"voluntary donation" for school trips?

[BoltBlue]

I work in the office at a Primary School in a VERY poor area, and book coaches, venues etc for school trips. We never add extra costs on to cover teachers etc. But saying this the coach prices this year have have gone through the roof and trips are becoming very expensive.

How do you work out the cost? Cost of coach/number of children or cost of coach/number of passengers?

Many people don't moan about trips that appear value for money. Often with group discounts they are no more expensive than usual.

What annoys many people is £7 for a minibus to travel 4 miles, when the busfare is £1.
£2 a week for swimming to cover transport, when the child can already swim and goes lessons during weekends.
59 out of 60 children can already swim, so what is the point of wasting 3 hours for a 1 hour lesson?
It's makes sense to organise lessons for 1 child!

[Alice in Underland]

My kids schools were quite happy to approve their absence for 3 days so we could take them to Egypt (Luxor).It did help that DS in year 6 had recently completed a huge project on ancient Egypt.

And he is going on a very good value trip to the Imperial War Museum in London soon at a cost of 10.00, subsidised by the PTA.

But DD who is at Grammar has recently come home with a request for 1,700 pounds to go on a visit to India in 2014 ! The teacher involved has taken this trip 5 times and I really get the is the driving forvce behind this as much as it being an educational experience !

[pheasantchick]

My DS's school quite often have day trips to local places and museums, and ask parents to drive the children to the venue, thus saving on coach fares etc.

[Midget Man]

I don't mind the odd trip that I feel is of good value like one to a local theatre cost about £12-50 for ticket and travel there and back. The Yr7 school trip which they want ALL the boys going on for 5 days in the UK has cost us nearly £400! Surely it needn't have cost this much each for 5 days? The poor boy had to pay towards it from his own savings or he wouldn't have been going!

Now, there has been an optional trip, but it's into London to a good theatre to watch War Horse. Cot is £32 which I think is good value, meant to be an excellent play so we have paid for that.

[T12ACY]

Contrary to having to pay for a trip, DS has been invited to attend an 'award trip'. Travel to the bowling alley (in another town so not round the corner), couple of games of ten pin bowling and a snack all for the princely sum of £0.00 I nearly fell off my chair........ twice!!!! Firstly at the invitation which is for DC who have worked hard in the first 4 terms and significantly improved on their levels, and then secondly that it is free! I thought a nice gesture by the school who are clearly trying to encourage students to maintain focus and continue studying hard

On the subject of paying for trips. They can seem expensive but are not a money making exercise, and if you genuinely cannot afford it you just need to approach the school. I have done this once and DS went along for free.

The comment about public bus fare being a £1, versus several pounds for a designated coach........ I hardly think that is even a reasonable comparison. 30 DC getting on a local bus with chaperones in tow? What would they do if there were only room for 10? Let them go ahead and catch up later or all stand there waiting for an empty bus to come along????

I sometimes think people just love to find something to whine about

[hermanmunster]

Hi T12racy - yes DS had those merit trips - great fun! bowling snooker and food. Admittedly they could walk to the place but the costs were paid by the parents association.

[BoltBlue]

During school times, do double decker buses run full?
When I drive, I notice most are, at the most, 1/4 full.
Then again, I haven't used a bus for years!

Reward for doing well? Isn't excellence "standard" and expected?
It's like rewarding a child for good behaviour.
Good behaviour should be standard and the norm and not be rewarded.
Times have changed, when children expect rewards for everything.
Does the school provide rewards just for turning up on time?

[hermanmunster]

During school times, do double decker buses run full?
When I drive, I notice most are, at the most, 1/4 full.
Then again, I haven't used a bus for years!

Reward for doing well? Isn't excellence "standard" and expected?
It's like rewarding a child for good behaviour.
Good behaviour should be standard and the norm and not be rewarded.
Times have changed, when children expect rewards for everything.
Does the school provide rewards just for turning up on time?

Oh dear BB - I am glad I don't live in your household. Yes I do expect good behaviour and good work to be the standard but it only becomes standard because the child is praised for what they do and encouraged.
I am very glad that getting merits is ultimately rewarded, the merits are given for good work, high attainment, organisation, good behaviour, participation and many other reasons. those with the highest number of merits go on the trip.

[T12ACY]

Do you know what? The best thing about this reward was that neither DS or I knew it was even possible. He didn't 'try' to get a place and when he found out his school acknowledged how hard he has been working he was thrilled and very surprised.

To be 'rewarded' for what we consider 'standard' is pleasing, it shows that others have acknowledged he is hard working and not a yob who can't be bothered. If anything he will be encouraged to excel further, and that can only be a good thing. I suppose you don't have holidays, which are a 'reward' for working hard and earning money all year, are they not?

Where we live the only time a 'double decker' is in regular service is during peak hours when it is mostly full, and in fact it's common for DS to have to wait for 2 or 3 before he can get on one. He gets on buses every day, as do all my DC to 'save the planet' from the pollution my car would spout out running them around locally. The point is that the school could not guarantee the safety, or timely transportation of my DS on public transport and I am willing to pay a premium for the peace of mind a contracted service gives to me.

[T12ACY]

Hi T12racy - yes DS had those merit trips - great fun! bowling snooker and food. Admittedly they could walk to the place but the costs were paid by the parents association.

We had no idea the school did this, so a really nice surprise Am sure they have a small budget to help boost their league position, and if that is what it's all about it must be working because the school has gone from poorly perceived not so long ago to beating another local 'highly regarded' GS. The outcome is happy, hard working students and why ever not, eh?