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Primary education

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

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Original poster

Yr6 Residential trips away - does everywhere do this now?

32 replies

TsarChasm · 16/05/2009 17:51

(Ok have moved this over to this topic rather than on chat...)

Ours is being pitched as pretty much part of the curriculum and the expectation is that all will go.

We can afford it but it's a push tbh. I do feel somewhat railroaded into saying yes.

Also, I would have liked more time to pay tbh. We've been given 5 months to come up with £200. Not a vast amount perhaps but a lot to some, especially as over the next few months we have our own family holiday to pay for.

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ellingwoman · 16/05/2009 17:59

It is the norm in our local primary schools. We get a payment card in November and can make regular payments up to June when they go. We used to go in March and the cost was a third of the price of the week in June! Parents found the increase hard with their younger dcs. It is not compulsory but the children who don't go spend the week with the year 5s. It is usually the children in care Why the school or LEA can't fund them makes me cross.

If you have difficulty making the payment see the HT. If there is a good reason there may be a special fund available - some schools have I know.

Original poster

TsarChasm · 16/05/2009 18:03

No I think we can do it, it's tight, but yes I guess we'll have to.

I feel I've been pushed over it because the emphasis is that it all ties in with the curriculum.

I would not leave dd behind and make her feel the odd one out.

OP posts:

IotasCat · 16/05/2009 18:10

Ours do it in year 5

mrz · 16/05/2009 18:11

Some of our Y6 are off to the Lake District after half term there are limited places and it is optional if children/families want to go.

ellingwoman · 16/05/2009 18:14

I wonder which bit??

It is a good experience though. For those who have never been away from home it's time away with familiar faces and adults. Also good for those with normally limited access to activities. I agree you do feel that it's not an option and they could start a savings scheme the year before to help people who struggle to find the money.

Original poster

TsarChasm · 16/05/2009 18:15

Families can go on yours mrz?

Ours is supposedly optional but I can't see how anyone could feel too comfortable about being left behind as it's very much expected that they all go.

OP posts:

serenity · 16/05/2009 18:24

DS1 is flying off to Cyprus with the school tomorrow evening - it's costing £265, but we've had a year to pay it. The school asked for a yes or no last May and just needed a £50 deposit by the end of the school year. IIRC 31 children are going , 17 aren't. The ones that are staying are under the care of the Yr6 teacher that didn't go, and will be doing activities rather than serious work.

They actually did two for this year6, they also had a trip to Paris last October, but I couldn't afford both (wouldn't do both anyway!) and it was too short notice (4 months, like yours) DS1 didn't feel particularly left out, he wasn't the only one not to go.

EarlyAdopter · 16/05/2009 18:24

yes wiht payment in installments

lisa34 · 16/05/2009 18:26

my ds1 went on residential in yr 4 and loved it.

Original poster

TsarChasm · 16/05/2009 18:28

I do think we should have been told about it earlier.

In fact I feel quite annoyed that we weren't.

Even if they didn't know exactlty how much, they must have known from previous years a ball park figure and that it would be imminent.

OP posts:

newpup · 16/05/2009 18:28

Ours go for a week to France, the second week of term in Year 6. I have opted for DD not to go. I have reservations about the safety of the place they stay at and as a governor know about a few incidents that have happened on previous trips other parents do not know about!!

I let her go on a weekend residential earlier this year and she has been to Brownie camp, so not against residential trips per se just this one!

The school are not happy that she is not going as this year there are 8 out of 30 children opting not to go. That means that instead of just going into a different class as usually happens when 1 or 2 stay behind. They must provide a teacher for them.

Also, I was not popular with other parents, as the school made a big deal about the trip costing more this year because more children are not going!! It costs £250 per child was only £20 less last year!

I have had a few comments from other parents and the Head but it is my decision and will not be pushed into it by anyone else. I have a gut feeling it is not a good idea and that soon we will have a serious accident due to the way it is organised.

fryalot · 16/05/2009 18:35

Do you lot all know that if a child is entitled to free school meals, it is illegal for the school to ask them to pay for a residential school trip.

It is also illegal for them to refuse to take them.

