My 10-year-old daughter has come home with a permission slip for a school trip to Paris. I’m worried about the price of it. It’s a lot of money at £310 in total. I have some money set aside for the kids but I don’t know whether to use it on this trip. Is it worth the money?

First of all, try not to worry. You’re not the first parent to worry about the cost of a school trip and you definitely won’t be the last. When their child suddenly brings home a permission slip for a trip, many parents are concerned about the cost.

One recent survey revealed that the average cost of a primary school trip is £286. The average cost of a secondary school trip stands at £1,411. School trips have certainly increased in price since the years when we went to school, but then again, the price of everything has increased.

Travelling abroad during the school holidays can often be expensive, so sometimes school trips can actually be much cheaper during term time. There are companies that specialise in providing affordable school trips without scrimping on learning or fun.So if you’re after a great quality trip that will educate your child while rewarding them for their hard work all year, this could be the perfect break from the classroom.

When organising a school trip, safety is of course the teachers’ number one priority, and so a proportion of the cost of the adventure will go towards ensuring that your child will be safe, without affecting the amount of fun being had.

For many children, a school trip abroad is their first without their parents, and so for many, it offers them a taste of independence. Pupils will be set a range of challenges and will be able to learn more about themselves and their fellow classmates.By living with their classmates for a short period of time, children can learn the importance of respect, teamwork and friendship.

School trips abroad could also help to shape your child’s future. Children may find themselves feeling inspired by something that they see or do on the trip, which could lead to a new hobby or enthusiasm in a subject that they knew little about before.

By offering their pupils an exciting learning environment that challenges the norm, and by breaking tradition every now and again, schools can offer their children a diverse learning experience which they might not get if they spend all their time in the classroom.

If you’re at all unsure about the school trip that your child is about to go on, don’t hesitate to ask your teacher lots of questions.

Whether your child is to climb the Eiffel Tower during a 3 day trip to Paris or visit the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, they’re bound to be filled with inspiration and appreciation when they return home.

While it is of course possible to learn plenty in the classroom, there is no substitute for actually getting out and experiencing things in the wider world.