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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I don't think I am but here goes

312 replies

TheLadyEvenstar · 07/01/2009 22:29

DS1 has opportunity to go on a school journey. I was in 2 minds about letting him go mainly because there is going to be 6 chalets each with 5 children in and 1 chalet with 4 members of staff in.

Now it comes out that the price which is £350 does not apply to the 3 sets of twins in the class they have to pay £350 for the 2 rather than £700.

DS1 really wants to go so i have said to him IF the twins are both going and only paying for one then I will be telling the school that I will pay half the price as what is good for 1 (or in this case 6 with it being 3 sets of twins) is good for all.

Am I being unreasonable to expect the price to be the same for all???

OP posts:
elsiepiddock · 07/01/2009 23:31

Haven't read the whole thread, but surely the school are subsidising. They couldn't increase the cost to make the other families pay the shortfall?

My ds is going on a trip this year with his class in which there are triplets. I hope the school help the family out, otherwise it will cost them £1200 for 5 days!

mazzystartled · 07/01/2009 23:31

mums of twins should just have kept schtum and then there would have been none of this resentment

the letter might SAY cost per child, i was only suggesting that you think about it differently to give you a way of not getting so pissed off

the school [or the lea] has decided to spend some of its money of paying for the twins. you disagree with their reasoning, but it's not your money. tough, really.

decide about the trip on its merits.

Original poster
TheLadyEvenstar · 07/01/2009 23:31

Cascade, actually I do. My mum works in the school and has been on previous school journeys.

OP posts:
Original poster
TheLadyEvenstar · 07/01/2009 23:32

Mazzy as i said another thing i am not too keen on is the fact that there will be 5 children in each chalet/hut and 4 members of staff in the 7th one.

OP posts:
cascade · 07/01/2009 23:33

If you know the score, then why would you make such a suggestion, that teachers should pay!!! I dont understand that.

Celia2 · 07/01/2009 23:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mazzystartled · 07/01/2009 23:34

how old are the kids?

i expect the staff will end up sleeping on the floor of the various chalets

Technofairy · 07/01/2009 23:34

If she is claiming benefits and working 'cash in hand' on the side - and earning another £200 quid a week apparently doing the school run - without declaring it then she is screwing a damn sight more than £350 out of others who pay their way. You know - us tax payers and those who genuinely need benefits.

I would hope you're as outraged about the benefit fraud as you are about her getting a freebie school trip and that when you complain to the school that you will also be alerting DWP. She's taking the mickey every single week and not just when it comes to paying for a school trip. It's quite likely that the school have been duped into paying for the 2nd twin discreetly and no doubt if she paid her way, that money could be used on someone or something more deserving.

Theochris · 07/01/2009 23:34

Hey no need to invoke Godwins law, nametaken!

£350 for 5 days seems very expensive.

Original poster
TheLadyEvenstar · 07/01/2009 23:35

Mazzy 10 going on 11

OP posts:
Tortington · 07/01/2009 23:36

my kids went on a trip to the IOW in year 6 (i think) i had to pay full price for both.

absolutley crippled me.

cascade · 07/01/2009 23:36

To be honest the sleeping arangements are pretty normal. The teachers would do night time rounds to check on the children through out the night. (for some reason children get very excited when it comes to bedtime on a trip) It would not be sensible for a teacher to sleep in the same room as the children.

Original poster
TheLadyEvenstar · 07/01/2009 23:37

Techno, she was reported previously. not by myself but another parent she had been bragging to, She then stopped taking the children for a few weeks but started again.

OP posts:
KingHerodNametaken · 07/01/2009 23:38

what's Godwins law?

OP I agree wholeheartedly with Technofairy. What you should really be getting angry about is the benefit fraud. Have you thought about reporting her to the authorities. You'd be doing everyone a favour.

Original poster
TheLadyEvenstar · 07/01/2009 23:38

wonders what happened to dorms like when i went on school journey??? where the teachers were in a room off of the dorm

OP posts:
Tortington · 07/01/2009 23:39

i did actually take much umbridge with the hardship fund and had a min ding dong ( just a dong?) with the head teacher at the time. I didn't want to go into the secretary and tell her i wanted to beg for money so my children can go on a trip with their peers.

they didn't seem to understand the concept of being proud, no matter how much i explained it.

i wondered why, if there are funds in the harship coffers, they weren't used to reduce the trip for all.

i can't remember what answer i got, but she was very mean about the whole thing.

i paid full price anyway.

Original poster
TheLadyEvenstar · 07/01/2009 23:41

King, tbh i think thats what has riled me so much that she brings in more than we do and illegally as well and has already been caught once before but somehow managed to get out of it???? Don't know how and don't want to. This is when I stopped having so much to do with her as i cannot stand lies and slyness.

I do think it is unfair for one family ot pay per family and one to pay per child. as the letter states price per child and not family. But I will be talking to the teacher who arranged it and seeing what i can do about ds1 going...otherwise its a week off school and if we can't go away what with dp starting a new job we will be going out and about instead.

OP posts:
andaSOLOnewyear · 07/01/2009 23:42

Our school journey this year is £250, also in the IOW. I'm struggling with it...If it was £350, I don't know what I'd do. Ds has paid £100 of it so far himself.
If you are struggling, I think help should be available, perhaps a discount, but not necessarily pay one get one free.

KingHerodNametaken · 07/01/2009 23:43

TheLadyEvenstar because I've got twins, I get a 5% discount in Clarks. That means you pay more for the same shoes than I do .

How do ya like them apples.

Original poster
TheLadyEvenstar · 07/01/2009 23:43

Custardo using the funds to reduce the overall price for all pupils would make sense to me. but obviously not to the schools

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andaSOLOnewyear · 07/01/2009 23:44

Good post TechnoFairy!

Original poster
TheLadyEvenstar · 07/01/2009 23:44

LOL King, oh that i don't mind I don't like clarkes shoes and have only bought 2 pairs from there in the last 10 yrs. 1 for ds1 when he was 5 and 1 for ds2 when he was 10m

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Original poster
TheLadyEvenstar · 07/01/2009 23:45

Anda, is it an activity holiday they are going on?

wonders if it is why ds's school are charging £100 more

OP posts:
MillyR · 07/01/2009 23:47

Kingherod,

You know you can get a car bumper sticker that says 'I only became disabled for the free parking space'? You need to get a 'I only had twins for the 5% off on Clarks shoes' sticker.

Original poster
TheLadyEvenstar · 07/01/2009 23:49

anyway i am taking myself and ds2 off to bed shortly after dosing myself up with paracetomol....nanite all

OP posts: