Affordable Sixth Form School Trips

Something common to any age group, and characteristic of every school trip, is the shared desire for it not to involve excessive cost. Although participants in these trips are very close to adulthood, very few — if any — have their own income. As a result, the cost of the trip usually falls on the family, who understands the importance of the occasion and contributes to financing the trip as a reward for academic effort. The interest in keeping a Sixth Form school trip affordable is therefore not exclusive to the participant, but is shared by the family too. There are many ways to achieve this, though there are also many factors to bear in mind. Participants generally have great ideas and a long list of plans they want to fulfil during their trip. However, including everything can lead to an excessive budget.

To avoid this, and to ensure the plan still includes everything the participants want, the best option for keeping costs under control is to use the services of a specialised agency or company in the sector. Why? Agencies typically offer travel packages that include everything the group is looking for. Because these are pre-established group prices, they are far more competitive than if the group were to arrange all the services themselves. This also saves the difficulty of contacting every individual supplier. The group need only deal with the organising agency, which takes care of everything. In this way, both extra costs and time are saved, while gaining the ease and confidence that comes from knowing the organisation of the trip is in the hands of a team of professionals who specialise in this sector.

   

Raising money for Sixth Form school trips: selling raffle tickets

Raising money for Sixth Form school trips is one of the most common ways of keeping the trip affordable. In these cases, it is possible to recoup the money invested in the trip through various methods, which we outline below. The most familiar and widely known is selling raffle tickets. The agency organising the trip provides each participant with a booklet of raffle tickets. The cost of each ticket is typically around one euro. Buying a ticket is the way to enter a draw or competition for a prize. Sixth Form students sell these tickets within their circle of family and friends — parents, siblings, friends, neighbours, acquaintances… and sometimes even people they do not know well. Everyone is welcome to contribute to funding the trip.

It is such a common tradition that many people, regardless of how well they know the participants, are happy to contribute. Not only does it give them a chance to win a prize, but it is also something that a great many people have experienced themselves: selling raffle tickets or lottery shares to fund trips or other initiatives. This creates a sense of empathy and people tend to be willing to help. Furthermore, the prize can be something genuinely attractive — from holidays to computers or shares in the Christmas lottery. There are many options, and all of them are a simple and easy way to raise money for a school trip.

Sixth Form school trips: other ways to raise funds

Selling raffle tickets is not the only way to raise money for a school trip. There are other equally straightforward options, and some that are slightly more complex but offer great advantages. At this age, one increasingly popular option is organising parties. These are planned entirely by the group of participants. They choose the venue, handle the decoration, decide on a theme, manage the invitations and promote the event. A modest entrance fee can be charged, along with a charge for drinks and refreshments. The proceeds go towards funding the trip. The party can sometimes be held at the school itself and attended by other year groups, classmates, teachers and so on. It is a way of building community spirit and togetherness, as well as achieving the fundraising goal.

Both at the party itself and outside of it, other fundraising methods can be used. The sale of merchandise items is also growing in popularity. Printed T-shirts or school items featuring a motto or symbol associated with that particular year group are common examples. Buying one not only helps fund the trip but also serves as a keepsake from that time. Another option is selling handmade craft items, made during workshops or classes at school. Food sales are also popular and can be integrated into a larger activity, such as the party itself or the organisation of a fête or tombola.

Sixth Form School Trips