School changing trip-no notice

[smokeybandit]

Dd had trip today, letter sent out, permission given couple of weeks ago. Pick dd up and they apparently went somewhere else entirely (different type of venue and completely different area) due to some sort of problem, and were able to tell the children before they left that plans had changed.

Parents were not notified of the change and although permission would have been given for this different place, am I being unfair to think if there was a problem with the original trip it should have just been cancelled, or parents told first? They do have a text system that can be used.

Are there not supposed to be risk assessments done for each trip, carried out by a teacher before the day of departure? I don't know if the school has been to this place before so maybe an old risk assessment would be good enough? I'm not massively bothered, not really surprised by it at moment tbh and just glad dd will be leaving there in July but dh is quite peeved about it.

I think if they have been recently the same risk assessment can be used. We don't have to fill in permission slips for trips so can't really help there.

A risk assessment would have been needed yes. I am not sure if an old one can be used. In my friends school they assess the same Trip to the same place every year.

Surely part of a risk assessment includes particular needs a child going could have?

I would be very unhappy if this happened at my DDs school, she has ASD and doesn't cope well with unexpected changes. I would be very concerned she would cope and be safe if the whole trip changed last minute.

Depends on what kind of trip it was. According to our recent school visit training, parents are not legally required to give permission for a school trip that takes place within the school day, so unless you had to take your child in early or pick them up late then they've not done anything wrong.

That said I've no idea why they couldn't school comms you the change of plan as a courtesy.
Risk assessments can be done on the day if necessary.

Teacher54321, our school does that for local trips-library, local park etc, but not for something requiring public transport, which this did. But the trip was scheduled to start 9am and finish 3.45 (after school finish time). I don't think there would have been time for an on the day assessment in this case and I'm baffled as well as to why comms weren't used.

It depends on where/why etc.
Local trips don't always need permissions at all, though some schools send them out anyway. You often sign one form at the start of the year/starting the school to cover them.

If they had cancelled they would have lost money on coaches at the very least. Would parents have been happy to lose their money and not have a refund? Or would school have been expected to cover it?

You don't always have to visit somewhere just beforehand to prepare a risk assessment.

I would have expected parents to have been told at the start of the day at drop off or via school test/e-mail system if they have it - or even a notice on the doors/gates.

LoudBatPerson, thankfully my dd wouldn't be affected in that sense but I think there's probably at least one child who may be-I would hope they at least would have told that child's parent.

I would have expected them to text you if at all possible.
A desicion about his would have been taken first thing in the morning so time to fill in a risks assessment I would expect.
Was the level of risk similar?

They should have sent a text so you at least know where your child is in case of emergency.

Hmm that is odd. Are you sure a message wasn't sent? Sometimes the texting thing isn't 100% reliable. I'd ask at school tomorrow to put your mind at rest. Schools aren't allowed to not follow the proper procedures so I'd be very surprised if it hadn't been properly done.

So your child was expecting to go on a school trip, went on a school trip, came back and everything was absolutely fine? I just don't see the problem - I would have been happy the school had taken the initiative.

It wouldn't bother me in the slightest, but the difference is I trust the school & the teachers.

Ours had a completely impromptu trip the other day, they were invited to a Victorian Day at a 'living museum', so they went 😁 I love that about our school.

I'm sure they did whatever was demanded by the red tape brigade.

Me too Lillian. Far better than cancelling the day out.

They're usually quite text happy so I do find it odd to not have gotten one but I will ask if they'd tried.

LillianGish, your point is mainly where I sit. They had a trip and enjoyed it. Wasn't what they were expecting but dd said it was "alright" as an alternative. It's dh who's not happy about it but I'm quite a soft touch so wasn't sure if I should've been annoyed or not.

ExtraHotLatteToGo, I don't have much confidence in the school right now, doing what they feel like seems to be their thing recently. Unfortunate when it comes to this kind of situation.

Smartiepants79, I should think it would've been riskier where they were originally going to be honest, central London on the tube, as opposed to a less busier and slightly closer place they actually went to. Thinking of it that way I probably prefer it!

Risk assessments don't need to be done at the place of 'risk'. Most are generic and a waste of time.

I'm confused a little OP. You say you'd have given your permission - are you just looking for trouble? Isn't "doing what they feel like" for the best, or would you like to point out paragraph 6, subsection 2.4.1., item 6 which explicitly says...

You say, "unfortunate when it comes to this kind of situation". What kind of situation is that?

Damned if they do and damned if they don't.

I'm a teacher and I would expect to inform parents of any major changes to a trip. What if one of the parents wants to get hold of their child, and is near Venue A? They turn up and they're not there? I have had parents turn up when we've been on a trip, quite a few times over the years.

I have a great deal of faith in DD's teachers (I'm one of them) but I would expect them to tell me roughly whereabouts she is.

Hetecomethepotatoes, no I'm not looking for trouble, I'm on the fence. Dh is annoyed. If the trip had been scheduled for say, the art gallery in East London (for example) I would have given permission. But the trip was organised for the history museum (south west london) which is what permission was given for so completely different. The point isn't that I would've given permission, the point is that they didn't KNOW permission would be given and as kickAssAngel pointed out, you would expect to be notified of a big change and to know roughly where your children are.

I have little faith in the school right now. It doing what it feels best without consultation is not what I send my child there for. For example, they were scheduled to arrive back at 3.45. There were after school clubs scheduled till 4.30 but despite asking if the dc's would be having them if they arrived back on time we were not informed either way. Dh goes to pick dd up at 3.45 and is told at 4pm after wondering if they're running late by much time that they are already back in school and have been for a while. They are not in the club but writing about why the after school club (which they are not in) is important. Hence, doing what they feel like, and only one of many issues of annoyance I've had with them.

I can say it wouldn't really bother me.
But then dd's primary did an annual while school mystery trip. We know times for drop off and pick up, and sent packed lunch and only school knew where they were heading. We got a text after they had left to say where they were.

First year they told us but some parents told their children (none had needs that required advance, it was just kids asking and parents telling) who then told friends - so no longer a mystery. So they decided to keep it quiet to parent too.

So I gave permission for dd to do a trip without knowing where/what - but I trusted the school and the staff.