How old were your kids when they went in their first school residential?

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We’ve been told that our kids are going on a residential (2 nights ) activity trip. They’re 8/9 yr olds.
How old were your kids when they went on their first one and how did they cope?

Year 3 and 4 for two nights - that was in a British military school in Europe and the trips were into a neighbouring country. Then we came back to the UK and he had a 4 night residential in Year 6. He also camped out with the Beavers in Year 2 and 3 and then with the Cubs a few times.

DD1 went in year 3 so was 7 years old.

DD2 might get to go in year 4 before her 9th birthday but that all depends on the covid landscape in the autumn.

Their school starts in year 3 normally then has a residential every year with 2 taking place in year 6. Costs a sodding fortune!

Right at the beginning of Year 5, for two nights, so he'd have been 9. The following year he went for a full week, and in Year 7 he went to Japan for ten days with barely a backward glance!

My kids school like their residentials..
We've had;
Yr 2 - 2 night stay
Yr 3 - 2 night stay
Yr 4 - 4 night stay
Yr 5 - 3 night stay
Yr 6 - overseas (France) 4 night stay

My kids loved every single one!

Dd started in Y 3 for a local camp and has managed one a year since
Ds had a cub camp in y1 but hasn't had any school residential yet.

Year 4 - 3 nights. neither of my Dcs had ever been away overnight (no family close, and no sleepovers ever offered). They were nervous but fine.

year 6 was meant to be 6 nights away in a completely different (European) country. I was very and worried about it because my DC who would have been on it is a terrified traveller at the best of times but last year;s was cancelled due to covid and who knows what will happen this year.

Year 5.
3 days, 2 nights at an outdoor activity centre about 20 miles away.

Year 6
4 days, 3 nights at a seaside resort about 60 miles away. Took place between SAT's finishing and leaving Junior school. They all had a fab time, which if anything, made transition to High School more difficult and they were all distraught a week later when they left. Made some happy memories though.

My kids school doesn’t do residential until year 5, and then it’s straight in with four nights away). My eldest has been doing overnights with Beavers since he was 6 though. Once restrictions ease, he’ll start going on cub camps, and they are usually 2-4 nights. He is now 8

Year 4 to an activity centre type place down the road for 2 nights

Then went to France in year 6 for 5 nights

Year 4, one night at residential. Year 3, one night at school to prep them. He’s done one other sleepover. I think next one in year 6 is 4 nights. He will reek by then without me to badger him to shower, brush his teeth etc!

I think 8/9 is pretty normal.

Our local school starts at year 3 (so 7/8 years old) but it's camping on the school playing fields with the year 4s. It's year 6 before they go away to an actual camp. I would say the vast majority of kids love it, a few are a bit wobbly at points but overall enjoy it. It's very rare for a parent to get called in to pick up a kid early at our local school - definitely not every year.

It didn't happen because of Covid, but DS would have gone on his first school residential, two nights in some outdoor activities centre, having just turned 8 in Year 3. He had already done an overnight camp with Beavers about a year earlier having just turned 7.

Dd1 was meant to go last year age 9 but it was cancelled. She went to pony camp for a couple of nights the year before age 8 and was fine though.

Aged 5 for 3 nights.
We were living in Thailand. She loved it

Same here year 4 to residential outdoors centre about an hour away. Both loved it! It was 4 nights if I remember and both say it is best memory of their first school. At the time school had a rule that no child could be in contact or phone home - to keep them happy and not get homesick too much although they would of course keep a close eye - and if child was totally distressed then that would be different. But this was possible back then - 10 yrs ago as we didn’t have mobile phones so broadly and 5 year olds weren’t given them to use in school if they miss home (I’m judging here I know). I think it was to stop parents upsetting their child - and I could see why on the day (both) trips left - parents in tears by the bus - shouting hysterical goodbyes and not letting child get on the bus until the ‘last hug ‘ it was all very dramatic . I was quite shocked actually that there were so many parents upset and not able to let their children leave happily in the spirit of adventure - really pushing those feelings into their child.

Anyway I’ve drifted off the question OP - they have fun, learn and remember it as a positive experience in the main!

I'm surprised at a lot of the answers - every school l've worked in has taken Y3s away for a night. They're fine! There's loads of clothes to reunite with their owners after but other than that no dramas. Normally 90%+ of the class go. I know a few schools that do sleepovers with Y1 and a trip away with Y2s.

My DD’s residential in Y3 was cancelled because of Covid. First Beaver camp away was when she was in Y2.

Y4 - one night camping overnight on the school field, then a week away in Y6.

Ds has never been on a school residential but has been going to overnight disabled children's respite since he was 14.

Our school does a 2-night residential in Y2, has done for years apparently. I was pretty surprised and I didn't think DS would be ready for it, but he had a great time.

DC1 has just come back from his first residential. He's 10 (Yr 6). He should have gone away last year in year 5 when he would have been 9 but that was cancelled due to covid. DC2 is in year 3 and would be more than happy to go if anything was organised for her.

DS went on his first camp with Cubs at 7 1/2 znd he went on a four night school holiday camp where he didn't know anyone at almost 8. First school camp was year 5 when he was 10.