Residential trip COST!!!

[Cauliflowersqueeze]

Monday-Friday on a PGL or PGL-style break with Year 7 or 8....

I really think £415 is far too much but these companies appear to be constantly putting up prices!

Has anyone experienced anything for a reasonable price?

I don't think these trips should be stopped, I think all kids should be facilitated to go on them, ESPECIALLY the ones whose parents can't afford it. The schools need a fund, Pupil Premium or PTA fundraising or from central budget, to ensure that the children of struggling families are not left out.

I work with inner-city teenagers who have hardly been out of their own postcode / never been to the countryside / another regional city.

PGL type trips give kids the experience of different activities, test themselves against outdoor challenges, solve different problems, see the word differently, and yes, forge friendships over facing new challenges together.

I think all children should go on them, and as part of the school curriculum. Maybe one 'adventure' type trip in Yr 7, 8 or 9 and one curriculum trip (WW2 history or Glacial features or a language trip, or whatever is most appropriate and could be chosen by the child in pre-GCSE year)

Not sure where you are based but there are lots of centres around the UK that would not charge that price and would offer a comparable trip..although I would go back to PGL and say - sorry thats too high what is your best price and tell them you are looking at Kingswood too!
This is a centre in Suffolk which is brilliant but would only take 50 in the main centre £225 all inclusive for 4 nights (except travel)...they have a river (canoeing), caving, the high ropes is in my opinion much better than any of the Kingswood centres because its in a natural setting and they also do bushcraft! www.thorpewoodlands.co.uk/prices.php...
Here is another centre in the Peak District that do a school package for 4 nights for £195 per child with unlimited free staff/teachers and the centre is amazing and kept spotless. www.peakcentre.org.uk/index.html they also provide free waterproof footwear/jackets/trousers..

It is ridiculous the price they ask. My dd didn't go on her year 6 trip. It was £420 for 4 nights at PGL.
We've just had 7 nights 2 adults 2 children apartment Great Yarmouth £195 then £200 spending money which included activities and food!

Teen yes both those places look great but the year group is a lot more than they can accommodate.

PGL were asked for their best price but they don’t have to be competitive because people will play.

*pay not play

I went to France for 5 days in year 8 for less than that!
It is a huge amount of money, for my dc that would have to be a flat no. Even on a year long payment plan we just wouldn't be able to afford it.

Hollowford in the Peak District can take 140 pupils, which may be an option.

We have however just paid £600 for our daughter to have a week at PGL during the summer holidays because there is no other holiday provision for secondary school aged children and they take childcare vouchers so we get £50 a month to pay for it.

I don't think that is that much ready, it was about the same for our teenagers trip last year

It is possible to do some kind of trip for less than that, but for one which includes lots of activities which require equipment,N instructors and high ratios, it's a very usual price.

I agree that schools need to give loads of notice and a payment plan option and that school based activities need to be available as an alternative - and if all that happens it is okay and good to offer these things. They are very enriching and make a big difference to lots of kids - it's often when pushing themselves to try a new activity that they gain in confidence, or by staying away they develop independence. And yes, some children have done it all before with Scouts or on other holidays, but some haven't.

The reality is that this kind of enrichment does cost. Some people seem a bit out of touch with the reality of the cost of this kind of thing - they think schools are creaming off money, but schools usually work hard to get costs as low as poss. Not everyone will ever be able to afford it, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be offered at all. Lots of families will be able to afford it given plenty of notice and a payment plan, if they choose to go for it. For others they won't need to give the cost a second thought. Some won't get to go if school can't fund some places or subsidise some. I really don't think that this means the visits shouldn't be offered at all - yes, schools should shop around for a good deal and offer plenty of notice and payment plans, but they cannot be responsible for making sure all can afford it.

I'd also mention that running a trip like this involves hours and hours of work for schools. This will all be on top of the rest of their work....loads and loads or first assessments and paper work and dealing with money, plus meeting with staff and parents and then the time away which isn't paid extra. It's not because it makes money for individuals or schools but because they believe it really is educational and makes a difference.

