it.

It's pure luck that your kids were born to you and not someone who can't afford to pay for a school trip, or I suppose refuses to but either way, not the child's fault.

God there is such nastiness to struggling families on this thread, especially comments on their children. Be ashamed.

This drives me slightly nuts. I have no issue paying for the shortfall for parents who can't afford it and have in fact paid extra in the past for this reason. I know our school also have provisions in place for those parents. However, I also know at our school there are parents who don't pay on principal as they know the school will somehow fill the shortfall.
I even once overheard one parent boasting about the fact that she never pays even though she can easily afford it 😡

I think it's not a great way to deal with it, but I wonder what other options the school has? And my goodness you sound very bitter

The problem is, though, that YOU know what the ambiguous wording means, but it won't be clear to most of the parents.

Thus parents like OP who have paid will believe that they're being asked to pay again (and is there any mechanism to automatically reject any additional payments from parents who have already paid?); and the parents who have instinctively decided that everybody needing to pay clearly doesn't include them but still feel fully entitled to go are unlikely to suddenly change their mindsets and pay up now.

When you say "funds were always found", do you mean that the non-payers finally stumped up, or that others subsidised them (whether happily or grudgingly) and so the non-payers learn every time that their obstinacy works?

I’ve said this one before but my children’s old school started adding on fun things even to educational trips because there were always parents who just wouldn’t pay.

Suddenly started coughing up the cash though when if they didn’t their child wouldn’t get the ice cream at the end of the trip.

This is a great idea. I’m all for all children going on a trip and none being left behind.

My DC’s schools specify that reward trips or non-educational ones are “pay or don’t attend”. The ones that are to enhance the curriculum are a bit more difficult as they can’t exclude children because their parents can’t afford it or don’t prioritise it. It’s not the child’s fault!

I am more than happy to pay more so that every child gets the same opportunity because their parents can’t afford it. I do get frustrated when I hear other parents saying they just don’t pay because it’s voluntary and the trip always goes ahead.

Yes, I agree I am bitter, because we are being asked to pay more entirely because some people have paid nothing. Not because the cost has actually gone up. If admission prices had changed or the coach cost gone up due to fuel changes I wouldn't mind. It is the principle that I will essentially be paying for another child's admission ticket when their parent could damn well afford it, given the amount that's spent on games consoles, phones, designer trainers, none of which my child has. My child isn't that bothered about going, so if it doesn't happen it doesn't happen. It's about parental choices and I'm making mine. Bitter, yes. Grumpy, yes. If it was a decent educational trip that he'd remember for years to come then fair enough, I think I'd stimp up extra but it's just piddling around with paint ball guns in a forest. Bah humbug. I'll pay for my child if I have to but no one else's.

Not everyone can afford to add extra. Some areas are low income areas that are struggling as a whole so throwing extra money in isn’t easy to cover children who have the same household income as you. The parents who don’t pay sometimes can prioritise other things over paying for the event.
I had to skip the tour as a poor child in the 80’s when you were left behind, I also begrudge the hiked prices to cover those who don’t pay, not can’t afford to pay. There is no way of knowing who genuinely can’t.
I would never want any child left behind but if we all stopped paying, it would be a disaster.

I actually love this idea! I might suggest it to my DD’s PTA.