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Original poster

Would it be wrong to only pay half of DS school trip cost?

262 replies

Shirtbuttons26 · Yesterday 14:06

DS is going on a school trip. Its costing 45.00. Would it be wrong if I only paid 20.00 /25.00? I am on a low income and I'm juggling things a bit at the moment. I have another child at the school as well so I have been paying out for 2 children.

The school rang me saying i need to pay by tomorrow.

It does say contribution but I feel wrong for even thinking about it.

OP posts:
bittertwisted · Yesterday 22:52

Shirtbuttons26 · Yesterday 22:50

I have never had my nails done. I don't smoke or drink. I have not been to a hair dresser in over 8 years.

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I’m actually supporting you here, if the taxpayer can pay for families to go to leisure activities then we absolutely be making sure all children can access school trips

Thatskarmababy · Yesterday 22:55

Shirtbuttons26 · Yesterday 22:50

I have never had my nails done. I don't smoke or drink. I have not been to a hair dresser in over 8 years.

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I wasn’t criticising you OP but there will be CF who prefer to keep their cash to spend on themselves and plead poverty with the wchool

fashionqueen0123 · Yesterday 22:57

Shirtbuttons26 · Yesterday 21:39

Yes he's on pupil premium. What would that mean?

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The kids at our school on PP get most trips for free

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General education
Nursemumma92 · Yesterday 22:58

80smonster · Yesterday 22:12

If £45 for a school trip isn’t affordable, on what basis did you have a 2nd child? I’m always really confused by posts like this, since having children is generally expensive, is it just an ongoing assumption that society at large will front the costs? Utterly bizarre to me, who stopped at one child as that is what our family could afford to cover the cost of.

What an ignorant response... the OP has a child with disabilities and sometimes peoples' circumstances change after they have had children. Why would you even ask that?!

MrsJeanLuc · Yesterday 22:59

PinkEasterbunny · Yesterday 14:34

Well you need to speak to the school. Many will have a fund to help with trips if people genuinely can't afford it, but I think it's pretty cheeky to just pay £25 less and not even discuss it. Who do you expect to pay?

So if I fancy a Ferrari, but due to my income can only pay half of it, that's ok then? Exactly the same principle.

Don't be ridiculous 😲

MrsJeanLuc · Yesterday 23:02

MyArtfulGreySloth · Yesterday 14:43

If everyone chose to only pay half then the trip wouldn’t go ahead.

People shouldn't have to pay.
It's the school's job to plan for trips within their budget. Asking parents to contribute is fine, but ultimately it's the school's job to budget properly and not apply emotional blackmail.

PyongyangKipperbang · Yesterday 23:11

fashionqueen0123 · Yesterday 22:57

The kids at our school on PP get most trips for free

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Usually in primary but not in Seniors

DD is on PP and we get 50% off.

Cheeseandolivesplease · Yesterday 23:12

@PyongyangKipperbang What do your "officially gifted" children need?

Original poster
Shirtbuttons26 · Yesterday 23:17

fashionqueen0123 · Yesterday 22:57

The kids at our school on PP get most trips for free

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I have never been told this, or reductions.

OP posts:
Percypigsyumyum · Yesterday 23:18

MrsJeanLuc · Yesterday 23:02

People shouldn't have to pay.
It's the school's job to plan for trips within their budget. Asking parents to contribute is fine, but ultimately it's the school's job to budget properly and not apply emotional blackmail.

Edited
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What a ridiculous statement. Schools are incredibly underfunded, there isn’t enough money to buy glue sticks and pens or to ensure the needs of SEN kids are being properly met and you reckon it’s just down to poor planning that trips aren’t fully funded? If this is the solution, easy there will be no trips except for the children who attend private schools.

Winewolfhywls · Yesterday 23:21

Londonwelshie · Yesterday 21:07

I usually pay double for school trips for this exact reason - I can afford it easily and pay it so the extra paid can fund a child whose family might be worse off. I know quite a few parents who do that.

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That's so lovely of you x

Weirdwonderfully · Yesterday 23:24

PinkEasterbunny · Yesterday 14:34

Well you need to speak to the school. Many will have a fund to help with trips if people genuinely can't afford it, but I think it's pretty cheeky to just pay £25 less and not even discuss it. Who do you expect to pay?

So if I fancy a Ferrari, but due to my income can only pay half of it, that's ok then? Exactly the same principle.

Literally this!!

PyongyangKipperbang · Yesterday 23:36

Cheeseandolivesplease · Yesterday 23:12

@PyongyangKipperbang What do your "officially gifted" children need?

😂Show me that your kids are average without....etc

ETA that there is nothing wrong with kids being average. I have six kids, one has CP and learning issues as a result, two are bang on average and three are gifted. Average kids are far cheaper!

CombatBarbie · Yesterday 23:38

If hes a pupil premium child there should be a huge reduction. This is one of the many situations its designed for!! You can put in a request for school to tell you where all the PP money is going BTW.

Original poster
Shirtbuttons26 · Yesterday 23:42

CombatBarbie · Yesterday 23:38

If hes a pupil premium child there should be a huge reduction. This is one of the many situations its designed for!! You can put in a request for school to tell you where all the PP money is going BTW.

