Re: News - School Trip to Barbados

I guess the prices of these school trips is high because the accompanying teachers have their trip paid for too. However I wouldn´t let my son go on this kind of trip, day trips where often parents could accompany them were okay. When we lived at Chatsworth many times there were school trips, off the coaches, teachers told the kids to be back at the coach at whatever time, that was it, teachers off to enjoy themselves, kids left to run riot, and many of them did, chasing sheep into the river, getting lost, causing damage in the gardens, etc. Obviously these school trips are going well overboard now, a really bad idea.

Re: News - School Trip to Barbados

The teachers are paid to be there ! so not just free travel room and board but wages too and I believe over nights they are paid more than for a day at school.

Re: News - School Trip to Barbados

I wouldn't want an overnight trip to France and on into Europe overnight with a coach full of teenagers to watch and a full day of watching them ahead having had no sleep.
Anyone who thinks the school trips are fun for teachers hasn't been on one.
I don't know what they are paid but I do know that the teachers who organise them are very keen for the children to experience the culture of another country, speak French, German etc as it is spoken in those countries and to have a great time while doing so with their other classmates.
Often it's the first time many of them will have been away from home or had a trip without parents and so teachers are also aware of looking out for occasional tears and missing Mum and making sure everyone is ok, not just physically.
If a child is unwell develops a temperature etc, teachers will make sure they get the best possible care and will go to all kinds of lengths to care for them.

I used to work in a secondary school, not a teacher but I know what the trips entail and they come home pretty exhausted but feel that it's worth it.

So don't be too hard on teachers who really are doing their best and I sometimes feel sad that professionals not on an individual basis but as a profession as a whole are regarded as useless and greedy.

Re: News - School Trip to Barbados

I don't think they are useless or even greedy I do think they live different lives to many of the parents of the pupils who are on far less wages than they are, I don't think they are paid enough for what they do but they need to keep feet on the ground about the amount of money many of us have to spend on this sort of thing.

It's a bit like the let them eat cake Queen - if you had any idea how people were living you would never say it or suggest it.

Re: News - School Trip to Barbados

What an outrageous idea taking children to Barbados. I have just looked it up how long the flight would take and it is well over 8 hours to fly there.

Then to keep them all entertained whilst they are there and out of trouble. The cost alone is staggering, they would then I would think need extra money for extras whilst out there.

How much pressure would this be putting on families to say no to their off spring.

Come on schools what is wrong with going to Devon or Cornwall or the like.

Re: News - School Trip to Barbados

Stupid idea when our own country offers so much..

Nearby countries such as Germany or France I can understand in connection with language studies but Barbados!

Madness, and my children wouldnt be allowed ..

Re: News - School Trip to Barbados

these are the sort of things that teacher/parent associations need to be deciding if you have any over there?

Re: News - School Trip to Barbados

We do sadly it's not the thing they get involved in ours is far too busy raising funds for necessities like books.

Re: News - School Trip to Barbados

The question is whether there should be no school trips outside the UK as there will always be children who's parents can't afford them?
It's a dilemma for the schools too and I've seen the school dip into funds to fund some children on a trip they couldn't otherwise do.
The school wants everyone to benefit and benefit they do, it's life experience and its learning to use a different currency and hear a different language being spoken and eat different food, a broadening of horizons.

I don't think that school trips abroad will end but it is a dilemma when there are some for whom it is not possible.

Re: News - School Trip to Barbados

Well I'll be honest and say I think that if parents want their children to go abroad they should do it in the school holidays, that way those who can't afford it don't have to look to their friends like they can't. Grace will the 4th time we have been through this with the schools and the trips get more expensive with each year, I don't mind paying for a day out where I can go along and help them to keep costs down, I don't even mind when they join the scouts and brownies and have a week away camping in school holidays but I am not paying through the nose for these school trips.