Why do schools assume we can afford to pay for school trips at short notice

[Commonsensitivity]

I have a decent job, but am still sorting out situation with ex other parent and so money is carefully budgeted.

I heard last Monday about a school trip with payment required before the next Monday.

It was not a massive amount but more than I could afford at the time. It was actually to visit somewhere free but for the cost of a coach etc.

There are many more trips coming up and I'm wondering with the cost of living crisis how the school just accepts that we can afford to pay. What would happen if I said I couldn't.

We live in a wealthy and middle class area so I am assuming not many families have this issue, though with the cost of living crisis it must be an increasing concern.

I have to say whilst it does feel soul destroying, I had to contact school last year for a school trip.

We literally got shat on by Covid and my business folded, we've struggled for ages and are only now just getting a hold on it but still having to be incredibly cautious.

DD was desperate to go on a school trip which was necessary for their course. It was £75 and it just made me feel sick as it came on a month with massive payments.

I had to bite the bullet and contact the finance team at school, I've known staff there for years so I was so embarrassed!

But actually, they reassured me that it was no issue, no one would know we had called, trip was put into instalments and DD went with no knowledge that we paid in installments.

Schools are geared up to all situations, and post Covid so many who would never have needed to contact them have had no choice.

I do remember back when I was on the pta in primary school that the treasurer used to say that it was surprising which families would refuse to pay their contribution to school trips organised by the pta, and it wasn’t the families that were known to be struggling- they would usually scrape the money together somehow

This does show that the pta in some schools at least gossip or discus and judge the financial means of parents. Not everyone wants to admit they are struggling and perhaps the ones that constantly say they are are better off than those that silently struggle.

That’s the most batshit thing about it. They’re not even doing anything fun. It’s 4.3k for 4 weeks living and working with people in poverty in rural villages. Basically community service. All very noble and I’m sure they’ll learn valuable lessons along the way, but that’s something I’d want paying for, not the other way around!! And I changed a few details in my post to be less outing, but its for my 14yo daughter, not son. I’ve looked up the area they’re going to, and it’s described as being extremely dangerous, having a very high crime rate, particularly rapes and sex attacks on young girls, and it’s not advised for tourists!

And I changed a few details in my post to be less outing, but its for my 14yo daughter, not son. I’ve looked up the area they’re going to, and it’s described as being extremely dangerous, having a very high crime rate, particularly rapes and sex attacks on young girls, and it’s not advised for tourists

Jesus. I would opt her out of this. There will be many other opportunities in life to contribute and volunteer. This does not sound safe or worth it financially.

@Ihatethenewlook. In your shoes, I’d write to the school delineating your concerns, requesting an exception for your child, and mentioning that your daughter will do community service locally.

The destination is completely inappropriate. American authorities recommend Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, rabies, and typhoid vaccinations. In some areas, a yellow fever vaccination and malaria prophylaxis are advised. Law enforcement will not be of UK standard. It’s a hard trip if your Spanish is not fluent. In rural areas, indigenous languages such as Quechua and Shur may be the major local languages.
Volunteerism has many flaws, including upholding colonialism, taking work from locals, and participants lacking effective skills to help others.
Parents would need to put aside £ 70.50 per week to afford this, and many simply can’t afford this. Other parents may be reluctant to send their children. Is there a WhatsApp or Facebook parents group you could sound for opinions. Surely you aren’t the only parent who can’t afford this?

@Commonsensitivity - you mean you cannot be bothered to work out its fairly obvious meaning. Try using your common sense. Common sense says if you cannot afford it, you tell the school.

And receive compassionate, understanding responses like that one? No, thanks.

Compassionate, kind explanations of difficulties receive compassionate, kind responses. Complaints about perceived failings receive publicly polite responses.

Compassionate, kind explanations of difficulties receive compassionate, kind responses. Complaints about perceived failings receive publicly polite responses

@Walkaround are you the receptionist off motherland? You give me that kind of vibe!

There are multiple reasons why a school might have sent out last minute information about a trip and asking for payment, none of which are likely to be because staff at the school don’t realise it’s far from ideal to spring this on parents, or because school staff are unaware there is a cost of living crisis. A high proportion of the staff in a school could earn more working in a supermarket, or elsewhere in the private sector. Consequently, there are mounting unfilled school jobs (there is a cost of living crisis, after all…), and schools cannot run efficiently on that basis. High levels of sickness do not help either. If it is a middle class school in a well heeled area, there will likely be as many complaints about not enough being organised for the children as there are complaints about too much being expected of parents.

