General Chat

Ann you've got a point, it is a type of balackmail really. As for the forgein holidays I doubt mine will go. Daughters school had one which we did say shecould go on, only for them to cancel it as they'd not got their forms in on time. Nothing had been paid. The one she's doing in July is to the Somme and she's only going there as I feel it's a really special trip... oh and her dad is paying!!!!! £145 for one night!!!!!!! how on earth do they come up with such figures???? I know for fact the twins school from Sept has forgein trips that cost over £500 a pupil and there is no way we can ever afford that. Dawn sorry for taking over but this is a pet niggle of mine.... oh who am I trying to kid, it's a major bug bear!!!!!!!!

Like you Shelli my triplets have one more year at primary then go to secondary and i certainly wont be able to afford foreign holidays with the school. I have though planned an ISA to come out in time for the secondary school uniform and whats left i might have to put away for some trips. comes to something when you have to plan years ahead !!!! Star

Star blimey twins are bad enough to pay for, let alone triplets. What do you have? I have twin boys, plus odler gilr and younger boy....glutton for punishment I guess. Think I may have mislead you my twins are in yr 6 and will go up in Sept. So i've got the uniform buying to do this summer!!!

School trips have always been a problem, I didn't go on any that were more than a day as my parents couldn't afford them, do feel I missed out. Dawn, if the cycling course is the cycling proficiency one, I would think it is worth £15 for your son to learn to cycle safely using hand signals and learning about road signs etc, doesn't matter that he might not be cycling to that school but would stand him in good stead for cycling anywhere. When my son was small, I found out about a local charity that helped with school uniforms, (not a council scheme) and also educational trips and holidays, and extra curricular activities for children. It might be worth some of you who have several children, to ask about these for your areas. It meant my lad didn't have to miss out, and had gym lessons, and keyboard lessons and was able to go on school visits etc. Liz

they cycling proficiency courses should be free as they are run by volunteers. Maybe you have to pay for a badge and certificate but should not be as much as £15. When I had all 3 at school it was one round of sponsors and wanting for everything. Made me feel sad when one of them came home and said they were giving out raffle ticket books but I never got one cos I know you cant afford it. The non uniform day for children in need cost me a fortune as thats when my 2 daughters had to have the latest fashion just so they could go to school with out being picked on and I had to pay £1 each for the privilege. Their birthdays are in December and I had to take them shopping for the latest addidas trackies in November so I told them that would have to be part of their birthday present.

I have 3 children in 3 different schools, and it can be a strain to pay everything. My eldest is in High School and we have paid out over £100 last term for 3 different day trips. My middle one goes up to High school in September so I have about £180 for her uniform to pay and the school summer fete's will be here soon and they will want contributions for each of the schools. I don't mind paying as such (my parents struggled to pay but we did go on most of the trips) but I really object to the parents who don't ever pay for any trips or clubs but clearly have the funds to do so. Tammy :~)

Shelli i have 2 boys and 1 girl age 10yrs and a 7yr old girl, they certainly keep my life busy and interesting lol Star

ggggrrrrrrr twins just come home with another one... tho only £3 each this time. Star busy oh yes..... interesting definatly LOL

Shelli, that reminds me of the situation at our school. When I was at Brownies in 1992 because I had just joined I didn't go on Pack Holiday. The next year, when I should have done, we didn't go. It was too expensive. Similarly in Year 6, we were supposed to go on a trip (don't remember if it was a day or a week) to Castlerigg Manor in the Lakes. The year we should have gone, the school said it was too expensive. I have since found out from my mum that the truth was, she would have been happy to pay for me to go but not all the parents of my class shared that view. Obviously the ones who wouldn't or couldn't pay (I think it was more a case of 'wouldn't pay' rather than 'couldn't pay') outnumbered those who would or could. I don't think my Brownie pack exists any more, partly I believe because just after I left the Scouts started letting girls join and also, they were underfunded. There were only 24 Brownies (if we all turned up) and we were charged 40p subs a week (later went up to 50p) so how they could afford to use that hall I don't know. I remember the hall was always freezing. I wonder now why they didn't use our school gym because all the Brownies in our pack came from that school.

My daughter wants to do the new York trip in January 5 days and over £500--that's without food , clothes and spending money! then Matthew who goes up to senior school in Sept will want to do the Disney trip, that's £250 + food +spending etc!! I think the cost subsidises the teachers who go along!! We took our whole family to New York for 2 weeks a couple of years ago for £900, admitedly we stayed with a friend but we had 4 mouths to feed etc. Carol

and Tiddler just come home with another money wanting one, this isnt so bad though as Nursery do most of there own fund raising so this is their fund raiser good job got till 24th May to pay for raffle tickets.