Being asked to pay for school trips, what's your opinion?

[zAndy1]

Had a letter from school today saying the kids in my daughters class are going to visit the bakery in a local asda store at the end of the month. The letter asked for £3.50 towards transport/insurance costs. Now I know how much my daughter wants to go (she's 4 by the way) but when this happens it really gets my back up, why do I pay £130pm council tax and god knows how much income tax only to get asked to pay towards school trips (this isn't the first time and won't be the last). On principle I'd refuse to pay it but then my daughter misses out and I don't want that to happen. Anyway, I know it's only £3.50 but it's the principle of it, I thought council/income tax was supposed to pay for education so why should we have to fork out for things like this!! Grrrrrrrrrr

[LFC_SL]

Because evidently councils have never allocated enough money to schools. Also can you budget for every school trip? What about unplanned ones?

I remember bugging my parents for money. I suppose once your kid is old enough, you can do what my mum did and make her pay towards her own school trips

edit: I'm a big believer. Gordon Brown doesn't give enough for new books let alone trips so children can experience new sights. I'm a big supporter

[krish]

Nothing new

Parents have always had to pay for school trips haven't they?

[INSOMANiAC]

If you are expecting your council tax to insure your little un against falling into a bread slicer and becoming a Warburtons toastie then you're sadly mistaken.

Personally speaking, I dont want every accident a child gets into being added to my council tax. Call me old fashioned.

[Lawrenzini]

Soo... What about when a school wants to organize a skiing trip, should that come out of people's taxes?

[JamesOD]

I'm sure my parents used to pay for my school trips and thats going back to 20 years ago.

I don't think this is anything new as I remember missing out on a school trip to france because we could not afford it

[Pat_C]

Originally Posted by krish

Parents have always had to pay for school trips haven't they?

Yes, I've lost count of the number I've had to pay for over the years. And a lot of other miscellaneous educational expenses. I could pay and didn't really mind doing so, but it must put some parents in a position they really don't deserve to be in.

It used to be the case where parents couldn't (or simply wouldn't) pay, that the children went on the trips anyway, funded by money from school fetes and so on. But with the entire education system run on what appears to be a wholly inadequate budget, that money could obviously be used elsewhere. And I suspect that depends on the policy of the school or local education authority.

I think the government got their policies a bit muddled. They really meant that they were going to get tough on education, and on the causes of education.

[overkill]

Originally Posted by krish

Nothing new

Parents have always had to pay for school trips haven't they?

Yup. Mine did. And I went to school under four different LEA's. It was the same for each one.

[Knyght_byte]

ok, school trips to farms, lakes, fun house places, circuses, holidays etc should be paid for by the parents, that i dont have a problem with...

a trip to a BAKERY IN THE LOCAL ASDA??? you have got to be yanking our collective chains with this???.....i could understand if it was a trip to a world famous bakery in deepest darkest dorset or something.....but down the road to see some 18 year old stammer his way through telling a bunch of 4 year olds how he ignores the customers by pretending to knead dough out back while watching Babestation's daytime BabeChat program??

wow.....

seriously...

wow.....

edit: if the school headmaster had a brain instead of a phat bank account for not doing a lot he/she would approach Asda, say 'look, we got a bunch of kids you can force your brand image on, all we ask is that you cover the insurance expenses'........ten to one Asda would say sure, no problem, providing we can whack some special offer leaflets in their hands on the way out...

[meansizzler]

Originally Posted by Knyght_byte

ok, school trips to farms, lakes, fun house places, circuses, holidays etc should be paid for by the parents, that i dont have a problem with...

a trip to a BAKERY IN THE LOCAL ASDA??? you have got to be yanking our collective chains with this???.....i could understand if it was a trip to a world famous bakery in deepest darkest dorset or something.....but down the road to see some 18 year old stammer his way through telling a bunch of 4 year olds how he ignores the customers by pretending to knead dough out back while watching Babestation's daytime BabeChat program??

[thfccambs]

Originally Posted by zAndy1

Now I know how much my daughter wants to go (she's 4 by the way

Unbelievable, you spend £100's on here for your entertainment and be grudge £3.50 for something your daughter wants to do?

[LFC_SL]

Originally Posted by Knyght_byte

ok, school trips to farms, lakes, fun house places, circuses, holidays etc should be paid for by the parents, that i dont have a problem with...

a trip to a BAKERY IN THE LOCAL ASDA??? you have got to be yanking our collective chains with this???.....i could understand if it was a trip to a world famous bakery in deepest darkest dorset or something.....but down the road to see some 18 year old stammer his way through telling a bunch of 4 year olds how he ignores the customers by pretending to knead dough out back while watching Babestation's daytime BabeChat program??

wow.....

seriously...

wow.....

Quoted for truth and comedy value. I can't remember ever having a lame trip (even whole day spent studying creatures in school pond was good when that what's-her-name fell in). Eureka, Alton Towers and Wales activity weekend were highlights in primary school. Quality days

[CooperUK]

I'll give you £3.50 for your screen (you don't need it at the moment) and then you'll not need to find the money for your daughter's trip

I'll even pay for the postage so you don't lose out.

BTW - I know many headteachers, and it's very rare that they do nothing; in fact most of the time they are ridiculously overworked in trying to implement the dozens of different initiatives and directives they receive from the govt, and LEA on a weekly basis, or attending meetings that they don't want to go to, but have to because of said directives....


.....and still they're paid much less than similarly qualified people in industry, but carry on doing the job to benefit people like your daughter, so that they get an education and opportunities to do things such as....school trips. This goes for other teachers too (I know, I am one and have run seven trips this academic year).

The local council doesn't pay for school trips, neither does the LEA, as they are not part of the curriculum. Trips are organised as a support to the curriculum, to enrich the experiences the children receive, and as such need to be funded in other ways.

As you may be able to tell...I'm gobsmacked that this thread even exists.

[breakersrevenge]

Paying for school trips is one thing, what about the price for school meals, goes up every other term!!

[unique]

people pay taxes for kids to go to school to be educated, the funds don't cover things like trips which are optional extra's. if you don't want to pay the £3.50 or you don't want you kid to go, it's your choice, just send a note back saying your kid can't go, and you can express your reasons why

frankly for £3.50 it's not worth complaining about. it's a different story when kids go on things like camping or skiiing trips and expect parents to shell out £100+ and they feel pressured into it as they don't want thier kid to be the only one not going

what i object to is paying taxes for schools when i don't have any kids benefitting from it. why should i pay taxes for your kid to go to school, just so they can take them to an ASBO bakery for a jolly so they can get fat? i don't know how much i pay in taxes towards education, but it's a lot more than £3.50 and i don't complain about it, so why should you complain about your kids getting a free education paid for by the british taxpayers (yourself included) but having to pay a small additional fee equal to less than an hours national minumum wage minus tax and NI? do you want your kid to be stuck in the classroom each and every day and not get to go on trips, or do you expect taxpayers to pay more money so your kids can get a free day out?