Trips are always a struggle. I was a governor and brought it up in meetings, yet the school never made provision for harship (I was expecting favourtism, as I was governor when married).
Originally, the PTA of the school was set up to help those less well off to pay for trips, music lessons etc - but as far as I can see (was Secretary with that for yonks) it was never used for that purpose.
I would write to the school and to the chair of governors and see what the school's view point is.
My third child went to a camp with the school and it was £80. I paid over a period of time for that.
There really is no accommodating those who struggle.
I think it is a disgrace that children of less well-off families should be missing out on school activities because of this. :x I would be writing to the the local Education Authority, harissa.
I know the primary school my boys went to would always provide some free places on day trips and some heavily subsidised ones that were residential. I only had to use it once, and when I was working again I was able to pay, which was fine. Also I was lucky in that my children have two sets of grandparents who would help out with things like that during my bad times, whilst most people are not so lucky! Once they got to secondary school, it was a different story, with typical trips being a £2k week in Japan ( :? )...it is not even a posh school, just a normal comprehensive.
What planet do these people live on? :evil:
Hi harissa, great to see you back again!
I wondered if you could try:
http://www.turn2us.org.uk you might need to phone them for direct information, also I thought you could contact http://www.ace-ed.org.uk as they might know somewhere you can get support with this issue.
Let us know if either of these are of any help. :)
Hi Harrissa
I'll read that later... Thank you for the link.
In Scouts last week, I've realised that the children on the "other" side of town, of parents on IS have had a low of free summer activities, including a week in an outdoor centre, and they've been able to get certificates with canoeing, sailing and climbing. All picked up, all fed and watered and all paid for.
My children, basically, live in poverty, yet nothing available for them - and to be fair, I was expecting it to be either - I just don't see why one area of a town should, while another shouldn't. They do live in a Communities First area, and mine don't...
Not particularly happy. I'll be paying £25 each for my children to do a similar course come September, through the Scouts...
my argument is that all children of parents on income support should be given that opportunity. My children are no less worthy of a good time, just because the housing estate we live on isn't in a specified area. It is still in the same locality.
Sadly, there was a very heated argument in a Scouts meeting where one of the assistant leaders would not here of discounts for those who live in the communities first area, as she feels all those on benefits get everything.
If she knows of these projects, I don't blame her for feeling that way. My children have no exciting trips planned - as in no days out that will cost us money. I can't afford it. Then for them to hear about all these activities these children have been on - how am I meant to explain that? They're even having a day out in an adventure park! It would cost me £40+ to go with my children, never mind the picnic.
I'll get off my soap box now.
Sad when you can't get equality even within the benefits system.
Sadly this is down to funding constraints ie they collect data from certain areas and the funding stream is only available for areas where a certain percentage of children live in poverty....which brings me on to one of MY soap-box subjects: People who live in a generally rich area who are on limited incomes get far less help than those who live in an area with lots of people in poverty. Services are targeted at the concentrated areas of need and if an area has a mean income which is pretty comfortable then those at the bottom of the money-ladder can become invisible.
On a practical basis, sparkling, it is sad that the Scout leader has such a view of people on benefits. Are there any cheaper school activities organised for everyone? My area produces a "summer booklet" with things going on at museums and very cheap sports things. If not, how about making it a campaign for next summer? Could you get a petition up? Would some of the Scout people help? Could you approach the Council with suggestions and costings?
Harissa I have found that the door is less open for subsidy once the kids hit secondary school. Worth emailing them to find out if there are any bursaries/funding available before your boy gets there. Some of them might be linked to academic things rather than income. My son (with learning difficulties) was given an award in Year 7 as the child who had shown greatest improvement and effort. He got £50 of book tokens. It was a fund endowed by parents whose Year 7 daughter had sadly died from a brain tumour some years ago. It helped us a lot!
Also for anyone thinking about holidays etc, there is an organsation called The Family Holiday Association You can't apply directly but each November a welfare agent such as a CAB worker can download an application and help you submit it for a holiday for the following summer. The usual break is a week at a Haven or Butlins site and some money towards spending. So anyone who in interested in this type of break needs to think about which local Welfare Agent they could ask to apply with them
Read through this thread, I just found it through googling 'paying for school trips' it may be of help to you : )