Ds is year 9 at state secondary. The school is in an area with some difficult issues and works hard to give kids a decent education to try to break the cycle.
I appreciate all this very much but I think they are taking it too far.
Since ds started at the school he has not been on a single school trip or activity. Every June, once the exams are all over, pupils are told that they have now moved into the next year and will begin the new work accordingly. So e.g. at the end of year 7 they will start year 8 work and timetable and then carry on in September.
Ds's friend also yr 9 goes to a different state secondary, one of the 'top-performing' in the area. He has been on a number of trips throughout his time there. Additionally, at the end of June every year they hold an 'Enrichment Week' where pupils can choose from a range of activities from expensive residential trips to free in-house activities such as film-making/sports/music/drama etc etc
I have asked a few times at ds' school if they could also do an Enrichment Week and each time met with the response that there's not enough time in the curriculum to allow it. I think it is excessive not to allow the pupils one week away from the timetable - AIBU?