[in the hills]

For "normal" school trips eg. a local castle , I don't think any child can be excluded from a visit because their parents can't afford to pay (or won't in some cases). By law I think the letter that comes home asks if you are willing to make a contribution and then states an amount. It may also say that the trip may not go ahead unless enough money comes into school. This was the case when I was teaching and that is a few years ago but would be surprised if this has changed.

[colliewobbles]

If you look into the finer details its the insurance thats the killer cost for school trips due to our litigacious society who will sue at the mere hint of their little darlings stubbing a toe or breaking a finger nail
My Godson has been to Iceland to look at volcanoes for a wek and that was in the £800 region. My niece is going camping with the girl guides for a week and thats just a touch under £300. Ouch.
Mandy

The insurance doesn't cost that much - on a school policy it is only around £10 per child for a ski trip.  It is the providers that charge the earth.  And they don't always factor in enough staff places.  However, it is litigation which puts prices up - we have to make sure things are very well staffed in case things go wrong - and then people will try to sue us for not taking enough staff.

I am the school educ. visits co-ordinator and for an overseas trip I like staffing to be around 10:1 plus a 'spare'.  The 'spare' keeps the ratios manageable if one member of staff becomes incapacitated.  Tour operators usually only include 1 staff member per 20 children!  Therefore the cost of the extra staff has to be borne by the students.  And if you have 32 children that still means at least 4 staff whilst the tour company is only funding for 1 in that case!!  It's a pity the tour companies wouldn't at least pro-rata the cost based on the number of children.  However, the costs of coaches and fuel is phenomenal now and that has caused a lot of these extortionate prices.

I have refused a couple of trips at my school that were over £500 as a lot of our intake come from quite a deprived area and often there are 3 or 4 siblings - I just don't think it's fair to put families under that pressure.

It is possible to do great trips more cheaply - I did an entire Duke of Edinburgh silver course last year for £120 per student - that was a local practise weekend and 4 days in the Peak District.  The biggest cost was the mini-bus and fuel which was over £70 per student. 

[colliewobbles]

For "normal" school trips eg. a local castle , I don't think any child can be excluded from a visit because their parents can't afford to pay (or won't in some cases). By law I think the letter that comes home asks if you are willing to make a contribution and then states an amount. It may also say that the trip may not go ahead unless enough money comes into school. This was the case when I was teaching and that is a few years ago but would be surprised if this has changed.

Yes - this is definitely still the same - however, it can be difficult and/or embarrassing for parents to have to say they can't pay.

[john and helen]

I think if it was today...i would ask my son if he wants to go a wave the other kids off.... no way would i pay that amount and i know my lad would have not expected me, he was taught the value of money...

some may think this is harsh, but children must learn that money really don't grow on trees

[plumseverywhere]

Some parents from the school our girls used to go to didn't pay the 'voluntary contribution' twice and they were hauled into see the head and told in no uncertain terms that their children would miss out if they continued to do this.  Like I say, this was the school our children USED to go to (its not one I'd recommend for many, many reasons!) today my 10 yr old has come home and said " guess what! I'm going to Bristol to a science lab!!"   with this thread fresh in my mind I asked how much.....and she said "nothing, school is paying this one for us!" - yay! 

I agree with you john and helen - in fact, I've just sat down with my children to see how their ebay sales are going...they want new 'stuff', they are selling their unwanted things in order to pay. simples!  I always buy uniform and neccessities but they are learning how to value hard earned cash 

[in the hills]

Ooooo Plums ... think he/she would be way out of order doing that.


Well done your girls. My lad does the same and also jobs for neighbours who give him a bit of pocket money as a thank you. He also likes to buy things at farm sales and restore them a bit before selling them on. He bought a box of old tools a while ago for £2 and sold a drill that was in there for £38.    Some of our farming neighbours also give him things to clean up and sell. He loves it but you should see our garage and drive. 

[plumseverywhere]

Good on him! I do like to see enterprise in youngsters!! I did have to put a stop to my 9 year old pinchin my handmade lip balms and selling them on the quiet at school though!!

[lachlanandmarcus]

Lachlanandmarcus the hotel you stayed in wasn't at Wissant nr Calais was it, that is where we went as 11 year olds.

Yes!! At Wissant!!! What are the chances of that eh !! It was very French spartan!

[doganjo]

on a good note, my sons just joined the army cadets (which is free, including £500 worth of uniform). their weekends away are £10 and 2 week camps are £100 (which is travelling from aberdeenshire to liverpool). a slight difference.

£800 is extreme. i do wonder if the teachers are getting full pay and full board.