@Ihatethenewlook
Around here the Dc are expected to raise part of the money if they go. Parents don’t find all of it. Personally I think these jaunts should stop and I’ve never seen loads go anyway. It is usually Dc of rich parents who have chosen a state grammar over private so have saved ££££ in fees. Voluntourism is a Prince Harry and Wiils/Kate type activity and should not continue.

No trip from a school can be last minute. The health and safety checks must be done snd it must comply with staff/pupil rations etc. They also need to book up the venue snd transport. Never last minute. They simply forgot to ask. There’s no excuse for that.

Most trips happen most years. They don't change much unless new teachers feel they should. Therefore schools can easily produce a programme for each year group with approximate costs. School funds can help pay and pta can boost school funds. Bursar knows who gets what. School will know pp children and they can get help too. Others can ask and it can be done via one person. Usually bursar m/finance officer.

If a trip is essential, the teaching cannot be charged for. Transport and accommodation can. But notice must be given to parents and details about safety, travel and staff ratios. None of this is last minute and all is regulated.

First sentence applies to £4000 plus trip!!

Voluntourism

That sums up the pps schools trip exactly. Terribly ethically complicated. Instead of shipping all the kids out to do worthy things, think of what that community could do with even 4.5k!

”Most trips happen most years. They don't change much unless new teachers feel they should. Therefore schools can easily produce a programme for each year group with approximate costs.” I disagree with this statement with respect to primary schools. The only trip that was repeated each year when my children went through primary school was the residential one in year 6. Sexondary school- yes, they were repeated each year, on the other hand.

I don’t get why you’re taking this so personally @Walkaround

It is a perfectly reasonable point and it was expressed reasonably: it isn’t as if the OP came on saying that the effing school was effing useless or anything.

I get it can be hard when your profession is perceived to be under attack but I really don’t think that’s what has happened here.

@Getinajollymood and @Commonsensitivity - my apologies, as the opening post was not expressed aggressively and it did make the very valid point that last minute requests for money for trips mean that something is not working as it should. It was the implication that schools are somehow strangely oblivious to this that got my goat, I guess, so I did take it personally! Also the implication that school staff are all so grossly unprofessional that they couldn’t possibly be trusted with confidential information about a parent’s difficult financial situation. I would be extremely surprised if staff at the school were not aware this late request for money could cause issues (and have no doubt they will already have been roundly told off about it by angry parents).

But that’s their issue. School won’t mind and will have seen it all before.

That was a really nice response @Walkaround

No, @Tenuouslink . That's why I gave my kids back when my late DH had to give up his job on health grounds and our income halved.

You think it’s ok to raise kids in poverty?

This is a silly comment because we are in a cost of living crisis. Hundreds of pounds per family are going to electricity companies. For instance a family may have had £300 pounds per month left to spend on their children. Now it's going into the pockets of the electricity companies.

Good grief! The “pockets of the electricity companies” is just ridiculous. There’s a shortage of energy. Prices go up when there’s not enough supply. The energy companies did not start the war in Ukraine. We’ve had cheap fuel for a long time. Everyone just has to try and manage. Oil and gas have similar volatile prices right now.

Good grief! The “pockets of the electricity companies” is just ridiculous. There’s a shortage of energy. Prices go up when there’s not enough supply. The energy companies did not start the war in Ukraine. We’ve had cheap fuel for a long time. Everyone just has to try and manage. Oil and gas have similar volatile prices right now.

Wake. Up! They are making massive profits. Anyway, it doesn't negate my point that families have less to spend on their kids.

leftfootforward.org/2022/08/energy-company-profits-the-staggering-sums-pocketed-by-firms-while-our-bills-soar/

Mirror.co.uk/money/oil-giant-bp-more-cash-26176060.amp

listen to radio 4, More or Less.

The energy companies profit sounds enormous, but in reality this is a tiny fraction of our bill, around 1%. And the profits themselves are not great at all, when the size of the companies are taken into account. Many of these companies have huge expenditure on infrastructure all over the world. Compared to heir sizes, most energy companies are making much smaller than average profits

Some schools are just shit when it comes to organization. Ours is stuck in the 1950s! Last minute after school events, fine for the SAHMs but not so easy if you have a 9-5 job and rely on after school club. Last minute requests for money and books to be bought and cash for this and an outfit for that. The number of emails we get is through the roof. Around 20 a week if I add it up. Ridiculous. Raising concerns with the school falls on deaf ears. They seem genuinely baffled by articulate women (in particular) who call them out on shoddy, discriminatory practice, disorganisation and the number of emails that say nothing when a simple calendar and payments plans a couple of weeks in advance would suffice.