Sometimes I no families do need to be prepared to make some sacrifices....and before people jump on me and say they can't afford food or bills,nor course I don't mean that, and I don't mean a family should go without their one camping holiday if the year either....but I do think that given a years notice, lots of families can and do manage to make a few sacrifices and plan ahead and include thing like birthday presents or gifts in the cost and find a way. However, I also see lots of families who believe that every single thing should be paid for by schools and parents should never have to pay for a pen or transport to a swimming lesson, or a revision guide, or any kind of trip - some of these people are hard up and some aren't but feel on principle that they must complain about any cost at all. Perhaps they haven't grasped the reality of school funding and that many schools don't have enough glue tpsticks or paper and have had to sack the teaching assistants, never mind providing any extras. Unfortunatley the reality is that parents WILL be asked to pay for more and more, because schools simply can't cover it...parents can say 'no' and education will become even more basic nd Spartan and grey, or those who can afford it easily or with a bit of a push, can accept they will have to pay and that is is just one of the costs of bringing up a child. And yes,nor course it's unfair that not everyone will be able to afford it even if they scrimp and save, but perhaps you have to look at the wider school provision and most schools will have provided some enrichment for all in some form and much of what is offered is very much optional.

Finally, why are providers like PGL etc used who obviously have to cover their costs and make some money too? Because firstly it already takes hours and hours and hours of work to run a reduce tail for school staff, even when using an established company and doing it all from scratch without using such a firm would take many many hours more (which would mean most trips just couldn't happen) plus the other key thing is insurance and expertise which these official companies supply and many local authorities or academies are not prepared to endorse trips without such suppliers...because the risk is simply too high to offer such activities and organise such trios without a big name and its insurance and expertise behind it all. So often it really is, use these companies or it can't happen.

I don't think schools are creaming off money, or making money off the trip ChocolateWombat, I know it is PGL and the coach that take the money, but, for us, it was just not 'value for money', because, as I said earlier, my dc, and many of their friends have had the opportunities to do all those things, and to continue to do all those things, throughout the year, with Scouts (others with guides, or other Youth organisations). You can also go on taster sessions for all sorts of things like rowing, sailing, paddleboarding, FREE through the ParkLives scheme.
We've paid out more than that for our dc to go on some particular trips, later in secondary school - but they were trips we'd never do as a whole family, so were 'experiences' we were buying.
For me, it isn't about 'being able to pay on a monthly plan over the year', if the trip doesn't provide good value for money. It is still too expensive.
ow, if your demograph is such that not many dc get to go on activities or trip like this, then maybe the "value for money" is better - as it is a one off experience, but I'd wager that if the pupils as a whole haven't had those opportunities in the past, then they are likely to be families on more limited budgets anyway, so the high cost is a deterrent.

Noble makes a good point about 'the numbers left behind'. The fact it is in term time, means it is a very different prospect for those who don't go, than offering say a ski trip in the holidays, when those who don't / can't go, aren't "left behind in school".

I reckon your best bet for future years is to convince school managemant of the value of a residential experience, and then show them how much cheaper it could be much earlier in the year.

Most activity centres (I wont say all) will have all the paperwork at hand to send out to school - risk assessments etc and will be fully insured and will also have documentation at hand to send out to parents....they deal with schools children day in day out...I;ve often had the opposite issues is that we are a group of families and they have expected us to submit paperwork in a school format.

Here is another company who have two centres we have used which are much larger - can accommodate a larger group - both are geared to deal with schools also a lot of the larger YH's offer activity trips for schools with bursary options for those children/parents that do not have that large amount of disposable income (Castleton YH comes to mind again in the Peak District) . Both are in Wales but the facilities at Llangrannog are amazing with dry ski slope and indoor pool plus both located on the coast. My group paid £205 and £185 adult/child for 5 nights during summer holidays ...I know they get very busy with the Welsh schools.www.urdd.cymru/en/residential-centres/llangrannog/

Also look at Acorn Adventure - again they are geared to cope with schools and can make the process easier.

My DD is at an Indie school where some school trips are £££££'s but just to compare - they run a trip to Barcelona for 3 nights for £350 including transport.

I do take into account its not easy to organise a trip for over 100 DC's and therefore if you have a company that seems to handle it on your behalf it makes life easier - although I found Kingswood demands time consuming (but we were families)...the meals probably cost them £5 -£7 in total for the day they are fairly basic.

School trips are not comparable to family trips. Children want to go with their friends. It’s the culmination of their school career if it’s Y6 primary. It’s looked forward too by many and it’s very much an exercise in gaining confidence and bonding. They help their friends. They work cooperatively as a group. They solve problems and push themselves. It really isn’t the same with Mum and Dad! These children might be away from home for the first time without a parent. So much is learned that helps with academics and long may they continue.

I have always thanked teachers who organised trips for DDs. I know it takes a lot of effort but it was appreciated. Most teachers know what the children get from it and parental whinging is such a shame.

Ds's trip to Canada next year is £1900, I wish I was still laying PGL prices! However both my boys loved PGL when they want.

My son has just brought a letter home for a trip to China in Year 10. It's £4,500!

