To send DS to school?

I always kept mine off when there was a reward trip they didnt qualify for or a non-educational class trip they didnt want to do. And would have done if it was something I couldnt afford.

Enjoy your day!!

He’ll probably have a lovely time at school doing fun activities, helping younger kids with stuff etc. Shame he can’t go on the trip though.

FFS, of course he should go to school! There is no good reason to keep him at home.

Out of a year group of 60, on average there are only about 5-6 who don't go on the 5 day year 6 one in my daughters school, most of these had significant SEN needs and school was happy to support, i can see how some parejts might have felt their children woyod struggle. I'm suprised they even ran it for 8 children.

I think many of the children in our village are used to doing camps with guides/scouts for a couple night a few times a year so they aren't phased. If never been away before I can see how 5 days might feel a bit long, but it's a great opportunity

Send him in. There’ll likely be a few not going on the residential.

Id send him to school today, and make plans for Tues and Wed when you know what the arrangements are.

Wow different schools definitely have different vibes. Maybe depends on part of the country. In my kids' classes literally everyone goes, it's the talk of the town, plans made months in advance.

If it's anything like my kid's school literally everyone will be going on the residential. When they said no places left it's probably because everything's been set with the accommodation provider (teams assigned, equipment booked) and too late to change.

I'd keep them home. 3 days off school or 3 days off-school-at-a-residential. They aren't doing classes there either.

It's not just about the cost. DS's junior school increased the length of the residential trips by a day each school year. I knew at least 2 children who didn't go once it got to 3 days because they didn't want to. By year 6 (5 day trip) only 8 out of 30 children went.

I’d have asked what the plan was before today tbh but you can’t keep him off for 3 days so assume it’ll be fine and they’ll do something nice with the kids not on the trip.

That should not happen these days. Also OP says he’s not the only one. I am sorry you experienced that, it must have been so hard.

I find it strange that your DC doesn't know what's happening? If he is old enough to go on a residential trip he should be old enough to know who is and is not going. It's probably all they have talked about for weeks. If he really doesn't know check with another parent. I would think if a number of kids can't go then there will be a fun day planned for them. If he was the only one, then staying home is OK but I really doubt it.

In our school, the kids not going do a project based on a theme eg shipwrecks so there will be art, games, cooking and team building based around this. It is usually so much fun and we take lots of pictures so, when the others are sharing their photos from the trip, we can share ours from the project. There’s no shame in staying behind, he will have lots of attention and a level of pastoral care that we don’t normally have time for.

Do you know the plan for the three days? How many aren’t going? I wondered if he’s being plonked in another class or if they have a plan for the kids who aren’t going.

Keep him home and do something nice, I'll always remember being the only child that didn't go on a school trip because my parents couldn't afford it.

How old is the child?
I don’t recall there being trips for only part of the class in primary. Much more common in secondary but your child sounds younger.

If there are no spaces left then it's definitely not going to be just a handful - there will probably be at least half the kids there. Plus it's 3 days not just today and keeping him home for 3 days is a very different proposition. The kids getting to go on the trip will be having fun that will forge stronger friendships. I expect the school, if they are any good, will be trying to make these 3 days quite fun and relaxed for the kids who aren't going and that will also help build up friendship bonds. If you keep your child at home for 3 days he will be excluded from both sets of experiences.

My youngest recently went on a residential, the children who didn’t go (four from a year of 53) did two days of fun activities, they went to town on the bus to the museum, had lunch out, played sports etc.

He won't be the only one not going. With residential trips you do usually need to pay a deposit upfront or at least have talked to the school if their payment plan didn't work for you and you still wanted your son to go. By not doing so they would just assume you didn't want your son to go, or he didn't want to, which is why they would then say there wasn't any spaces left as they would have confirmed numbers.

I would send him to school as he won't be the only one not going and you can't keep him off for 3 days. Ours did some activities with TAs such as team building, craft and sport.

When I was younger my mum couldn’t afford for me to go on the residential. I still went to school and there was a few other kids who hadn’t gone. We did lots of fun activities (no school work). I’d send him

A school cannot exclude a child from an educational trip based on ability to pay - if you are UK. They have to work put a plan with you where you pay what you can afford, if your child wishes to go.

The 'fun' trips - skiing etc, are based on ability to pay, but if they are covering curriculum - such as history or geography, they cannot exclude your child

At DD school they do a 3 day residential year 4 and 5 day year 6. The children who did not go were those whose parents did not feel they were ready emotionally.

What year group is your child?

You can't keep him off for 3 days. I presume this is primary school? There will be things planned for the children not going.

If it's a residential then I would send him to school. He won't be the only one not going so there will be plans in place for the rest of them and missing 3 days of school seems quite excessive.

Well if you are planning to send him in the other days, why would you keep him off today?