Associated costs with school trips

[Tudorfan]

I just wondered if there were any teachers or staff who work in schools who have insight into the costs for school trips?

My daughters school are taking them on a trip to the cinema - they have asked for a voluntary contribution from parents for £5.00. They subsequently have changed the conditions of the trip by sending a second message advising that consent for the trip is linked to payment. Meaning the payment cannot be voluntary?

They have advised the school is covering the bulk of the costs of the trip.

They will be walking to the cinema and having packed lunches, so no transport costs. The cinema includes one member of staff free for every 10 students so no staffing cost. The cinema charge £4.50 per student for a cinema showing.

Are there additional costs occurred by a School for insurance for such a trip? I’m slightly confused how they have advised they are covering the ‘bulk’ of the costs.

Transport costs
Food costs
Activity costs

I know our activities provider is around £2,500-£3000 which is fairly food value compared to others. I also know we use grants, bedding, parents, PTA etc to reduce costs.

What they choose to eat can vary massively and it depends on your schools relationships with supermarkets etc. so ours has a good relationship and they will often donate items.

Also depending on how they use funds. Some school have greater funding and may choose to use that for residential.

Your friends school must be subsiding their trip. I have just got quotes for my school for next year and the cheapest is £645 for 5 days and that is before transport added!

@Barefootsally are the trips identical?

Transport, catering, activities booked etc. all make a difference.

Slight diversion but I don't get the entitlement of thinking your child should still get to go on a trip if uou can't be bothered to pay. It's different if you literally can't in any way, shape or form afford it, but just refusing to pay and assuming the school will cover it? That is not right and taking the p*ss to be honest

Who do you think is doing the work of the teachers who are going on the trip? Supply teachers who cost £190 a day where I am.

If primary , very often the only teachers are the ones that are working with the class. The other adults would be TA's, or parent volunteers or other auxiliary staff. No need for a cover teacher. In secondary they tend to wriggle time tables around.

Even if there was, schools aren't allowed to charge to cover that.

There is no "wiggling" of timetables. I'm just planning a trip for next year and I have to cost in supply or we don't go.

Yes we always cost in supply

Never heard of a time table that can be wiggled - I don't know where you got that idea from

Can you afford to pay for your child? If not contact the school and explain this. They may cover it for you. They won't want kids missing out due to money problems. They will need to cover cost of more adults in all likelihood.

@MrsHamlet schools aren't allowed to charge for supply cover. Whether you do it or not, that's your business but the rules are clear.

And there can be wriggling, again , maybe not happening everywhere, and the logistics might not work everywhere. I know it happens because I have a few friends that are secondary school teachers.

If I'm not there to teach my lessons, we can't "wiggle" my doppelgänger into place, or move my lessons to another time.

There's no spare staff floating about waiting.

It's supply or nothing.

Some of us actually are secondary teachers and you’re talking nonsense

95% of my colleagues are secondary teachers and we agree that the PP is talking nonsense.

Nonsense about what?

That schools shouldn't add the cost of supply into trips or that no secondary school in UK actually manages to do trips without bringing in supply cover?

This thread is on the Primary school site. I’ve never seen supply used in Primary for covering trips. Teachers go with their year group plus TAs and often parents. Head teaches any DC not going - those who prefer not to.

My sons primary school currently has a supply teacher in his class, and a lot of primary school in my area are having to stop parents going of field trips now, due to needing criminal records checks through the school and they cost the school money

I was a supply teacher in primary and did this a lot.