ScrubtheDecks - residential activity weeks as part of the curriculum largely have in mind the sorts of children who don’t “get out of their own post code”. Obviously such residential activity weeks aren’t going to do any harm to those children whose families are able to offer their children a wide range of opportunities, but, certainly in our school, parents really questioned the benefit of a “centre based” school trip and, ultimately, the nature of the Y5 week’s school trip was changed to one focused on heritage and cultural tourism.

User: interesting! When you look at which parents get their wishes addressed (again).

In our case, 0% of children in the school had never left their postcode. Most were taking 5+ family holidays per year and many had gone to summer camp without their parents. Cultural activities were far more relevant and held the children’s interest way more than Kingswood. The Kingswood trip had poor takeup among families, not for financial reasons but for quality reasons.

It's very difficult isn't it, when the more affluent families with children who've already had lots of experiences say 'we won't be sending our kids because they've done those activities before' - they might add that they did them more cheaply or free with another organisation or with the family. And then there will be families who say 'we wont be sending our children because it's too expensive/we don't think we should have to pay for school for school stuff' - so basically, lots of families are not supportive for various reasons.

In tHe end, each family obviously has to weigh up what to spend their money on, what to opt into and what to opt out of and make decisions based on overall finances, personal values and bigger family spending picture. I think it's a shame if children miss out on what might be the only residential trip if Primary school at the end of Yr6 - very much about time away with the year group as much as the activities themselves, although again, those adventurous activity centres which many schools use do provide lots of opportunities for personal growth, even to children who've done them before.

Secondary is often a bit different. Most decent sized schools offer a pretty wide range of residentials and the idea isn't that people go on all of them. Most will be in holidays and those v expensive ones are usually only for a group of up to 50 - people who don't go are certainly not going to be in the minority. What is a bit more tricky is trips related to the curriculum or during a school 'activities week' so during the school day. Curriculum trips need to be offered to all regardless of ability to pay, but if many cant or won't pay, these tend to be cut or reduced as schools simply can't subsidise many places or expect other parents to do so. However, if the trip is offered, all children should be able to go.

With activities weeks trips, I've seen good models where several day out/short residentials/school based activities were offered and families chose a selection for their child, based on their preferences and ability/willingness to pay - free things were always available, often in school. Most children spend some time in school and some outside and nothing is for the whole year, so there is less of a sense of exclusion. What is more difficult is the whole year residential in activities week which has to be paid for or a few get left behind. This model seems to be the worse if all - no funds to cover those who can't pay, plus no requirement to provide trip for free if it's not curiculum based, plus most people going and only a handful being obviously left behind with inferior activities.....fortunately this doesn't seem to happen much and schools work hard to avoid the scenario.

I'd say, that if school is running one trip which is for everyone and plenty of notice is given, then even if you've done the activity before it's worth going and deciding to value the 'being part of it with everyone' aspect. If it's an optional trip amongst many or one where only a few ever go, then either go or do t go - it won't matter really. It's distinguishing between the 2 types which is important I think and a shame with the first type when parents choose not to send their kids.

I think parents have every right to have an opinion on the value of a school trip, and that it is very wrong for parents to feel pressured into sending their child on an expensive week’s residential when parents have good reason to believe that their child will be merely enduring a experience of no benefit.

Fine, User, but this thread is about affordable trips for families that can’t easily afford activities for their kids.

I bet even these affluent kids would prefer bonding and peer team building over go-karting and 3G swing the nighttime mud-based assault course than traipsing around ‘cultural tourism’.

ChocolateWombat: cheaply through Scouts because of the volunteers who run the trips AND run fundraising activities!

Scrub - nope. At our DC’s school the revised Y5 trip is a huge success and is extremely popular with pupils, hence there is now 100% take up as of course siblings rave about it to their younger siblings etc. The old Kingswood trip was very unpopular and younger siblings of children who had been on it never wanted to go.

Don’t underestimate just how unchallenging/boring a Kingswood style residential week can be!

@Cauliflowersqueeze have you looked at bushcraft-style trips as an alternative? Camping is generally cheaper than staying in a hostel.

Regarding PGL, my DCs did it in year 6 and it cost similar, but there's a local charity in my area which routinely funds year 6 school journeys for families in hardship so very few don't go.

At secondary, I would expect a trip like PGL to take place in school holidays rather than term time, and that makes it easier for parents to regard it as optional - setting aside financial issues, some will have alternative plans anyway, and some kids simply won't want to go.

I don’t think staff would want to give up a week’s holiday to be on 24 hour duty with kids at an activity centre to be honest. I wouldn’t. So it wouldn’t be a holiday trip.

I have considered Bushcraft - yes - looks really interesting.