Would you let your child go on this school trip?

You have the chance to take your daughter at any point. Theatre tickets aren't restricted to 7 year old school kids.

The chance will also be available to see theatre when they're 8, 9, 10,11, 12+ years old.

Personally I think it's ridiculous sending 7 year olds to a late theatre performance. A great number will fall asleep during, which renders it a bit pointless.

Most theatre shows have 8 performances a week which includes 3 x 2:30pm matinees. Absolutely no reason not to choose one of those afternoon performances, especially as the school is allowing the kids to miss the following morning.

@Bubblegirly

It's a great opportunity, OP - if at all possible, any child invited should go along.

Which musical is it? I'm thinking perhaps 'Matilda'?

PS Having said that, on reflection, the musicals on in London generally have matinees - were tickets for a matinee not possible for the school group?

If they’d be ok going there and they would enjoy it then I would as a one off. It will be a brilliant experience that they will remember for years to come.

This. I think it’s a crazy idea from school, what’s wrong with a matinee?

id also be fuming if I’d paid £££ to go to the theatre for the evening and got sat next to a trip of 7 year olds!!!

It sounds more suitable for an older age group.

If I drove (can't due to disability) then yes, I'd happily let them go. I don't drive so would need to check I could sort transport to pick them up first.

As for personal circumstances, I'd ask my DC if it's something they really want to do, as mine usually fall asleep by 8pm and London is 4 hours away from us.

Depends on your child and the impact a late night would have on them, some will sleep on the coach, settle to bed once home and be fine after a lie in the next day. Some might not sleep on the coach, might take ages to wind down once home and then might still wake at the crack of dawn. Probably depends on what night of the week it is too, on a Thursday where they only have one more day of school to get through before they can have a chilled weekend fine, on a Monday night with a whole week of school to get through it might be trickier! Obviously for some families with 2 working parents it might not be possible to let the child have a lie in if parents don’t have flexible working. I assume it’s open to children across school of all ages so the age of the child will probably matter, a late night may have less of an impact on a Year 6 child than one in Year 2. Ultimately there is no right or wrong, it should be up to individual parents to decide what’s appropriate for their individual child.

I'd allow them but wouldn't judge other parents who didn't. DD would start later the next day, but I wouldn't, she'd still need to be at childcare for 7am, so I can understand why a late start might not work for everyone

Mine are in high school now but the primary school has done the O2 school choir for years which ends at a similar time and then get to go in late.
I did it when I was growing up and it felt so grown up going in late the next day!

let them go

We can all sleep when we are dead! Let the child go, seeing a show in London is amazing. I am pretty strict with routine but there are allowed to be exceptions.

Absolutely let them go. Access to the arts is so important for young people and it is harder and harder to do with the cost of tickets. Totally worth it for your child and I would take the chance in a heartbeat for my daughter.

Children are resilient when it comes to going but not resilient when it comes to not going?

Gosh my DD’s secondary school do this but book the afternoon matinee performance. Wonder why the school hasn’t done that?

How far do you live from London?

It really depends on your child. I’ve taken both of mine to evening performances - usually due to the eldest child being the main person involved in a performing group and invited but with family offered tickets not just the member child. Youngest has always fallen asleep during the second half. Like clockwork. And older than 6. Did so last year aged 11!! But it’s not put us off going - single parent so easier to take the younger one at the time as I don’t have babysitters.

School seem sensible about it though giving them a later start the day after. So if the child really wants to go I’d probably say yes.

Oh let them go. How exciting!

Thanks.

Parents like the op are partly why teachers are leaving in droves.
It’s an offer of a trip-just say no.
Why all the bloody moaning?

OMG yes let her go.

How far away is the trip 2 hours? I wouldn't like to be an adult on that trip. My son would probably sleep through it, once he's asleep a bomb couldn't wake him up and he literally has zero coordination when not naturally woken, I couldn't put someone through it, but if your child could stay awake and enjoy it, yep.

Why? Just choose a matinee or don’t offer the trip to such young children. The world won’t end for them culturally if they don’t see an evening show at aged 7

Stop being so overly dramatic about why you bother as a teacher and think that maybe parents have lives and other kids too.

How would you mitigate all the other points in my post about travel and pick ups and single and/or working parents?

Why, what do you think it's gonna happen in that their big bad London at night, to a gaggle of 7-year-olds & their teachers 🙄🙇🏻‍♀️.

You do realise that seven-year-olds live in London??

If your child wants to go, then yes. They’ll love the show and the whole thing will be an adventure for them, staying out late and falling asleep with their friends on the journey home.

i would let them go, if it didnt affect me, having to pick up and take in a bit later the next day
they will enjoy it

I would 100% let them go.

Even if the late night pick up is tricky, it shouldn't be insurmountable. And if the morning is an issue - well, take them in normal time. Late nights generally aren't something that can't be navigated around, especially for one night only.

Both my kids did these trips from their prep school at that age. They were absolutely buzzing with it. I am a working mother, I managed it. Other child also just got taken in a bit late.

It never even occurred to me to say no. Even if they are a bit tired the next day, they are Y3. Not exactly a critical school year.

Whichever parent (mum or dad) is saying no, needs to unclench a little here. Little Johnny will be fine.

Don’t give up, we need and appreciate you.