Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Have you said no to a 5 day class trip?

63 replies

jwpetal · 28/04/2017 06:52

Any advice or experience regarding not sending your child on a class trip?

We attended a meeting regarding a class trip to Wales for my 10 year old ds. The cost of the trip is £355 for 5 days. We are trying to decide if he will attend as this is a lot of money that will impinge on family plans and financially will cause a strain. I asked parents if they would be willing to fund raise for the trip and of 40 parents only 3 said yes. We are an active family and my son does cubs so is already getting many of the outdoor benefits. I can't really see additional experience potential except for he won't be left out, which is a lame excuse, but understandable.

anyone else in this dilemma?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Shortandsweet20 · 28/04/2017 06:55

My school offers financial help for parents who may need it, I would speak to them! School trips are extremely valuable for all children, I love taking them all and seeing the difference by the end of the week!

bigchris · 28/04/2017 06:59

At my primary school there are always 5 or 6 children who don't go, we take them on day trips instead

BertieBotts · 28/04/2017 07:02

Oh there are so many benefits to these trips, most of which are related to the fact they are away from parents and to some extent are treated as grown ups for the first time (In their minds anyway - obviously the teachers keep a close eye!)

I also wouldn't discount feeling left out so easily. These trips tend to involve the whole or almost the whole class and are a source of great excitement as well as being a celebration of the end of primary school. It's a rite of passage, I think you should try to make it possible for him to go.

RhinestoneCowgirl · 28/04/2017 07:02

My DS is in yr 6 and will go on camp later this month (similar price). Not all of the year group go, but over half do. He is really looking forward to it.

We were given the chance to pay in installments over a year.

Brokenbiscuit · 28/04/2017 07:02

There was only one child in dd's class who didn't go - I felt rather sorry for her tbh. I would definitely second talking to the school about your financial concerns. Our school would definitely try to help in such situations.

DoItTooJulia · 28/04/2017 07:03

When my son was in year 6 some of the children didn't go in the residential. They were taken to the same outdoor activity centre for the day instead (but it was only about an hour away from school).

The trip was only two nights and only cost £160 too.

£355 is a lot of money.

RhinestoneCowgirl · 28/04/2017 07:03

And at our school, those who don't go to camp do a week of local day trips.

Stinkymimi · 28/04/2017 07:07

I assume this is the end of Year 6 trip in which case it's about so much more than the activities they will do. It's about independence, camaraderie, and self reliance ahead of the big move to secondary. My DD's was similarly expensive (I was lucky that grandparents paid for it) and it was a fantastic experience for her, really the holiday of her little lifetime. So much fun and so many memories and stories to tell. I realise that family funds are tight but I think not sending your DS would be a real shame for him. Is there any possibility to pay in instalments or get some help from family or the school? The move to secondary is such a big change - all they want is to fit in and if everyone is preparing for and talking about this trip, he is going to feel very left out. Sorry, I know that's not the answer you wanted.
If he's not keen though, my answer might be very different. I'm basing this on my DD's experience. All children are different.

MrsJamin · 28/04/2017 07:08

That's a hideous amount of money, if it's a state school they shouldn't be pricing children out of residential trips. I'm not sure what I'd do in your position.

Stinkymimi · 28/04/2017 07:10

At my school, the few children who don't go on the trip spend the week helping in other classes!

Ratbagratty · 28/04/2017 07:18

Research the cost of the trip before deciding, sometimes your paying double (at least that's happened in the past in out area), school offer trip, local Brownie offer very similar trip half the price, including paying for leaders/teachers.

That1950sMum · 28/04/2017 07:23

I've got twins going on a 5 day residential this year. Total cost £670!!!
We'll not be having a family holiday as a result. I suppose it is about priorities. We saw the school trip as a once in a lifetime and the children are massively excited. We have explained to them that we're having to make sacrifices elsewhere so that they understand this type of money doesn't just fall from the sky!

