Quick poll: How does your school charge for school trips/outings?

[northender]

Our school asks for "voluntary" contributions and gives a suggested amount. The PTA subsidise 1 trip a year for each class. What has been happening though is that lots of parents don't pay, the PTA makes up the shortfall so that all children get to go (which it can't afford to keep doing).

How does your school manage this? Are school trips made optional so those who don't pay don't go? I would really appreciate your responses as we're trying to come up with a better solution.

btw we're talking of trips that cost £10 or less if that makes a difference

Thanks.

Its horrible that parents dont pay because they dont want to or expect somebody else to pay.

I think your school needs to get tougher re trips. Give plenty of notice but make it clear that they will be cancelled if the costs are not covered. Parents get CB, most get CTC so it would be very rare a parent could truly not afford to pay. Giving notice allows those that need to to be able to budget or pay in instalments.

If your hubby is on the PTA, thats great. Let it be known that the PTA will be supporting x, y and z but no longer providing funding for trips. A specific cause can help with fund raising rather than just a general pot.

There are lots of fun events that cost little to do but can raise funds.

"Parents get CB, most get CTC so it would be very rare a parent could truly not afford to pay"

• well my CB and CTC go straight into the pot for household spending and are usually spent on gas, electric, water, food, clothes (for the DS's).........

Not everyone has the luxury of being able to keep their CB and CTC to one side for "other spending", and some people - no matter how much notice/advance planning they can do will NOT be able to afford the trips.

I'm on benefits, but do manage to pay for the DS's trips.........and while I do usually need a gentle nudge by the school to remind me - I do pay up because I can.

I know of other parents who can't find that money and despite being on benefits I have no issues with paying.

It's those that admit they can afford it but CBA to pay that annoy me.

Voluntary but expected here... or the "trip can't go ahead if it isn't fully funded". Around £5 usually.

This is very interesting. I don't have a school age child but I do work in the Education Dept of a London museum and it's interesting to hear how the schools organise it. From our point of view, until we started charging for teaching sessions this academic year everything we offered was free and our biggest problem was schools who would book sessions for which we then have to schedule staff to take them. The school cancels at the last minute through lack of take up and we are left footing the bill for the teaching staff who work on a freelance basis.

Because of this we now make a charge for all teaching sessions which means that only local or richer schools can come and do anything. What I didn't realise was that schools are not charging the parents but relying on those who are good enough to pay or who are able to pay. So it seems like nobody wins.

My dd's school trip this week was £22.54!!!!!
It is voluntary but you do get a reminder letter if you haven't paid reminding you that you need to make your "voluntary" contribution.

Sit down for the next bit..........
the year 6 residential trip has been subsidised by the ptfa! They are paying £10 per child toward it so the cost per child is ..........

£360

faint

My dd is one of 3 kids not going, she doesn't "do" sleepovers and so adamantly didn't want to go. We are off to Crete with the other girl who isnt going and the boy who isn't is off to Portugal with his parents.

Not one single free dinner at our school (220 kids)

DS1's YR4, 2 1/2 day trip to somewhere that's in the same county as us is probably going to be £128 (only got the letter the other day that was the highest expected cost - will be able to confirm exact cost once they get an idea of numbers)

ds's trip next week is 'voluntary contribution' of £16. Which is about normal for full day school trips at the school. Not sure if anyone refuses to pay up.

Though the pta made £5k on the Christmas fair, in a state school of 150 children. Wish the money went to subsidise the trips.

I should say dd's trip (well she isnt going on it) is monday afternoon to fri morning!

QOD - I just read the bit about the PTA funding £10 per child going - that's actually quite generous as even if there's only 1 class of children going, 30 in a class, 3 not going is 27, so £270

Ours offers "pay for 1 twin get 1 half price" !

yep, they are putting £5 toward the trip and £5 per kid pocket money.
I was going to take dd & said friend away in our caravan locally for a couple of nights but then my mum offered to take us all away.
A week all inc in Crete is £373.
The reason our residential is so dear is because it's in high season.

actually £370 for Mon-Fri school resedential sounds quite reasonable -

£373 for all inc for a weekend in Crete - flights, everything?????

NOooooooooooo week in Crete, not weekend, not school hols time, not transfers though.

Technically schools can't charge for trips so it is usually worded as a voluntary contribution. In the past we have had to cancel visits when contributions haven't been forthcoming. Children can't be excluded from visits during school hours even if parents don't pay. Some parents are aware of this and play the system others genuinely haven't got £10 to spare.

We try to keep costs as low as possible but it is the cost of coaches that is the problem for us, we are in a rural area so most coaches are already booked for school runs, if we can squeeze a trip between these, ie from 9.30 to 2.30 we can usually book a coach for £200 but if we want to go before or come back after the cost is doubled. As we are a small school we find it difficult to fill a coach, I have 23 in my class, but still have to pay the full cost. A whole school trip(which we run once a year) requires two coaches at c £800 for 80 children-and this is before any entrance fees/costs etc.If the trip is curriculum based we cannot refuse to take anyone whether they pay or not, only on "social" trips can we insist on a payment.