General Chat

My nieces daughter's class were going to Vienna for a couple of days. The price was so steep, her parents took the whole family of five for the weekend to Vienna for the same amount of money.
So she got to see what she was studying and the whole family benefitted as well.

Thanks for all your comments.

I have had a real result........friend of mine's daughter did this two years ago and she still has the costume.......cost her a small fortune and only worn twice ......she's going to send it to me so that's helped out no end lol. I'm not much of a costume maker !!!! Thanks for the advice though and offers of help. Much appreciated xx

Hi

my son went to ironbridge for yr5 in april.

Trip cost £172.00
£46.00 was a vol cotribution but if that was not paid they could not go.

So much for it being Volutary.

Kate

Little Lost - what educational fund do you think it would come out of?

Yes £20 does seem steep, but it's really hard to find any money in school, anywhere! You;ll find too, that schools in 'nicer' areas actually get less money per child than schools in rougher areas. They expect the parents to chip in - and No that isn't fair, but it's how it is done and it's not the school's fault! It's all done on post code of where the child lives. The 2 schools I work in vary from £10 per child entry to £200 per child entry! It's THAT different!!!

This trip does seem rather a lot of money, but i can see where the costs mount up. People expect many places to offer school discounts etc, but unfortunately even if they do offer them, they are still extortionate!

Coaches normally cost around £6 per head too, at least around here!

PTA is a good one, but they may have other priorities too.

A difficult situation ...
Laura

My two left school a few (*coughs quietly) years ago and I think it was 'voluntary' contributions then.

£20 does seem a bit steep for a school trip, but I suppose what we payed back then seemed steep at the time.

I think most of us hate the idea of a child not being able to join in because of the cost, but it's those who won't pay rather than can't who get up my nose.

We took them to Kentwell one weekend when there was a function on and we all really enjoyed it.
Good luck with the costume - I still have the scars from a hat making job lol.
Hope your little one enjoys the trip.

one of my nephews had a sponser sheet for somethink he had to do any money he got for the school went of his trips so his big sister tuck it to work and he trebeld the trip money now he has his next trip money payed as well give it a go lol

When my kids were in primary school most of the trips were paid out of the PTA funds which we raised throughout the year, then each parent was asked for a small contribution but it was never too expensive.

its the same in my school, voluntary contributions are requested. I've never known a trip not to go ahead due to lack off support either.

I know there are parents in genuine financial difficulty, who cannot afford any contribution to trips, But I bet there are a small minority who wont pay anyway, and never contribute to anything just because they have a choice not to, not because they are in any financial difficulty.....that makes me mad !

I resent paying for these peoples children to take part, not the ones in financial difficulty I may add :o))

I must admit it is guilt that forces you to pay really, and really these trips and extras should be paid from fundraisers rather from parents pockets all the time.


Try looking on Ebay for your Tudor costume.

I got one for Connie, its a long deep red velour dress with flared sleeves, & cris cross ribbon over the chest. Wasn't really cheap but it was worth it for her to look as nice as the others who always have money spending parents forking out to make their child look the best.

Our Tudor day came just weeks after our Victorian day...school seems a money pit doesnt it ?

Oh and we had to pay £7 towards Henry V111 visiting the school for the day for activities (believe me..he really looked the part and had a real big belly ).

I thought it would be, Muffy. Hope you can go. I can't remember why I couldn't do that one, I used to help on lots even taking the little boy I childminded along with me sometimes. At the age of 3 before he started part time nursery, he came with us to Sandringham, and altho I took his buggy on the coach I didn't bother to unload it at the other end, my son and lots of his friends carried him on their shoulders some of the time, more for fun than cos he was tired, bless 'em, and we had a great day out, he learned with the older children.
Have fun with the costume.
Lizx

I would have to Puss are they allowed to do that in todays time seems

muffy do you want me to ask in our local fancy dress place for you, i would need age etc xxxx

never under stood why they charged so much , its a difficult one maby if they lowered the price we could all afford there have been occasions wher i have refused due to cost, but a teacher called out mnat and asked why she hadnt payed, id just given up work cause of illness gawd did i go nuts

Muffy same at grandchildren's school, if they just sent the letters out, then ask parents to contact head of school if they were finding difficult to pay, then ask if they could pay half, its not really fare to just let a few pay, or when school sets the date of trip, ask parents to take money in weekly, thats what we did years ago, all the children got to go.there is parents that wont pay even if it was £2 those are the ones stuck in pubs betting offices bingo smoking things like that there kids dont come first they do, see it all to much where i live, i see little children with the tattiest clothes and there mothers well dress make up thats taking them to school.

Although I can understand your feeling, I'm glad you decided to pay.

If memory serves me correctly, schools can only ask for a voluntary donation if the majority of the time spent on a trip falls within school hours, ie a school day trip would have be voluntary, a weekend camp could be pay or you can't go.

It sounds as though they will have a fantastic day although I don't envy you have to find a costume.

Thanks everyone for your comments. I'm glad it's not just me!!!!. Money was handed in this morning so it's just the Tudor costume to sort now *sighs loudly* lol.

Yes Liz it's Kentwell Hall. Looks like it's going to be a fantastic day.......I'm trying to get myself on the trip as an extra pair of hands as it's something I'd find very interesting too lol xx

Muffy I couldn't agree with your comments more.

I pay for my grandaughters trips, and if people genuinely cannot pay I dont have a problem with that. (I have even paid for her friend to go). However, there are a lot that could pay and wont pay. This seems to be something that these parents are quite proud of.

Cx

Personally I think £20 is a bit steep for a school trip. If its educational then surely it should be paid for out of an educational fund.
I just hope all the kids behave and they get the value for money. If its anything like the school trips we had I cant say we ever learned anything from them.

Is it Kentwell they are going to? My son went in about 1994 ish - I made him the outfit, and he enjoyed himself.

A few years on, a neighbour asked if I still had the outfit as her son was going, but she had forgotten to make the things, I loaned him the hat, waistcoat etc and only got the waistcoat back, no apology or explanation. I did ask where the hat was and they seemed surprised I was bothered, oh he must have lost it they said! Bl***y cheek, when they realised I was cross they bought some chocolate to say sorry, I wanted the hat, I had taken a while to make it and it was pretty good if I do say so myself!
Hope your daughter has a great time.

If I couldn't really afford the whole amount, I used to offer half or as much as I could pay, every little helps. Then I was lucky enough to find a charity in Norwich which had been set up in 1700 and something so my son was able to go on trips without feeling we hadn't contributed, as the charity used to pay for him, also helped with his uniform too.
Lizx

yep i totally agree but its them parents that make the price higher as they have to cover it another way

shame on them i say

Stray I do agree about the schools budget......that's the reason I am just paying up and shutting up lolololol

Thing is if a kids parents really can't afford it I'd happily chip in to help.
I just know some of the parents will refuse to make any sacrifice to pay, as they know that muppets like me will have it covered and that's what I object to really. xx