A West Yorkshire school's £1,650 sports trip to Barbados has ignited a debate about the cost of school excursions, with parents divided over whether such trips are justified. Some expressed disgust, feeling pressured to find money they cannot afford, while others said their children accept not being able to attend.
Steven Underhill, a father from Paignton, Devon, is sending his 17-year-old daughter on a £2,500 school trip to South Africa despite financial struggles after taking time off work for bowel cancer treatment. 'We have no way of being able to go on this sort of holiday ourselves, so we thought it would be nice to treat her,' he said. His daughter, Toni, understands the family's situation and never expected to go.
Another father, who wished to remain anonymous to prevent his stepson being bullied, criticised a primary school in Belper, Derbyshire, for offering a £1,350 trip to Moscow for seven-year-olds. 'It's ridiculous really, that amount of money for a seven-year-old to go to Moscow for four nights is outrageous,' he said, noting a space centre in Leicester is a cheaper alternative. He convinced his stepson to forgo the trip by comparing it to a family holiday to Egypt for five people costing only £250 more.
Schools must cover the cost of accompanying adults, often spreading the expense among pupils. The Department for Education states there is no cap on trip costs, but schools cannot profit and must exempt parents on certain benefits from board and lodging fees. Teacher Jonathan Robinson from Hertfordshire defended the practice, noting his school offers 38 trips under £100 annually, with a 'really big trip' every two years costing £2,000-£3,000, payable over two years.
