What's your view on this?

[jampots]

A Year 1 mum Im friendly with has told me today that reception class and year 1 have booked a school trip to .....Weston Super Mare! So up to 60 kids going to presumably, the Beach! Now her little girl has a severe peanut allergy but aside from this she has decided not to allow her dd to go, and has found that about 10 other parents feel the same way - its just too much/too far/too OTT for children of this age.

She wants to take her dd out for the day and do something else educational with her but the year 1 teacher has told her dd that "she isnt having the day off she will be in school and working hard"! Views please? and what would you do?

[lima]

how far is it - how long is the travelling time? What time are they setting off and when will they be back?

[Trixie1]

leave her at school working hard,at least friend will have peace of mind that she is safe. Give her a treat at the weekend with the family as a replacement.I would ask what the educational content is for the trip and try to mimic it on the weekend.

[jampots]

we're in Brum so I guess a couple of hours each way starting off at about 8.30.

Im interested in the views on whether if the child is not going to the beach they should be allowed a day out somewhere educational with their parents.

[hana]

not commenting on the trip but from a teacher's point of view - when a trip is planned and the child does not participate (at my school) they are expected to be in school for the day and given work to do. But if a child doesn't go - they generally don't go into school for the day either...
how far is the trip from the school? ( I don't know where you are!)

[hana]

i would say absolutely.4 hours on a coach for an hour or two at the beach? take her out for the day!

[happymerryberries]

I would ask what they are doing. I know that mine have been to the sea side, but that was when their project that term has been the sea side, so there wasa reasonable amount of relevance

[FrenchGirl]

how far are you from WSM? Dd (year 1) just went there today on her school trip (we're in Bristol). There were only about 22 of them, all in groups of 4 supervised by teachers or TAs, they went to the Sea Life Centre, then picnic on the beach, ice-cream, and game of rounders and sandcastles. She had a great time.
I know that doesn't answer your question though, but I think I would ask the school what my dd would be doing at school whilst most of the others are away, and if I wasn't satisfied simply would keep her home that day.

[lima]

does sound like quite a heavy day for such young children - rather them than me - imagine teh tiolet stops.

I actually don't think there is anything wrong with the children not going being asked to come into school - after all it is a school day and some parents may not be available to take their child for a day out - would it be fair for some kids to get the day off and others have to spend it at school?

[jampots]

normally in year 1 they go to Cadbury World (about 30 mins away) as they cover food or something - the yr1 teacher literally cant control her class of 24 in teh classroom let alone out in a vast open space

[FrenchGirl]

eeeek, I wouldn't let my child go on that trip, sounds insane!

[Trixie1]

yeah, I dont advocate taking them out of school anyway, I didnt think you could anyway unless you fake an illness.

[coppertop]

Presumably they would also be taking plenty of other adults along to supervise the children?

I know that when ds1's class (Reception so slightly younger) went on a trip there were a few who didn't go. A couple stayed off school (I saw them in the park) and a couple spent the day with the Yr1 class, presumably doing some kind of work.

[Hulababy]

Your friend could put in a holiday form for that day? So long as she isn't over her 10 days allowance.

[jampots]

can they do that Hula? I think she wouldnt have seen it as a problem if the teacher hadnt said it in a gloaty "we're having fun, you're not" kind of way

[Hulababy]

Still has to be agreed too by head teacher.

[Twiglett]

if it is a trip to the beach and I think that probably needs to be clarified first I would personally be very surprised and would want to know

what are the educational benefits? what exactly are they going to be doing all day?

are the kids just going to play on the beach? what are they going to do between the hours of 11am and 3pm when you are supposed to keep children out of the sun?

will there be suitable shade? what about sun protection - creams / hats etc?

what about numbers of staff to children ratio? the beach is a dangerous place .. crowded / water etc

sounds a little unusual to me .. I would doubt they would be going to a 'beach' (i would hope not anyway)

[Trixie1]

hows about offering to go on the trip to help?

[jampots]

well we have a Sea Life Centre in Brum so cant see why theyd go to WSM for theirs (no offence to Westoners)

[Doddle]

Seaside holidays in the past is a History topic for Infants, it is hugely difficult to teach, especially in inner cities, because many of our children have never been to the seaside and have no idea what they have to compare the past to. We always take Reception and Year 1 to the seaside as the study trip for this topic. We do the actual beach before 11am and then things in the shade for the rest of the day.

Does sound like the actual beach is rather a long way away though.

However, I still remember my first school trip when I was 4, which was a glorious day out to Whitley Bay, where I found a starfish.

[cazzybabs]

I think going to the beach is a lovely ldea - how many of those children have never been to the beach - probably a few of them. I do agree it is a long wa, but even so I think what a super idea of the schools espically in the age where unions are advising teachers not to go on trips at all.

Your friends dd will have to go to school even if she does not go on the trip, but what a shame she is missing out on the trip.

[wordsmith]

I would have no problem with a trip to the beach per se, but the journey is a bit far! (But then most of us in Brum will do anything to catch a gimpse of the sea - not that you'd get that in Weston if my memory serves me correctly!)

My DS's reception class went to Hatton Country World in Warwick which is about a 45 minute trip. Think that's far enough.

IME a 'jolly' in the summer term is just part and parcel of the school experience, isn't it? Isn't school about educational, physical and social development - especially the little ones?

[Hulababy]

I agree with those that have said that the idea of a beach trip is fine with me, sounds lovely, possibly linked to curriculum and nice for the children. But it does sound such a long way to travel for such young children.

[janeybops]

Personnally I wouldn't organise a trip to a beach as the amount of forms and risk assessments would take a week to fill in.

[wordsmith]

Hulababy I am agreeing with you on several threads today.

[fee77]

I was part of a whole school trip to the beach once (small school and short train ride) and it was an absolute night mare! Spent all day rubbing suncream on kids, shouting at them to stay in the pool, not the sea, walking kids over to the loos. I ended up with blisters and sunburn (and i was 8 mths pregnant).