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| Horsforth School plans £1,650 Barbados sports trip | Horsforth School plans £1,650 Barbados sports trip |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A West Yorkshire school has been criticised for asking parents to pay £1,650 for a sports trip to Barbados. | A West Yorkshire school has been criticised for asking parents to pay £1,650 for a sports trip to Barbados. |
| Parents of pupils at Horsforth School in Leeds have called the trip "disgraceful", "disgusting" and "appalling" on Facebook. | Parents of pupils at Horsforth School in Leeds have called the trip "disgraceful", "disgusting" and "appalling" on Facebook. |
| The school, an academy, has had sports trips to Italy and Spain in previous years. | The school, an academy, has had sports trips to Italy and Spain in previous years. |
| HR director Lauren Robinson said the school wished to reiterate that it was not a compulsory trip. | HR director Lauren Robinson said the school wished to reiterate that it was not a compulsory trip. |
| Catamaran cruise | Catamaran cruise |
| A letter sent from the school's PE department said that children from years 8, 9 and 10 could stay for seven nights half-board at the Butterfly Beach Hotel in the south of the island. | A letter sent from the school's PE department said that children from years 8, 9 and 10 could stay for seven nights half-board at the Butterfly Beach Hotel in the south of the island. |
| Pupils from the football, netball and girls' football teams would play in three fixtures with local teams. | Pupils from the football, netball and girls' football teams would play in three fixtures with local teams. |
| They would be given "traditional evening entertainment", a catamaran cruise, the option of going to a water park, and a special sports tour kit, the letter said. | They would be given "traditional evening entertainment", a catamaran cruise, the option of going to a water park, and a special sports tour kit, the letter said. |
| Ms Robinson said the school's decision to offer the trip - an alternative destination to Italy and Spain - had been "driven partly by student views and partly by some shortcomings with the current arrangements". | Ms Robinson said the school's decision to offer the trip - an alternative destination to Italy and Spain - had been "driven partly by student views and partly by some shortcomings with the current arrangements". |
| The school said: "The cost of the Barbados trip is high but is balanced by a much larger number of more affordable events, from residential exchanges and study visits to single day trips and school-based events." | |
| It refused to answer questions about how many teachers are going on the trip and how their places are being paid for. | |
| 'Unfair on parents' | 'Unfair on parents' |
| A parent on Facebook wrote: "Just wondering what people's thoughts are on Horsforth School deciding to do their sports tour to Barbados next year at a cost of £1650 per child? | A parent on Facebook wrote: "Just wondering what people's thoughts are on Horsforth School deciding to do their sports tour to Barbados next year at a cost of £1650 per child? |
| "Personally I'm appalled and think it's really unfair to put this pressure on parents of either finding that sort of money or saying no to their child." | "Personally I'm appalled and think it's really unfair to put this pressure on parents of either finding that sort of money or saying no to their child." |
| Linsi Tidswell said: "I've got two children and two step-children and I can't afford to spend that sort of money on four children - it's not fair to do for one what we can't do for the others. | Linsi Tidswell said: "I've got two children and two step-children and I can't afford to spend that sort of money on four children - it's not fair to do for one what we can't do for the others. |
| "It's making a divide between parents that can afford it and parents that can't afford it. To me the school is excellent but it should be promoting equal opportunities for all children." | "It's making a divide between parents that can afford it and parents that can't afford it. To me the school is excellent but it should be promoting equal opportunities for all children." |
| Has your local school organised trips you have considered too expensive? Please email your comments to England@bbc.co.uk |