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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

School trip for Yr6 - will it scar DD if she doesn't go?

39 replies

MaryBS · 18/06/2010 10:19

DD is in year 5 at the moment. We've had a note home about NEXT June's trip for Yr6. The cost is £200 for 2 nights/3 days at an adventure place. Its apparently for bonding relationships for children going to secondary school, but DD won't be going to the school that most of them will go to. Not all the children go on it.

There's no doubt about it, it will be great fun, but I think £200 is a HECK of a lot of money (yes, I know they'll be more at secondary), and wouldn't spend it on myself!

Can we afford it? Well its pay in instalments over the year, and so we could find the money, although it would be useful for other things (DD's bedroom really needs a new carpet for instance).

DD said she thought it was a lot too, and she'd understand if she couldn't go, but she's quite softhearted like that. Plus there'll be other opportunities like Scouts, which don't cost as much...

Advice please...

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emy72 · 18/06/2010 10:27

It is a lot of money and it depends on the child? Does she prefer a new carpet or the school trip? Why don't you let her decide?

I still remember mine and I know I would have chosen it over anything, including Christmas presents....but every child is different? x

scurryfunge · 18/06/2010 10:33

School trips are important to children but no one should feel under pressure to go. It might be you defer a trip until she starts secondary...there will be plenty on offer. My son's school has had at least one foreign trip on offer every year. It will give you longer to save up and probably be more beneficial when she is older.

SkipHopJump · 18/06/2010 10:36

She won't be scarred. I didn't go on my Y6 trip because it was to Paris (Paris???! What the hell).
I think I felt a bit left out but I wasn't too bothered. My parents did some fun things with me to make up for it. Then we all went to high school and it didn't matter anymore.

My friends from primary school now all think I went on the y6 trip anyway, they seem to have written me into their memories. 'Do you remember in Paris when we....?'

admission · 18/06/2010 10:41

I would ask myself the question, how well developed is this within the school. In my local primary the Year6 residential is the highlight of the year for most of the pupils. They look forward to it and it has been a feature of the school for mny years.

As such I would question whether this is new or something that most pupils look forward to. Your child might be saying the right things to you because they believe that is the right thing to say, but how will it seem and be perceived by her and her fellow pupils if she does not go.

Personally I would be more tempted by this 3 day residential than some of the "offers" in a secondary school as a way of really bringing out the "real person" in the child

DecorHate · 18/06/2010 10:49

I agree with admission - in our primary school the Y6 trip is also a bit of a rite of passage. It is the only residential/pricy trip they do in primary school and generally all the children go. Occasionally one child does not go and everyone feels sorry for that child and they spend the whole week hanging around the school office as all the teachers have gone.

And I also agree that secondary school trips are more "optional" and more likely to not have everyone going on them...

Though I do feel your pain at the cost - I often feel that the whole family could have a holiday for that amount!

Bonsoir · 18/06/2010 10:50

I think that £200 is silly money for a 2 night school trip. I would complain to the school.

DecorHate · 18/06/2010 11:02

I agree the costs are a bit steep - we normally pay less than that for a three night trip. My dd did a 2 night trip last year and it was £100 (may have been a cheapish last-minute one though)

Bonsoir · 18/06/2010 11:03

My DD's school has done a 12-night school trip with masses of activities for the Year 3 equivalents for the past few years and it costs about EUR 800.

muggglewump · 18/06/2010 11:07

I'm going to start saving for DD's when she starts P6 and the trip isn't till P7!
It's a big thing in out school and all the kids go, it would be a huge deal to be left out of it, but if your DD isn't fussed then that's different.

I have to say I'd rather send DD on the trip than have a new carpet, but then I'm not house proud and I think memories last longer than carpets.

toccatanfudge · 18/06/2010 11:09

gosh that's expensive - DS1 has his YR4 residential coming up next month, it's 2 nights, they're doing all the acvtivites, and last we voted for the "extra" bits and a bit more expensive (mainly because those of us who bothered to send the form back have youbnger children which means we can't give our older children the same opporunities as the younger ones are too young......anyhow I digress.

It's £130.....and that's the "expensive" package........

DS1 is going on his trip even though I do baulk quite a lot at the cost.

He also however said the same thing as your DD..........but I know he's good at giving the "right answer" even when it's not what he'd really like iykwim

ZZZenAgain · 18/06/2010 11:11

if it is a bondi g exercise for a secondary school she will not be attending and you find it too expensive and she accepts that it is too expensive and not everyone goes anyway, I personally wouldn't bother with it.

primarymum · 18/06/2010 17:11

I'm taking my Year 6's on our residential on Monday! it costs £120 for travel costs, three nights accomodation in London, food, including a meal out, visit to the theatre, visit to the Tower of London, river boat trip and extras such as ice creams and drinks. This is the only trip for the yr 6's ( I have a mixed age class and the 5's stay behind) although we also run a residential for 4/5/6 at an activity centre. All but one of my 6's are going and they have been talking about it all year, the yr 5's have even made me promise we will definitely go again next year and won't go anywhere different! The year 6 who isn't going is on her annual holidays so will have her own tales to tell when we get back. It is considered to be a celebration, a ppreparation for secondary and just time when we can all relax and enjoy each others company ( although whether I will feel the same on Thursday night is another matter!)

