A MUM-OF-FOUR has hit out at Beaminster School after they tried to charged parents £200 for a trip for their children's GCSE coursework.

Nicola Walther, 40, said her daughter’s chances of gaining a good GCSE geography grade could be scuppered because she can’t afford to pay for a £200 residential fieldwork trip.

A letter sent to Year 10 parents said the ‘extensive field study’ trip to Nettlecombe Court in Exmoor National Park in July is part of the GCSE geography curriculum.

It adds that the £200 fee covers accommodation, travel, staff costs and equipment and will provide ‘experienced staff and up-to-date computer software and field studies equipment’.

But as Mrs Walther explained: “I couldn’t afford to pay the £50 instalments, so I spoke to the geography teacher who kindly told us about a charity in the school, and they offered me a £100 reduced price, but I can’t afford that either.

“My eldest is 17 and he’s doing things for his A Levels, and my seven-year-old is doing stuff too.”

Although the school has offered her daughter an alternative Saturday field study trip with 10 hours of supported study, Mrs Walther said she believes it will not provide her child with the same opportunity of gaining top marks as if she went on the trip.

“It said in the letter that the trip gives them the best chance of gaining top grades. So if your child doesn’t go on the trip, you don’t really have a chance of gaining good marks," she said.

“[The alternative] is supposed to be equal and it’s not – it’s the unfairness [of it]; that it comes down to cost.”

“Whether you are a low earner or a high earner, it shouldn’t limit your access to educational opportunities. If it was private school then maybe I could understand, but it’s not.”

She added: “I feel that I’m letting her down because this is for her exams, for her GCSEs – they are really important – just because I can’t afford for her to go.”

“I would rather my daughter could go on the school trip and not have to pay anything for it.”

Beaminster School’s headteacher Keith Hales said: “Where a family may have difficulty in meeting voluntary contributions for these experiences we will always support them.

“Mrs Walther has already received £100 to support the cost of the geography trip through the Frances Tucker Trust Fund, and we have also set up regular payment options that started back in October to spread the cost over a year.

“It is therefore disappointing that Mrs Walther has not contacted the school about her concerns since she received this funding, as we will always work with parents to find a solution.

“In the last five years all the students who missed the first trip have gained grades at least as good as those on the residential."

Mr Hales added he looks forward to meeting Mrs Walther to find a way forward, and assured parents that any essential items for pupils’ studies are paid for by the school.