The college board has officially confirmed that a series of free academic modules will be integrated into the deep learning week schedule starting next term. We have reached our objective of ensuring inclusive access for all students regardless of family income. I will be monitoring the implementation of these new …
August 31, 2016
Final supporters
For many parents, bringing up children on a low income is a challenge.
The
so called "deep learning week" presents our children with opportunities
do things outside the normal day to day experience of school.
There has been a steady increase in the number of elite options where parents have to pay hundreds of pounds per child for prestige trips to foreign countries or expensive UK activity centres. Whilst these opportunities are undoubtedly exciting for the children, they can be literally impossible to pay for.
Many of us have gone into debt to make sure our children are not excluded.
The 2017 options have just been
published. There are 6 options, of which only one is based mainly in the
college. Even this option costs £50. The other options range in cost
from £290 - £490 per child. There is not a single free option.
For those of us who have more than one child to consider, the cost of "deep learning week" can easily run to over £900.
Thurston Community College should adopt an inclusive approach to "deep learning week".
There should be an equal or greater
number of free and affordable options which should be designed to have
an appeal (like the current Rock School option) allowing the children to choose without fear of the stigma attached to the "poor-family" options.
UPDATE:
We received a response saying that a free option would be added and that an email to that effect would be sent out to notify parents of this.
Adding a "poor family" option misses the point. When pressed, TCC refused to say whether they would do more than this.
Updates
July 29, 2016
I have submitted a formal request for a meeting with the board of governors to discuss the current pricing structure for deep learning week. We are currently compiling testimonies from affected families to present as evidence during that discussion.
Reached 100 supporters
July 29, 2016
37 Comments
My daughter went to this college and one trip was going to cost £1100... we were going to put it on credit but then then decided to increase the cost to £1400 cos so few were signing up.. we had to bail.. no way could we find extra money... sad for my daughter x
I went to this school, many moons ago, and it was the same back then. My parents actually took me to Greece for our family holiday that week instead (before the time of fines) but it was cheaper than the options from the school. This is blatant discrimination and yet it would be so easy to run a drama or music workshop or sports training week, all leading up to a big show/concert/demo/match for the kids to show off and parents to be proud at, all for free (or minimal cost)
My daughter is due to start tcc in sept and looked forward to the deep learning week. But with 6 children and my part time nurses wage I cannot afford to send her on any trips and she isn't keen on the £50 option.
I couldn't go on any outside of school trips as I couldn't afford to. I was stuck indoors doing maths for a whole week why everybody else was doing fun activities. It's just wrong
Thurston Community Collage needs to be more inclusive, many aspects of the school are very expensive; deep learning week being one of them. As deep learning week is compulsory for all students to take part in parents and carers shouldn't have to pay a small fortune for the activities
It's not fair on low income families and causes a divide.
what next...all children pay for the privilege to go to school after their parents and grandparents paid taxes all their lives,sounds a bit of a dictatorship to me!!!!!
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The college board has officially confirmed that a series of free academic modules will be integrated into the deep learning week schedule starting next term. We have reached our objective of ensuring inclusive access for all students regardless of family income. I will be monitoring the implementation of these new …
August 31, 2016
Final supporters
For many parents, bringing up children on a low income is a challenge.
The
so called "deep learning week" presents our children with opportunities
do things outside the normal day to day experience of school.
There has been a steady increase in the number of elite options where parents have to pay hundreds of pounds per child for prestige trips to foreign countries or expensive UK activity centres. Whilst these opportunities are undoubtedly exciting for the children, they can be literally impossible to pay for.
Many of us have gone into debt to make sure our children are not excluded.
The 2017 options have just been
published. There are 6 options, of which only one is based mainly in the
college. Even this option costs £50. The other options range in cost
from £290 - £490 per child. There is not a single free option.
For those of us who have more than one child to consider, the cost of "deep learning week" can easily run to over £900.
Thurston Community College should adopt an inclusive approach to "deep learning week".
There should be an equal or greater
number of free and affordable options which should be designed to have
an appeal (like the current Rock School option) allowing the children to choose without fear of the stigma attached to the "poor-family" options.
UPDATE:
We received a response saying that a free option would be added and that an email to that effect would be sent out to notify parents of this.
Adding a "poor family" option misses the point. When pressed, TCC refused to say whether they would do more than this.
Updates
July 29, 2016
I have submitted a formal request for a meeting with the board of governors to discuss the current pricing structure for deep learning week. We are currently compiling testimonies from affected families to present as evidence during that discussion.
Reached 100 supporters
July 29, 2016
37 Comments
Ridiculous that u get fined for taking the kids out of school for a family holiday yet these are allowed to go on at a cost of hundreds to parents! In these comparisons shouldnt the school now be fined for not allowing the children to attend?! I wonder how many sickness bugs there will be that week from parents who cant afford this so called "educational experience"!
My daughter went to this college and one trip was going to cost £1100... we were going to put it on credit but then then decided to increase the cost to £1400 cos so few were signing up.. we had to bail.. no way could we find extra money... sad for my daughter x
I went to this school, many moons ago, and it was the same back then. My parents actually took me to Greece for our family holiday that week instead (before the time of fines) but it was cheaper than the options from the school. This is blatant discrimination and yet it would be so easy to run a drama or music workshop or sports training week, all leading up to a big show/concert/demo/match for the kids to show off and parents to be proud at, all for free (or minimal cost)
My daughter is due to start tcc in sept and looked forward to the deep learning week. But with 6 children and my part time nurses wage I cannot afford to send her on any trips and she isn't keen on the £50 option.
I couldn't go on any outside of school trips as I couldn't afford to. I was stuck indoors doing maths for a whole week why everybody else was doing fun activities. It's just wrong
Thurston Community Collage needs to be more inclusive, many aspects of the school are very expensive; deep learning week being one of them. As deep learning week is compulsory for all students to take part in parents and carers shouldn't have to pay a small fortune for the activities
It's not fair on low income families and causes a divide.
what next...all children pay for the privilege to go to school after their parents and grandparents paid taxes all their lives,sounds a bit of a dictatorship to me!!!!!
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Ridiculous that u get fined for taking the kids out of school for a family holiday yet these are allowed to go on at a cost of hundreds to parents! In these comparisons shouldnt the school now be fined for not allowing the children to attend?! I wonder how many sickness bugs there will be that week from parents who cant afford this so called "educational experience"!