The rising price of school trips

With kids heading back to school this week, family budgets are likely tight with the never-ending cost of uniforms, lost PE kits, books and lunch money. Factor in various school trips scattered across the terms, and you can easily find yourself out of pocket by the end of the school year. The good news is that there are ways to save on school trips. Here’s what you need to know.

 

How much do school trips cost?

 

School trips are expensive. A poll by Teacher Tapp found that the number of trips costing more than £100 has risen, and the percentage of trips costing more than £250 has doubled since 2019. So it’s unsurprising that a whopping 56% of parents in the UK think school trips are too expensive, another half believe that school trip costs are unfair (50%), and nearly a third (29%) of parents in the UK believe that school trips abroad should be banned.

 

VoucherCodes research also found that, on average, parents spend £125.17 per child on school trips each year, not factoring in residentials, which can cost in excess of £500.

 

While the type of school trip significantly impacts how much parents are expected to pay, smaller trips add up, especially if you have more than one child at school. 

 

 

Source: VoucherCodes

 

Plus, the costs don’t stop with the trip price. Parents are often expected to fork out for extras, such as suitable clothing, spending money, and packed lunches. 

 

On average, these extra costs result in an additional £42.72 per trip, more if the trip is residential and includes outdoor pursuits and longer stays. 

 

What’s the guidance around school trip costs?

 

No school trip is compulsory, and under government guidance, your child's school can ask you to pay for activities. However, they should always tell you whether this is a voluntary payment or not. 

 

They also cannot stop your child from attending a trip if you can't afford to pay. However, schools can cancel a school trip if they don't get enough money from other parents to pay for it.

 

If you can’t afford to make a voluntary contribution to a trip, always talk to the school and see what financial help and support are available. If your child is on free school dinners, they will be covered for school trips and lunch on the trip.

 

Also, remember that while trips look super expensive, schools do not make any extra money. The high cost comes from the fact schools cannot cut corners when they take kids away. This means the costs include insurance, equipment, staff, and often risk assessments, not to mention coach or transport costs, which have risen in the last few years.

How to save money on school trips?

 

All school trips and payments may be optional, but being unable to send your child on a trip is painful. 57% of parents say they feel ashamed when they can’t send their child on a school trip, and 58% say they feel pressured to send their child on a school trip. 

 

To save money on school trips, you can do a few things to help your budget.

 

1. Set an annual budget for school trips

 

Putting a little aside each month can help pay for school trips, which tend to happen once a term.

 

Alongside day trips, budget for the longer residential trips for years 5 and 6. Depending on the length of stay and site, this can be as much as £400 plus costs. This is paid in instalments, allowing you to spread the cost over two terms or longer.

 

For teens, include trips such as the residential costs for the Duke of Edinburgh Award and expeditions like the Ten Tors Challenge, which your teen may be offered to do in Year 10. Equipment, course, and transport costs should also be included in your budget. 

 

2. Buy secondhand or borrow equipment

 

Try to borrow sleeping bags and tents for residential, expedition, and skiing trips instead of buying new ones. Or opt for secondhand equipment and clothes. Most schools and local Facebook parent groups have secondhand supplies. 

3. Ask your child to save for spending money 

 

If your child gets pocket money or money gifts on their birthday, encourage them to set up a savings pot for school trip spending money.

 

4. Get your family involved

 

If your extended family asks what to give for birthday and Christmas gifts, ask if they would like to contribute towards the more expensive school trips instead of presents. 

 

5. Be selective about the trips you opt for

 

While your child will want to go on every trip offered in primary school, as these are provided per year group, this differs in secondary school, as trips are attached to subjects.

 

A theatre trip won't be worth the money if your child isn’t interested in drama or English literature. However, if they want to take history as a GCSE subject, a history or museum visit may be a good option. 

 

6. If a trip is out of budget - get your teen to fundraise

 

Specific secondary school trips, such as skiing or summer trips abroad, are expensive (£1500+). If your child is keen to participate in these activities, encourage them to find ways of making money and fundraising. Trips are always paid in instalments, so they will have time to raise the money.

 

Fundraising for trips is also a rewarding way to engage children in setting monetary goals and developing entrepreneurial ideas to help offset the costs of what they want to do.

 

For more ideas on how to raise funds as a teen, see our posts on Making money as a teen, making money online, and the best side hustles for teens.

 

7. Talk to your children about monetary decision-making

Finally, school trips should be considered on a needs versus wants basis. Some are important as they contribute to life skills (Year 5 and 6 residentials) or GCSE and A-level learning, but others are offered for the experience.

 

If experience trips are too expensive for your family budget, explain this to your child/teen. Talking about the importance of living within your means and the value of money is crucial to building their financial skill set.