to wonder about the value of a school trip to the cinema?

[endlesstidying]

Its for years 1, 2 and 3 to see Walking with Dinosaurs. AIBU to think there are more creative and useful ways for 3 year groups to spend time and money? £10 per child.

DD's already seen it anyway and as far as I can tell it does not fit in with her school work this term (Romans in history, Forces in science not a dinosaur in sight)

Is it for something else?

Will they cover dinosaurs next term and this is a preparation?

Or is it for literacy and to encourage discussion?

Can think of lots of reasons why they might do it. Expensive though.....am assuming there is transport involved.

Thats a bit expensive, my dc school when to see Frozen in December so it was quite new and it cost £4.50 and they went to a cinema in another town even though we have 2!

It will give the teachers a break from teaching and the school will make a profit from the trip.

If it were for genuine educational purposes, the school could show the DVD at no cost to anybody on a TV screen in the classroom.

"the school will make a profit from the trip."

That's not permitted in state schools.

I think it's a great opportunity for children to have a trip outside of school without their parents. Sometimes the benefits of an activity can be intangible eg social development, interacting with environment different to usual one, stepping outside comfort zone, etc whilst at other times the benefits can be measured eg gain knowledge about dinosaurs' eating habits if movie focuses on this. Lots of children really enjoy these trips and for the cynical amongst you who see this as a free ride for teachers, it's often easier to keep the children in school rather than take them on trips.

I doubt there is much educational value in it. Maybe some social value though, sitting and behaving well on both the coach and cinema etc.
£10 a bit steep though!

My sister is a teacher. They will work on what they have seen in the classroom and 'take all the fun out of it' as she jokingly puts it. It's never done without reason.

The school won't be making a profit.

It's an experience, there'll be some educational value. It's expensive, but cinema tickets cost a lot and so does transport.

1. state schools are not allowed to profit from trips
2. which do you think is easier- teaching a class in a classroom, or looking after said class on transport, on roads and in a dark cinema?

I agree Curlew, teachers can find school trips exhuasting.

Doesn't this include insurance, travel, film and snacks?

Oh yeah- teachers will have a dossy time having a break from teaching- what an easy afternoon...

You obviously haven't had to fill in a risk assessment form for a school trip...

And NO, the school couldn't just show it on a flat screen....,there will still be a cost implication in that.

That would be far easier for the teachers than supervising 90 odd children outside of the school premises.

Am not a teacher but am a parent governor.....I have seen the forms for risk assessing school trips.....they are horrendous.

Actually if it is to give teachers "a break from teaching" then the y6 teachers in DS's school will be having a great time in June when they take 30 children on a 5 day residential trip. Lazy buggers.....all that dossing around while supervising 30 kids, doing three educational activities per day, ensuring three meals a day for the children, being there in the middle of the night for the homesick child etc etc.....teachers don't know they were born

As for the cost- Cinema tickets are not cheap even as a block booking and coach hire has gone sky high in the last few years.

Why don't you go in to school (or email) and ask?

My dc's have been on many cinema trips and there is always a reason - the railway children for victorian/edwardian life, and several others I've forgotten now, where they have looked at the difference between the book and film adaptation or at the animation.

Thanks will talk to the school. Would rather save the money myself and take dd to see Horrible Histories on stage

I can see it working for year 1 as I know they do dinosaurs in the second half of this term but still not sure what use it will be to dd and her friends in year 3. Thankfully they are all (or at least all the ones I've encountered are) capable to sitting well on a coach and at the cinema they are 7 and 8 year olds after all and been doing little trips since reception.

Will think about it. Quite a lot of her friends parents have said they're not sending their children as they've already seen the film so dd won't be alone if she does not go

I once took a trip to the cinema to see a film based on a book we had been studying. Got there with 30 Year 7's on public transport to find that it had been replaced with Night at the Museum 2 and the cinema hadn't thought to call me. Couldn't say there was any educational value in that film, but at least the cinema refunded the school credit card on that occasion. Had lots of fun getting the bursar to give me petty cash to return the money to the kids.
I can't believe they are doing this just for a jolly, but lets not miss the opportunity for a bit of school and teacher-bashing.

Umm where have I school and teacher bashed? Ive merely queried the value of a school trip I think is both unnecessary (especially for children who've already seen the film) and overpriced.

I happen to think dd's school and teachers are usually excellent but on this I disagree with them

So what did they say when you asked them about the value of this trip? Are they going to do a project or something before/after watching the film?

I can't stand these moany posts about trips and watching the odd DVD at school. They'll have FUN! That's the point and other kids whose parents might not have the time or inclination to take them will get the opportunity to go somewhere good.

I live in London and often help out on school trips. There's children on those trips who have never been on the underground despite only living two minutes away from it, whose parents just don't bother to take them anywhere or can't take them for various reasons eg cultural - mothers not allowed out without a chaperone, disabilities etc. Last time we went I had to carry a sobbing child down the underground escalator as shed never been down one before, aged 7! She bounded up them like a gazelle on the way back though .

You didn't OP, newmorning did.

well I'm about to advertise a trip to a west end show for y7s. Its not linked to the curriculum and will cost about £35 quid probably. It'll be a bitch to organize and administer, I'll miss putting my own kids to bed that night (as will another 7 members of staff) but I'm doing it because you get a great deal on ticket prices for school groups and I think it will be a nice treat for them at the end of term. God forbid they might have a nice, fun outing on which to hang some memories. The cinema trip sounds like a great idea for a lesson in social behavior if nothing else and £10 possibly includes some rounding up to account for any whose parents cannot afford to pay.

You didn't teacher bash OP....but newmorning did. Just pointing out to her that staying in school is far easier than taking all the children out.

I imagine they will have a reason for doing this visit so might be worth asking in order to support any learning outside of school hours etc.