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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be unhappy with this school trip?

487 replies

IWannaHoldYourHand · 30/09/2015 22:29

Ds2 is in reception and has come home with a letter advising us of a school trip to a farm in December. The cost is a reasonable amount for the farm that will be visited, however the main focus of the visit is having lunch with Santa, and receiving a gift.

It is the visiting Santa that I feel odd about. I see this as a very family based event, and not something I would expect to do with anybody else, or without his sibling. We wouldn't even refer to him as Santa at home, and it just feels strange to me.

I have spoken to the head who informed me that this will be backing up their learning for that term, and advised that I have the option of attending, but it still feels wrong to me. So is this normal, do schools regularly take a trip to visit Father Christmas?

OP posts:
BoboChic · 01/10/2015 10:02

And how would that help bring about a sea change in culture?

reni2 · 01/10/2015 10:05

Pissing about during school hours? How dare they at age 4. Don't worry, they will write about Santa, count pigs, calculate how many more chickens than cows there were, learn the names of female, male and juveniles of each species, talk about food webs and draw the whole thing for weeks afterwards.

Primary school teachers are really very good at smuggling an astonishing amount of learning into these fun outings.

pictish · 01/10/2015 10:10

Bobo you are some cookie. Shock Grin

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 01/10/2015 10:13

Sam. Father Christmas isn't real. Oh no Sad.

Drew64 · 01/10/2015 10:26

?? Don't let your child go if it's a problem for you!
You can then answer the inevitable questions as to why they couldn't go and all of their school friends did.

MiaowTheCat · 01/10/2015 10:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LikeASoulWithoutAMind · 01/10/2015 10:31

Our reception children had a trip on a Santa train - it was lovely. He also popped in during their school Christmas party with a little gift for each of them and attended the Christmas Fair.

Really don't worry OP - your dcs will be more than happy to do FC/Santa stuff both in school and with you. I'm sure they won't be troubled by switching between calling him Father Christmas and Santa - I've yet to meet a child who has a problem with this.

SheGotAllDaMoves · 01/10/2015 10:37

I'm on the fence here.

On the one hand I can't see the harm in a trip to see Santa, particularly if part and parcel of the farm visit.

However, as someone actually from a disadvantaged background, I would say that what helped me more than anything in school was being taught academic things.

Like many children who are poor I was not uncared for or inadequately parented. There was plenty of love and fun and magic, especially at Christmas. I didn't need teachers who felt sorry for me.

What I needed was an education to help me get out of poverty!

Alfieisnoisy · 01/10/2015 10:38

Bobo had objections to a Reception age trip to the farm in school time. Please God didn't let her ever teach!

Children love these outings, they don't happen on a weekly or even termly basis.

I have helped on occasions and there is always a work sheet or two to be completed. On the last farm visit the children enjoyed helping feed lambs, count chicks and weigh out feed for some goats.

But no, they learned nothing.

Oh and the nice social day got the children talking and having fun. But I guess that's not important either.

SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace · 01/10/2015 10:41

I'd say it's one day of doing something nice, the benefits being that it'll be something not all children get to do, something memorable, and something that can provide a basis for follow-up work in class afterwards. If this was part of a general landscape in which OP felt that this reception class were not doing a lot in terms of reading/pre-reading and so on, that might be an issue, but essentially these are 4/5 year olds who are, I'd hope, getting the rest of the package too.

Farms often have a seasonal thing going on - Easter Egg hunts, Hallowe'en tractor rides, etc - it'd be a shame not to make that part of the day when you go.

Alfieisnoisy · 01/10/2015 10:42

But academia and teaching can sometimes be done just as well or better with a fun activity.

I have a child with learning difficulties who struggles with Maths. I will never forget the day he came out of school clutching two cakes saying "I didn't do Maths today, I made cakes instead".
He was blissfully unaware that he had weighed, measured and counted. The numbers he struggles with made much more sense to him in a visual and practical activity than they did just sitting in the classroom.

Spartans · 01/10/2015 10:45

so it's not work, it's not play?

What is it then?

MrsUltracrepidarian · 01/10/2015 11:11

unaware that he had weighed, measured and counted
That is not good - he should have been told afterwards (or rather, the teacher elicited from him) that he had weighed measured and counted, so he could be proud that he had done maths, and was able to do maths.
If he is 'blissfully unaware' then he will continue thinking he 'can't do maths' Sad

Mehitabel6 · 01/10/2015 11:23

I have heard it all now when a 4 yr old wants academic stuff and fun things shouldn't happen because the teacher feels sorry for you!
Silly me- I thought it was just a nice thing for all children. Hmm

BoboChic · 01/10/2015 11:26

Lots of 4 year olds are bored silly at school and resent being patronized by teachers with IQs well below those of their parents. Or indeed their own.

pickledsiblings · 01/10/2015 11:26

Teachers can actually plan and teach the curriculum whilst at the same time making the whole school experience a fun and enjoyable one. I welcome any opportunity for DC to get outside/go on trips so long as the curriculum doesn't suffer as a result. I'm pretty sure on this occasion it won't.

Mehitabel6 · 01/10/2015 11:27

I agree with you ILoveSooty - now I just work with schools as a volunteer and I don't have to put up with nonsensical parents like BoBoChic- I never have to come across them. They certainly suck the joy out of everything!

pickledsiblings · 01/10/2015 11:28

OP's main concern is that the school is taking on a kind of 'parental' role. I'm all for this as well. It's called genuinely caring about the children you are teaching and wanting more for them than just an institutional delivery of the curriculum.

bigmouthstrikesagain · 01/10/2015 11:28

This sounds pretty standard. All three of mine would see 'Father Christmas' several times when they were in primary/ pre-school. One year dd2 saw 'him' 5 times - once when he visited pre-school once at the christmas fair at the primary school, once with GP's, once with Me and once with me and dh and siblings. She was delighted with this.

BoboChic · 01/10/2015 11:28

I think it's fine and lovely to have an outing for Christmas, providing it's appropriate to the class setting. FC is about parent-child relationships and doesn't work in a group and/or commercial setting. An outing to see a tree and/or sing carols is much more appropriate.

Mehitabel6 · 01/10/2015 11:28

You certainly have problems BoBoChic - or you are just bored and winding people up. I suspect the latter.

Spartans · 01/10/2015 11:29

School should have lots of joy and fun times.

Spartans · 01/10/2015 11:30

Where does it say Santa is a parent child experience only or that you can only see Santa once?

BoboChic · 01/10/2015 11:30

I have a problem with school not respecting proper boundaries between school and home. Yes. It's not "caring" to usurp the parental role - it's the very opposite.

Mehitabel6 · 01/10/2015 11:30

It works fine- I have done several and find it can be very special in a group. That is why schools like OP's do them. If they didn't work they wouldn't.