Would you make a complaint about this?

[IDrewThat]

My dd was taken on a school trip last week. It was an outdoor event with plenty of opportunities to go inside for refreshments and learning events. I've been to this place before and I'm aware of the indoor spaces.

The day came and the weather was awful. Torrential rain and winds. The school proceeded with the trip telling parents to rest assured children will be kept inside at all chances.

I collected dd at home time and she was hysterical. Shivering and crying. Her clothes were equivalent to if she had been swimming in them. I was furious.

All the children came home soaked. A lot of them really distressed!

Dd said it was so horrible. They were kept outside all day. Didn't go inside anywhere at any time. Dds lunchbox was soaked through as they had to sit on them to eat their lunch or stand and eat in the pouring rain.

It sounded horrific. Dd said the children kept getting told to hurry up and the whole time was spent practically running in the rain trying to keep up with each other. They didn't learn anything. Some children slipped and injured themself. One child wet themself as they couldn't find the toilets.

My dd is 6 and the eldest group was 10 year olds.

Would you make a complaint about this? I would complain about the fact the children did not go indoors at all as promised. They learnt absolutely nothing and were distressed by the end of it.
Not to mention the amount I paid, but that's irrelevant really.

How times have changed!

In the 1970s every child had a Cagoule for school trips and we did not fear the rain but loved our adventures!

wikipedia.org/wiki/Cagoule

I wouldn’t wade right in with a complaint, but would discuss with the teachers first.

I do think the people going on about waterproof clothes are being a bit unfair. Not everyone can afford good quality waterproof clothes that would last a whole day in the rain. For the children who did have waterproof clothes in winter these may no longer fit, and again, not everyone can afford to go out and buy a whole new waterproof outfit with no notice for one school trip!

@WaitingfortheTardis I wish they had cancelled this one!

So you wouldn't be bothered if your dc came home from a school trip crying and shivering. Soaked through with blue lips, numb hands and feet having been stood in the rain all day. Not given chances to use the toilet and overall very distressed?

I don't know anyone who would be happy about that!

This is why teachers hate arranging school trips btw... common sense is not allowed without permission!

Although, not so long ago in my school a teacher allowed children to strip down to their underwear and go 'paddle' in a lake. It may be possible that other schools do not have as strict trip procedures as mine.

Not given chances to use the toilet
If there were genuinely no toilet breaks factored in then yes this is obviously something to complain about. But I’d be finding out the facts first.

Also, I would complain. Sometimes parent complaints benefit the teachers as well who may not have had the authority to cancel the trip themselves x

OP I think it’s reasonable to ask to talk with them about it and give feedback. They’d said at the start of the day to you that they’d keep them inside where possible to mitigate for the rain - so why didn’t they? The organisers are probably feeling pretty crappy about how it went by now so go gentle maybe. But do speak up.

I would want to know what happened. From the teacher. Are you saying there were no toilet breaks all day? That seems pretty unlikely.

One child wet themself as none of the staff could find the toilet block. It was a shambles!

I wouldn’t be happy about what you describe but actual blue lips? Is this in the UK as it wasn’t below 15-20 yesterday.

Feet don’t get wet with proper wellies so you need to be really clear on the facts. I’m sure it was unpleasant in the rain but how many children went to splash in puddles themselves having a good old time and then latter realise they are soaked and become very unhappy.

If your friend was a helper and witnessed children not permitted to use the toilet what did she say at the time?

Do couldn’t find the toilet block or wasn’t allowed to use the toilet - quite different.

I would talk to someone at school first. You need to find out why the children were kept outdoors. The teachers theme selves probably had no choice. Activities like this are run by those who run the centre.
can’t imagine the teachers had a great time.

And I say that as someone who’s spent days outside doing planned field courses in pouring rain etc. That’s all fine as long as it’s properly planned for. But a whole class of school kids where they’d been specifically told they’d keep them inside wherever possible - then didn’t - that’s not ok.

Isn't it summer??? How could it be so cold that your child had blue lips and numb hands/feet?

@IsThatHuw yes actual blue lips!

They were walking fast to keep up with everyone. They only have little legs compared to the teachers who were marching along. This resulted in many walking through deep puddles to keep up and getting a load of water into their wellies. Not nice!

All I know about the toilet breaks is that one child had an accident as they couldn't find them in time. I'm sure they found them eventually as there would have been a lot more problems for all.

Sounds like a miserable experience for your DD. I would want to complain, but I’m a wuss and wouldn’t. But I’d be pissed off.

@Threenow because they had been stood in the wind and rain for several hours. Soaked through!

These are 6 year olds I'm talking about, not grown adults.

That’s different from no toilet breaks though isn’t it? I’m not saying it’s not awful for that child I’m saying if you want to feedback to the school you need to word your points with thought so you’re not dismissed as wrong.

This is me exactly.

My thinking was that if I had encouragement from this thread, I would send an email or something to complain.

Wet weather contingencies should be on the risk assessment so possible alternative venues/activities would be checked and mentioned. Plans can also be changed during a trip using dynamic risk assessments. The weather has been rubbish for the last few weeks so it wasn't unpredictable and should have been considered.

I wouldn't complain but I would be disappointed that more hadn't been done and would probably mention to them how upset my daughter was.

You clearly want to complain so why ask on here

i would try and give some constructive feedback

No. Things should proceed even if it's raining.

Good grief what a bunch of snowflakes

If your friend was the helper can’t you just ask her what happened so you can then formulate a complaint or not?

surely you can ask her for details on the toilet situation and ask her why they didn’t take part in any of the indoor activities? Then you can make an edcuated decision on how to proceed.

@YellowHatt I would be more careful in my complaint.

After a long journey though, surely priority would be to find the toilet block. From what I've heard it wasn't.