Original poster

MaryBS · 18/06/2010 20:26

Wow, thats a fantastic price and trip, any spare places?

I've pointed out to her that £200 would buy her a cheap laptop (rather than a carpet), which she's been on about having for ages, and there was no contest - the laptop!

Thanks for all your help and suggestions. I WOULD complain to the school, but they've already done their level best to justify the cost in the accompanying letter, so I don't think it would get anywhere. They've been doing this trip for a number of years now. DD said that of her class this year, 5 Yr6s didn't go (they have mixed yr5/yr6 classes).

OP posts:

UniS · 18/06/2010 20:30

I wasn't scarred at all by not going when I was top juniors. Had a fab week at school with 3 other " not going " kids and a supply teacher who took us skating and doing practical science stuff.

MmeRedWhiteandBlueberry · 18/06/2010 20:41

We do a PGL trip that lasts 3 nights/4 days. We are a small school so take those who want to come from Years 4 - 8. The main uptake is from Year 6 as it is seen as a 'leaving prep' trip. However, not all go because they may not want to. Even in Year 6, some children are reluctant to be away from home, but just a couple of months later, they are happy to sign up for the next year's visit when they are in Year 7.

We love our PGL visits because you can see how the childen progress year on year, and to set personal goals and exceed them.

TBH, they are kept very busy with the planned activities, which are mainly about individual achievement. The time they are together as a homogenous group can quite often be a time of naughty behaviour, eg not going to sleep at night.

I don't think it is particularly useful as a bonding trip before secondary. In year 6, they should be well bonded!

We pay about £180 for our 3/4 days (our coach is expensive). I know that PGL charges about £110 for this amount of time.

Take2 · 18/06/2010 20:51

Even considering to stop your child going on a school trip is ridiculous.

A missed trip could severely damage their social growth. The other children will likely reject her when they return to school, she will become an outcast from society.

SoupDragon · 18/06/2010 20:53

I wasn't allowed to go on my Y6 trip because my parents booked our summer holiday so I had to take the last week and a bit off school. I am still cross about it all these years later.

IndigoBell · 18/06/2010 21:43

You shouldn't have to save all year to go on a 2 night school trip. I'm sure others won't be able to afford it either, or won't want to go for other reasons. I don't think you should send her if it is hard for you to afford it.

All I remember about my Y6 trip was being forced to do things when I was scared of heights, and everyone laughing at me.

PandaG · 18/06/2010 21:51

DC both doing a 2 night weekend at PGL with cubs - £70 each including all food and activities - we do have to get them there though.

I think £200 is an awful lot of money for such a short trip, and as you say, if DD won't be going to the same school as the majority of the others the laptop seems a winner to me!

Ingles2 · 18/06/2010 21:59

we have a 3 night trip costing £200 in yr 5 and a 7 night trip to Wales,rock climbing, kayaking, etc in yr 6 for £300.
The difference is no child has to go and there is a fantastic alternative.
A week of day trips, legoland, castles, go ape etc for £70. All are payable over 1 school year and the children seem to be happy to do either.

Ingles2 · 18/06/2010 22:01

cut short my post
but meant to say
I would encourage her to go as I think it is a big stepping stone but I would be speaking to the school to see what the alternative is if she doesn't go and if there is a voluntary fund that can pick up some of the cost if you can't afford it. It is not meant to cripple you for a year!...

roisin · 18/06/2010 22:21

I have a vivid memory once of chatting to some yr11 students about their time at primary school. Many of them could remember very little except the shows and the residential trips, which they remembered clearly and with great affection.

I'd go for the trip if you possibly can.

But our yr6 3 day residential trip cost £70 and every child goes, so it's easy for us.

ivykaty44 · 18/06/2010 22:24

secondary schools are more and more doing these types of trips to get year 7 to bond

why not find out first if this is the type of thing her secondary will be doing in 18 months time?

then make a choice

crisproll · 19/06/2010 13:02

Going on a residential trip in Year 6 is about so much more than bonding. It is about developing independence, meeting challenges and having fun!! It sounds to me as if the school realise the trip is expensive and are giving you plenty of time to pay in instalments, which might not be as painful as buying a carpet outright. I am a single parent with one DS and will save like mad to make sure he is on the residential trip. I missed out on mine,my folks couldn`t afford it. I, of course, pretended not to mind but was devastated!

LIZS · 19/06/2010 13:15

What is the alternative for those who don't go ? I would n't buy the bonding thing so late in year 6, after all they will meet a whole host of potential new friends when they move on , but it is a nice way to round off primary school, if you can afford it and she wants to go.

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