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Education

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Original poster

school are charging £43 for one ticket to a summer ball. Taking the mickey?

74 replies

avenanap · 12/03/2008 21:44

Starts at 7:30, ends a 1am, starter, main (chicken or vegies), desert (fruit), coffee and dj. I think this is way too much. Would you fork out and go or give it a miss?

OP posts:

pointydog · 12/03/2008 21:49

I cannot imagine my school having a ball. Doubt anyone at all would go.

bogie · 12/03/2008 21:49

Thats a hell of a lot I would begrudge paying it but i wouldn't want my child to be the only one not going.
See what the other parents are doing first.

Original poster

avenanap · 12/03/2008 21:51

It's for the parents. £43 for chicken!!!!

OP posts:

Quattrocento · 12/03/2008 21:51

I avoid all balls and dinnery things as a matter of principle. I still have to go to around 6 compulsory ones a year. Going to the school ball must be entirely optional. AVOID

pointydog · 12/03/2008 21:51

lol @ child not going to a ball. Adults surely

bogie · 12/03/2008 21:51

For the Parents????!!!! whos cooking Gordon Ramsey

pointydog · 12/03/2008 21:52

hell's bells, quatt. You avoid them on principle and still have to go to six. Are you not normal

nametaken · 12/03/2008 21:53

But Balls are supposed to be expensive and swanky and excuses to dress up to the nines and wine and dine and dance till the early hours aren't they?

If I were you I would join the PTA and organise a fish and chip supper with raffle!!!! Thats what we have.

Original poster

avenanap · 12/03/2008 21:53

I'm just shocked at the cheek. They have also asked for 'donations' for the raffle, they suggest that they should cost above £20!!! Am I unreasonable to think that they are taking the piss?

OP posts:

ScienceTeacher · 12/03/2008 21:54

Sounds on the cheap side of reasonable, tbh.

Hulababy · 12/03/2008 21:55

DD's schol ball (for parents) was £45, this weekend just gone. It was a 3 course meal with coffee, disco, band, etc.

TBH it cost no more than any of the other balls, via DH's work, we have been to - although normally the firm get to pay for that!

We went (also went last year) and it was very well attended.

Sadly I was ill and had to leave pretty early having eaten no food But our friends say it was a great night. It certainly was last year.

MrsJohnCusack · 12/03/2008 21:56

I do think this about the going rate BUT it is a bit of a rip off

I'll never forget going to a quiz night at the extremely posh private prep school that my friend teaches at. it was flipping hilarious, questions on the telegraph, people bringing picnics and eating them off silver and drinking from crystal, ultra comptetive, and the head apparently ensured the questions were geared towards his interests so that his team won as he couldn't get over the humilation of not winning the year before. Our team got told off for something, I forget what, but my friend (the head of English, no less) squealed very loudly 'oh I know THIS one' when a (obviously rogue) question came up on Atomic Kitten
that school has balls and I would NEVER EVER go to one (except maybe for comedy value)

Quattrocento · 12/03/2008 21:56

Nobody goes to school balls unless they are bored or desperate ...

mazzystar · 12/03/2008 21:56

if its a fundraiser for the school then it probably needs to cost that at a minimum in order to make a decent profit

but i hate that sort of thing and would gladly pay £43 nvt to have to go

Original poster

avenanap · 12/03/2008 21:56

They have fish and chip nights with racing, they cost £10!, disco's for the children are £5. I pay school fees on top of this, the uniform costs a fortune. I've had enough now. This is the icing on the cake! Afraid Gordon Ramsey's not cooking.

OP posts:

Hulababy · 12/03/2008 21:57

Yes, we were asked for donatins for the raffle too - had a theme for our class, but didn't need to spend loads on it. £10 would be ample, and not compulsary.

Raffle tickets were £5 a strip.
Heads and Tails game was £2.50 per person

Mind the prizes were worth winning!

Alcohol wasn't cheap - not used to that so much as normally at balls it goes on DH's expenses - but no dearer than any other I have been to.

pointydog · 12/03/2008 21:59

is this a private school? £45+ would be going rate for a proper ball. A school one makes me think of gym hall with wall bars.

(I reckon xenia wouldn't half like the odd ball or two, quatt. Don;t think you'd be bed buddies on this one )

TheDuchessOfNorksBride · 12/03/2008 21:59

We have an annual school ball - £35 per head and it's held at a very decent hotel. Everyone who's been says it's fab. We missed last years and this year we'll have a new baby but we'll definitely go next year.

Is it free-range chicken?

Original poster

avenanap · 12/03/2008 21:59

I think they are fundraising for a mini bus. ds won't be there in september so he'll never use it. I can't justify the ticket price, the baby sitter etc. I think they have had way too much cash off me. Local University do a 12 hour ball with loads of bands and food for £30!

OP posts:

alfiesbabe · 12/03/2008 21:59

LOL at MrsJohnCusack - you are so right!!

Hulababy · 12/03/2008 22:00

We have a quiz nights too, and the odd other event, All relaxed and good fun; great for meeting the parents and socialising informally with them. Have made some good friends at school now so we have a laugh.

At our school these things are very well supported by people throughout the school. But it is a small school with a really friedndly atmosphere, so you tend to know quite a lot of people, etc.

hanaflower · 12/03/2008 22:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

avenanap · 12/03/2008 22:03

Yes, it's private. They are also planning an afternoon tea party with string quartet (???). Nightmare! ds is leaving and I really can't be bothered. I might spend the cash on something worthwhile, there are kids starving in Africa, £43 will buy them more than 1 chicken meal.

OP posts:

TheDuchessOfNorksBride · 12/03/2008 22:04

And our school doesn't ask parents for raffle donations - we ask local business/parents companies/employers etc and are very well supported from it.

pointydog · 12/03/2008 22:04

oh if it's private I'd think fair enough.

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