I know that not everyone on this thread will have kids who get free meals, but it is well worth bearing in mind if there is anyone reading this whose children are

Original poster

TsarChasm · 16/05/2009 18:38

I'm sure they're fun and all that. But I don't feel like I've really had the choice because the expectation to go is very high.

Newpup it is very wrong to pressurise you like that, but I can see how the situation could arise.

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muggglewump · 16/05/2009 18:42

Our school do and I'm already thinking I need to start saving. DD is in P3 (Scotland) so it will be in P7.
I think it's around £200 and then you need to buy stuff too.

DD does get free meals now although I hope to be working very soon, I just want to be prepared way in advance so she will be able to go on the trip when it happens.

Paolosgirl · 16/05/2009 18:56

Both DC's have them in P7 - both to the same PGL centre in Perthshire. DS's school takes full advantage of his catchment demographic and charges nearly £100 more as DD's school because they go in May. Nearly £300 for Mon lunchtime - first thing Friday morning. DD is nearly £200.

The whole thing winds me up - it's been a struggle for us to afford them, but he would have been the only child not going, so we did it somehow. I'm completely against residential school trips tbh - puts parents in such an awkward position.

Original poster

TsarChasm · 16/05/2009 19:04

Paolosgirl.

They seem to be part of school life now then from what people are saying.

OP posts:

stitchtime · 16/05/2009 19:06

chidren learn soooo much from staying away. we had 240 quid for five days away, and it was in year five

Paolosgirl · 16/05/2009 19:09

That's on top of the ski-ing lessons that DS's 'offered' in both P6 and P7 at £90 a pop. A letter came out telling us about the trip and the ski lessons in the same week. We had to say no to the 6 weeks of ski-ing lessons (he'd already had them in P6), but it was only him and another boy who didn't go, and they had to go into P6 and take part in their lessons. I was absolutely furious, and I know he was very embarrassed.

Original poster

TsarChasm · 16/05/2009 19:11

God it gets worse It's school not a travel agency.

OP posts:

GrimmaTheNome · 16/05/2009 19:19

DDs school has a long weekend at the start of halfterm - yr 6 and yr5s if theres spare places. Its rafting/abseiling etc etc type of thing. They go off on the friday morning and return sun evening - that seems an appropriate length of time at that age, and doesn't mean that those who don't want to go aren't left behind for a whole week.

jellybeans · 16/05/2009 19:22

I am all for them but am saving now for when my twins go and will need close to £500 plus 2 lots of supplies!!

Paolosgirl · 16/05/2009 19:33

I agree Tsar. If schools want their pupils to do these things then they should either fund them or subsidise them heavily. Alternatively, if parents want their kids to go on these things they should take them in the holidays.

Grammaticus · 16/05/2009 19:33

newpup - if you believe this trip is unsafe then I think you have a duty to draw your concerns to the attention of the school and try to get the arrangements changed - you'd feel awful if something happened to one of the children.

newpup · 17/05/2009 09:41

Grammaticus. I certainly have made my concerns known to the Head and other governors but as the head is fully supportive of the trip, I was brushed off as an overprotective parent.

I have had my concerns minuted at the meetings and I can give my personal opinion as a parent to other parents but obviously anything discussed confidentially at a governors meeting can not be discussed outside the meeting.

Most of the parents are unaware of incidents which have taken place. My main concern is with security at the place they stay but those concerns have not been taken seriously by the governing body or head.

I can refuse permission for my Dd to go but not much else. Although there are more children staying behind this year than ever before so there are some other parents with similar views. The head is passing this off as the effect of the credit crunch but I know money is not the issue for them.

I would certainly feel angry if anything happened to any child but I have done all I can in the situation.

RustyBear · 17/05/2009 12:02

squonk - I'm pretty sure it's only illegal to ask those eligible for free school meals for payment for board and lodging on residential trips, not other costs. It will reduce the cost substantially, but with coach travel the price it is there would still be quite a bit to pay.

At our school the Year 6s go in September & they have been paying instalments since last term. They have known the rough cost since last year but we couldn't give a definite amount till March, because the coach company won't give a firm quote till six months before the trip.

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