Edited

Yes but no one had ever told me about a reduction.

OP posts:
Cheeseandolivesplease · Yesterday 23:42

@PyongyangKipperbang Oh yes, very average. My son only got 3 A stars and an A at A-Level(!)
He didn't "need" anything extra. Not even private school. To add, I separated from his father when he was just 6 and we were in effect left homeless. Still in privately rented over a decade on (well, he's at a top uni but you get the gist).
So...what extra things are you on about?

ClairDeLaLune · Yesterday 23:44

80smonster · Yesterday 22:12

If £45 for a school trip isn’t affordable, on what basis did you have a 2nd child? I’m always really confused by posts like this, since having children is generally expensive, is it just an ongoing assumption that society at large will front the costs? Utterly bizarre to me, who stopped at one child as that is what our family could afford to cover the cost of.

Were you proud of yourself when you wrote this post @80smonster? Well you shouldn’t be. It’s one of the nastiest things I’ve seen on here, and it’s had some stiff competition. OP has said her second child has special needs so she can’t work. Don’t you think that that would bring about a big change in her financial situation? Also she doesn’t mention the DC’s father. Maybe he left them all. Maybe he doesn’t contribute. Maybe he died.

Go away and have a long hard think about how you can be a nicer person in the future.

OP, YANBU. I’m sure if you explain the situation to the school they will be able to help you out. Hope your DC enjoys the trip.

PyongyangKipperbang · Yesterday 23:45

Cheeseandolivesplease · Yesterday 23:42

@PyongyangKipperbang Oh yes, very average. My son only got 3 A stars and an A at A-Level(!)
He didn't "need" anything extra. Not even private school. To add, I separated from his father when he was just 6 and we were in effect left homeless. Still in privately rented over a decade on (well, he's at a top uni but you get the gist).
So...what extra things are you on about?

Edited

😂

Brag away if it makes you feel good. I wont take you down because I am better than that, and you wont understand what I say anyway.

All I will say is that time off work and travel is expensive.

Cheeseandolivesplease · Yesterday 23:50

@PyongyangKipperbang Ermmm...you accuse me of bragging but refer to three of your kids as "officially gifted?!!" OK then!! 🤣
And absolute nonsense that they need anything extra. A truly gifted child needs nothing "extra" at all to become successful.
Otherwise only children from wealthy families could be "officially gifted."
Which, of course, is also untrue.

Original poster
Shirtbuttons26 · Yesterday 23:59

ClairDeLaLune · Yesterday 23:44

Were you proud of yourself when you wrote this post @80smonster? Well you shouldn’t be. It’s one of the nastiest things I’ve seen on here, and it’s had some stiff competition. OP has said her second child has special needs so she can’t work. Don’t you think that that would bring about a big change in her financial situation? Also she doesn’t mention the DC’s father. Maybe he left them all. Maybe he doesn’t contribute. Maybe he died.

Go away and have a long hard think about how you can be a nicer person in the future.

OP, YANBU. I’m sure if you explain the situation to the school they will be able to help you out. Hope your DC enjoys the trip.

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I was going to reply at the time. But I didn't think it was worth my energy. I also thought the posts its self is very silly so didn't need me to react to it.

Still grateful to you for pointing it out though 🙏

OP posts:
PyongyangKipperbang · Today 00:01

Cheeseandolivesplease · Yesterday 23:50

@PyongyangKipperbang Ermmm...you accuse me of bragging but refer to three of your kids as "officially gifted?!!" OK then!! 🤣
And absolute nonsense that they need anything extra. A truly gifted child needs nothing "extra" at all to become successful.
Otherwise only children from wealthy families could be "officially gifted."
Which, of course, is also untrue.

The only person who mentioned success is you.

I didnt. I am gifted (yes, "officially") but I am not particularly successful because thats not how it works. My average DD is very very successful far more so than me or her gifted siblings.

I was referring to how hard it is (and expensive) to have children who need more to simply exist, and gifted children do need that very often. No private education here either.

Cheeseandolivesplease · Today 00:03

@PyongyangKipperbang You still haven't said what you believe your three gifted children "need"?

PyongyangKipperbang · Today 00:22

Cheeseandolivesplease · Today 00:03

@PyongyangKipperbang You still haven't said what you believe your three gifted children "need"?

No I havent. And if you can't figure it out for yourself, there is no point in me doing so.

But I will give you a few hints.

Boredom.
Desire for learning.
Stress for good results.

Thatskarmababy · Today 00:27

Nonsense (and I say that as an unofficially gifted person)

Brokentoes85 · Today 00:27

Skippythemeh · Yesterday 14:31

How long have you had to plan for this expense?
Schools are under such tight budgets, that I think we really should be paying towards things like this. Otherwise, trips won’t happen and the kids miss out.

My kid was taken to Blackpool - it was £86 and we had 5 months to pay. I get UC top up so I’m a low income, but I budget and paid the trip cost. Because the school would have had to find the money in their budget if I didn’t, or cancel it for everyone. Neither of those options is very fair.

Ajouldnt be running trips that parents can't afford or they can't afford to run.

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