These trips aren't compulsory though. Some schools do a lovely non-residential week for children who don't go. Others just send them to other year groups. Might be worth finding out what happens at your DS's school before you make your final decision.

CountryCaterpillar · 28/04/2017 07:28

Take the opportunity to have a famiky holiday that week....

RedSkyAtNight · 28/04/2017 07:56

I think it's worth finding out how many DC typically go on the trip. At school schools it seems to be basically everyone, so your child will probably feele they are missing out if they don't go.

At DD's school only about a third of Y6 go on the long residential, so it's no big deal at all not to go.

AlexanderHamilton · 28/04/2017 08:01

At my children's school it was a year 5 trip. At most others Year 6.

Virtually everyone goes. You know about it for years before & it's something the kids look forward to. "When I'm in Year 5/6 we get to go to x centre"

AlpacaLypse · 28/04/2017 08:14

Definitely talk to school re help with the cost. Very few schools don't have access to funds to help ensure that no child misses out purely for financial reasons.

seoulsurvivor · 28/04/2017 08:16

The people who say stuff like 'oh but your son will learn so much' on this kind of thread have their heads in the clouds.

Not everyone can afford that kind of trip, learning experiences or no.

GuestWW · 28/04/2017 08:45

We have a combined year 5/6 trip at our school and I have a DC in each year so understand the expense, although we are fortunate that we can afford it.

We run the same trip (same location, same timing) with our local Youth Group for almost half the price so I do wonder why it costs so much for the school to do it.

Agree it is a rite of passage but absolutely talk to the school, they should be able to offer some assistance even if it is paying over a longer period of time.

SoulAccount · 28/04/2017 08:52

at the response to fundraising. At our primary the PTA worked year in, year out to subsidise the residential so that it was a very low cost. All families knew from Reception that the cake sales and fetes and quiz nights supported the trip and that their kids would benefit in turn.

Suggest your DS chooses some old toys to e bay to contribute to the cost?

2014newme · 28/04/2017 09:03

School trips are not 'once in a lifetime ' 😂 there will be loads of school trip opportunities at secondary school including trips abroad, skiing etc.
However I do think missing out when all others are going would be hard. If you can Afford it I would do it.

Witchend · 28/04/2017 09:04

Our school has one in year 4 (£300) and one in year 6 (£400). Friend had twins in year 4, and one in year 6.

But they do say no child should be prevented from going through cost. So chat to the school and see what they say.

I'd have said no to fundraising too. They wouldn't be fundraising just for your dc, they'd be doing it for all. If they work really hard and get £1000, then that's £25 off each. Lot of work for probably very little reduction, and it would be the same parents that do all the other fundraising doing it-and possibly not the three who said fundraising was a good idea.

LilithTheKitty · 28/04/2017 09:06

it's £50 in our school for the 5 days. We're technically in a 'deprived' area though so I think it's heavily subsidised. That amount of money for one family member would be impossible for us. Our family holiday costs around that.

ExplodedCloud · 28/04/2017 09:12

Dd isn't doing her residential. She has ASD and she will hate it. I'm not quite sure what's going to happen.

Isadora2007 · 28/04/2017 09:21

One of mine did it and the other didn't. Through choice.
If it is solely down to money I would ask the school if they have any advice or hardship fund you could access some help from? Or would they consider instalments.
What does your son think?

I think it can be an enriching experience but I don't know why they don't do similar in the first year at high school so they can bond with the new kids they will be working with rather than at the end of primary when they're pretty much bonded and about to be separated.

metalmum15 · 28/04/2017 09:56

At our school, they do residentials before year 6. That sounds very expensive though. Is your son genuinely bothered by missing out? If he is then perhaps you should try and scrape the money together. If not, I wouldn't worry. He will probably just spend the week in school doing other activities. (In our school, they get put with a different year group, but get to do a fun project of their choice. )Bear in mind that when he gets to Secondary school trips become ridiculously expensive and there's a good chance you'll be saying no to a lot of them.

Flip

1 2 3

Swipe left for the next trending thread