Are school trips worth the expense?

Every week a Guardian Money reader submits a question, and it's up to you to help him or her out – a selection of the best answers will appear in next Saturday's paper. This week's question: Am I alone in feeling fleeced by the cost of school trips? My eldest of three (age 11) hopes to go on a UK outdoor activity week in July, but the school wants £450. I recall my school trips were great fun – but were they always so much? Do we just have to find the money? What are your thoughts?