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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

Cost of trips at secondary school

64 replies

LovelyBath · 29/01/2016 10:49

OK so it looks great, the local secondary school. However it does have very expensive trips etc. I know I should be grateful as it's a state school and has lots of opportunities etc etc. BUT I'm a bit worried about how much it's all going to cost. Apparently most of the after school clubs are free at secondary though so I suppose that's good.

To be honest some of the trips don't sound exactly necessary, but I guess if they didn't go on it they'd be well, left behind (which I suppose might be a lesson that we can't always do as we wish)

When we looked around I asked the boy showing our group around about the trips. What happens, about the trips costing a lot? He told me, well the ones who can afford it go and the others don't. I'm not sure how true this is or if there is some sort of a fund to help people.

I would have thought it might be better to have some sort of fund raising for charitable type trips maybe but the ones which were described were ones like:

A trip to (somewhere hot can't remember) to go snorkelling
A ski trip to the USA which cost thousands
Geography trip to Iceland

They have trips every year apparently so you can see that with more than one child this could add up!

Any thoughts? You might think, well don't send him there but it has a great reputation and it's our local school. Other options would mean a costly bus pass, which again I'm too stingy to want to do.

OP posts:

TeenAndTween · 01/02/2016 13:26

For £140 a month for a bus pass for 5 years you could pay for 1 or 2 school trips to Europe.

eyebrowse · 01/02/2016 14:36

I think the existence of these trips opens children's eyes to possibilities and I think in most schools if a child who can't afford it wants to go there are ways of giving them the opportunity. Also suggests there is a good mix of pupils. So I would think these trips would be a plus for the school rather than a negative

ILostItInTheEarlyNineties · 01/02/2016 15:38

The trips are a plus to the school because they improve their image and they also encourage affluent parents to send their children to the school. Although a state school, they rely on parental donations, contributions to equip their departments which I concede will benefit my children.
It is quite naive to assume that there are ways of sending children on trips that can't afford to go. At my sons' school, they will offer to discount a big trip by a third if they receive free school dinners( only available to those claiming out of work benefit). I hardly think unemployed parents could find the few hundred pounds to fund a trip! For those parents that have a low income there is no help.

FairyDustDreamer · 01/02/2016 17:24

Yes so 1000 poundish trip still round 700ish for those on benefits/ pupil premium children.
Still not inclusive in my eyes.
For the op though, buses and expensive travel means expensive school trip school seems the most sensible option.

Northernsoul58 · 01/02/2016 17:38

This is not answering OPs post, but thought I'd share.
Some families in my DSs school really struggle financially. I'm not in that boat (TxG) so if there is an ordinary trip - such as a local science event at the Uni - which doesn't cost much for better off families (£15-30), I offer to also pay for a 'disadvantaged' child to go along. I have never disclosed this to my DS as that would be just irrelevant and I never ask about how it is spent, but the teachers - and I hope the families - do appreciate the help. hints

ILostItInTheEarlyNineties · 01/02/2016 18:23

Northern soul I love that you do that

FairyDustDreamer · 01/02/2016 18:41

Northernsoul a lovely, selfless thing to do.

seven201 · 01/02/2016 20:39

Definitely don't let trips affect which school you choose! I'm a teacher at a secondary school and there are quite a lot of trips offered, but a low percentage of students actually go on them.

anyquestions1 · 01/02/2016 21:49

OP, I definitely think it would be a mistake to send your kids to a school that is further away just because of the trips issue. Going to the local school has a value in terms of making it much more likely that your DC will live near their school friends, and therefore be able to meet up with them without being reliant on lifts from parents. Being able to be independent is a big deal for most kids of secondary school age.

HSMMaCM · 01/02/2016 22:23

DD's school had trips every year. She didn't go every year. I don't think any of her friends did all of them.

HesMyLobster · 01/02/2016 22:43

We told our 2 dds that they could choose one trip each at middle school and then one each at high school.
Both applied to go to France in year 8 but neither got on that one as it was oversubscribed. DD1 chose an outdoorsy activities type trip to Wales in year 9, and this year is going to San Francisco (year 11)
Dd2 is going to Belgium next week (year 9) and I imagine will also do a "bigger" trip in year 11/12 depending on what is offered.
Both have been absolutely fine with the rule, and most of their friends have had a similar plan.
There are over 300 students per year group and each trip only has around 40 places, so it's really no big deal not to go.
Nothing like primary school when almost the whole class goes.

Leeds2 · 01/02/2016 23:01

At my DD's school. we usually get several reminders about the more expensive trips. Which are offered across several years. And which may lead one to conclude that they are having trouble selling them!

DD went on the Spanish exchange. Can't remember the cost, but not all MFL students went.

She went on a day trip to the Battlefields as part of History. recall that was compulsory.

Went on a trip to Snowdonia as part of Geography GCSE (3 days), a trip to the south coast for Geography AS (3 days) and a Geography trip to Iceland (5 days). The GCSE and AS trips were compulsory, Iceland was not.

I wouldn't let the cost of trips put me off a school. The reality is that most of them don't go. And aren't in any way looked down upon for not doing so.

clary · 02/02/2016 00:23

Yes OP seriously don't let this issue affect your choice of school.

If you like the school otherwise and it is local, these trips are a total red herring. Honestly honestly I would be amazed if most of the year went on a trip abroad, leaving your DC sitting sadly in an empty classroom.

As others have said, very few trips take more than 50-60 students. We ran a trip to France one year with 100 kids, never again. It was just too many.

How big is the year group at this school? 200+? If so, there is no way the whole year or anything like it will all be going on a trip, unless it is a compulsory one-day type in which case it will be v cheap.

The school plugs the fancy trips on its website because it sounds a bit more exciting than "the children will get the opportunity to learn maths and English every week". Also they think it will attract people to consider the school. Not because they insist that every child goes and make you empty your purse to pay for it.

Original poster

LovelyBath · 02/02/2016 08:55

I think there are 120 admitted each year. Yes, it will be helpful for him to go there as will be able to walk or cycle, so in terms of cost and exercise and it being local / friendships etc that's a big plus.

OP posts:

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