They will be - they may have to pay their airfare but I doubt they'll be paying for anything else.  But remember they ARE on duty and the children are their responsibility.  If anything goes wrong they carry the can.

I was never on a school trip in my life, my sister got to go on a boat cruise once (AND ruined my cine camera  ), but we were in a Youth fellowship where we went camping every year.  Didn't do either of us any harm, and our Mum (cashier in Granda's firm) and Dad (postie) couldn't afford those prices anyway.  I'm amazed they managed to pay for our weddings.(Mind you they cost £250 and £300 as opposed to £25000 and £30000  )

[sabrina]

Good idea that kids help to pay for their trip. They learn the value of money.

[happygolucky]

I used to  be a regular on Sun Sport and PGL holidays...any one who has been on one will understand ....funny thing was, one year my son in laws brother was the manager of one of the camps I was on...I vaguely remember him too.....I also remember some one complaining about our teenagers swearing behind a caravan, this was at the PGL in Brecon Beacons, I went to have a look and it was the younger junior group of 10 year olds, not our 15 year olds, that made me smile, but the  biggest smile came from when I was on dormitory duty in S France, I was fed  up with hearing giggling and feet running around, unlike me...I went into the dorm where the noise was coming from and demanded them to shut up and go back to their own room....it was 2 teachers from another school, they just looked down and did what I said!! 
 
The other tales are far far toooooo risky and rude for this lovely clean forum and I am too much of a Lady to tell them

[Backinwellies]

I remember (at the age of 50+ ) feeling like the poor kids at school when the skiing trip notes came home each year ..... my brother and i never even asked if we could go.   I can't understand why school trips have to be so far and so expensive.  Having taken a group of excluded lads out ... was amazed to find several had never visited a neighbouring town!   

One trip that all my 3 said was worth doing was the history trip to the WW1 graves. .... left at 5 am and back midnight 2 days later so only one night board to pay for. 

[colliewobbles]

on a good note, my sons just joined the army cadets (which is free, including £500 worth of uniform). their weekends away are £10 and 2 week camps are £100 (which is travelling from aberdeenshire to liverpool). a slight difference.

£800 is extreme. i do wonder if the teachers are getting full pay and full board.

They will be - they may have to pay their airfare but I doubt they'll be paying for anything else.  But remember they ARE on duty and the children are their responsibility.  If anything goes wrong they carry the can.

Exactly this - on duty 24/7, why should anyone pay to do that - school trips are exhausting and staff are not on 'holiday'.  Can I make a plea to everyone on here - when you pick your child up from a school trip it would be really, really nice if you and/or child said thank you to the teachers.  Sadly it rarely happens but when it does it is very much appreciated.

If I had to 'pay' for my trip then frankly I would choose to go without 30+ teenagers!!!      

Donna

[plumseverywhere]

Ah Donna, mine do say thank you but I can imagine there's plenty that don't!  Only last week India was on a sailing trip with Brownies, don't think I saw anyone else go up to say thanks to the leaders. Then again, not many children say thank you when they've been here for tea or if we take them on a day out, maybe I'm old fashioned but I was raised that way.
I wouldn't want to carry the can for being responsible for other peoples children, I remember my now 10 year old feeding herself a berry on a nursery trip when she was 2. No-one knew what kind of berry it was and she ended up in A&E with a very stressed nursery manager, they'd literally looked away for a matter of minutes and Eloise was foraging in the bushes for 'lunch'! turned out to be Hawthorn but you just never know I guess.  When I hear what the children in my eldests' class get up to I think I'd go grey!

[happygolucky]

I keep in contact with loads of students from when I went on School trips as an assistant, I am confident that they would express how much I did, one some trips I was the only female and even the other male staff became demanding....I was in constant demand and used to come home shattered and bruised as they were often sporty trips, I also took the cross country girls team around the country and was both a shoulder to cry on and a coach (ME?) I loved it but wow what a responsibility, I had to stop young lads getting Mohican's hair cuts, stop people climbing into each others dorms, tents or bushes and be supportive and happy all the time....some times I hardly could go for a wee!!
One of the very best trips I did was for 6th formers, a group got together and organised a trip to N Wales where they could stay cheaply in one of the youth hostels, they all had to work out a time table, plan meals, trips, share the cost of transport and they invited myself and a male teacher who just happened to be the double of  Clint Eastwood, the students had to look after us and pay for our food and activities, it was super....I thought the best bit was having a  hot bath and being shouted to come out for my evening meal, cooked by a trainee chef......all I had to do was drive the mini  bus, I do still have my licence but never use it now!!!
Most staff have to be on the ball and it certainly is not easy and yes, been to many a casualty with a pupil and saved the day in many other ways..