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Original poster

Meeting for trip abroad, how important is it that we go?

40 replies

BossyBanana · 02/04/2019 10:53

DS (year7) is going on a trip abroad next month with school.
There is a meeting this week about the trip but it clashes with other plans.

When I receive the email about the meeting this morning I replied to say I won’t be able to make it but could they please forward any information,
the reply was that I should try to attend the meeting as all parents and students are expected to attend.

How essential is it that we attend this meeting?
I know I should try to attend but I’d rather not change my plans if they are just going to be telling me information we already know and going over the itinerary.
We already have a pretty detailed itinerary for the trip and they have given us a lot of information about it.

The meeting is supposed to be 45 minutes long.

Has anyone been to one of these?
How essential is it?

OP posts:
PCohle · 02/04/2019 12:09

Surely the only ones who can actually tell you whether there will be important new information are the school, and they have told you to attend...

reluctantbrit · 02/04/2019 11:25

We missed a meeting for a UK trip in Y5 (DH away on business and I stranded in London thanks to train disasters) and the school asked to come in for a 1-2-1 meeting. It was vital, there were lots of information which weren't covered in the paperwork, especially behaviour. More details then just the usual expectations.

When DD went in Y6 on another trip DH went on his own, most children only had one parent, and I would say the only ones not attending where the ones where older sibling went 1-2 year prior.

Def re-arrange or just send your DH

mummmy2017 · 02/04/2019 11:23

Anything important will have been written down and sent out.
Don't worry about it...
I do think everytime I went to a meeting that nothing new was ever added.

Comefromaway · 02/04/2019 11:18

Ds's only lasted about 40 minutes but it was really important for the kids. It set out clear expectations in front of the parents on behaviour and hygiene (football trip) with the PE teacher emphasising things like how to treat the hotel roo, making sure showers were taken and deoderant taken, there were forms to fill in regarding swimming ability, meal arrangments for the journey and everyone was handed a form with contact/medical details to check.

Saying that, dd went on two trips abroad with her school and there was no parents meeting at all.

Original poster
BossyBanana · 02/04/2019 11:17

It’s not that I’m not interested, the other plans we have are important and have arranged for months, we would probably have to wait several months to rearrange if I had to cancel it, which is why I’d rather not.

The trip is an immersive language trip.
they are going to the country they are learning the native language of.
They have activities planned to encourage them to use and learn more of the language, such as a trip to a local market then a cookery class. trips around a few important places to learn about the culture and history of the country.

We’ve already been given a full detailed itinerary and a lot of information about the trip and the expectations of the students.

I posted mainly to see if it would be really important to go or if it would just be a sort of final ‘going over’ of all the information we already have.

OP posts:
ChipSandwich · 02/04/2019 11:15

Of course you should go. I can't imagine any plans I'd made taking precedence over this. Other people are giving up their time to ensure your child's holiday runs smoothly. I'd have thought you'd want to co-operate.

youngestisapsycho · 02/04/2019 11:11

I dont think it's that important to go. I went to one last week for my DDs trip next month to Germany. The teacher just talked through the information sheets she had already sent home to us. Nothing new was really said. It was more a meeting for parents who had any questions to ask. If there is anything you really need to know you can contact the school. There are 45 kids on DDs trip, there was probably only about 15/20 parents there. I wasn't going to go as it clashed with older DDs parents evening, but that got postponed.

Comefromaway · 02/04/2019 11:07

I’d say it is pretty essential & unless you really cannot after your other commitments on that evening you should go. Eg Ds missed his dance class for us to go to his but we wouldn’t have cancelled his dance exam/mock exam.

Dh cannot drive and is unable to leave work early (he’s a teacher) to get there but I arranged for him to get a taxi home rather than me have to pick him up.

AuntieCJ · 02/04/2019 11:06

Of course you should go.

Seeline · 02/04/2019 11:06

What sort of trip is it? Adventure, study, UK, abroad?

Mrsjayy · 02/04/2019 11:04

Ime you sometimes have forms to sign finalise contact details if you can't cancel plans can her other parent go

Seeline · 02/04/2019 11:00

I would hate to miss one of these meetings.
Your DD is only 11/12 - surely you need to have as much info as possible to ensure she gets the most out of the trip and you know what to do in case of any emergencies?
They usually cover all the 'what ifs' and 'Do we really need' type questions, as well as in depth info on what kit is required, travel arrangements etc.

Mrsjayy · 02/04/2019 10:59

Are you not that interested what the arrangements are because that is how it reads your dc school teachers are givi g up their time to take your kid on holiday go to the meeting

Alienspaceship · 02/04/2019 10:58

You should go. It’s important you know expectations in terms of behaviour, procedures if anything goes wrong etc etc. They’re not holding the meeting for fun if they thought sending home info would do instead.

Jackshouse · 02/04/2019 10:56

Teachers are giving up their personal time for free to take your child on a trip and you don’t want to give them 45 mins so they are confident that you and your child understand what is happening and expectations?