In thinking year 10's shouldn't be able to have free reign in London

[Verbena37]

DD just came home with a music trip letter. The trip is to see a major London show which I was really keen for her to go and see.

However, it says they'll arrive and then have 'free time in London', with staff staying in one place and giving the kids a mobile number if there's an emergency.

I'm totally not happy with this. If something major happens, then the medical forms aren't with the kids and the teachers might be miles across London. It doesn't say a specific area, such as Covent Garden.....just London.

My DD, as I assume many others, don't know their way around London and I think it's quite a daunting city for kids who don't know it.... some of them will only be 14. DD will have just turned 15.

Why have a theatre trip that has free reign in London attached to it?

I nearly had a meltdown when DD came back from a year 6 (aged 11) trip to France and Belgium and told me they'd wandered round a theme park all day without teachers.

Year 10s in London will be FINE, honestly, I know it seems at big deal but they all have phones, they can all cross a road and freedom and independence needs to be learnt somewhere. I think ask for more details to put your mind at rest then try to accept that you have to let them go.

YABU.

I was 14 the first time I got free rein in London- my Mum sat in a cafe and I went off with a bunch of friends. We had mobiles. Just had to meet her back at Oxford Circus tube at 5pm. Came from a small village 2 hours away by train... managed just fine.

By year 11 my friends and I were getting the train to and from London for a day for exhibitions.

Before that, school had let us loose in Bristol when I was 12, Birmingham at 13. We'd also had free time in towns and cities in France and Belgium on a school trip.

I traveled from Kent to London for my weeks work experience in year 10.

I had a mobile but was not familiar with the route but my Dad took me up there a few weekends before to get me used to it, had to call Dad a few times in the first few days to direct me but I was good in the end.

It's where I feel in love with London gave up uni plans and went straight to work.... so the independence for that few days you could say shaped my career

I would find out so more info? What's the show? If it's around the Leicester Square area then maybe they mean just in that area?

I was working in the City at 16 so commuting daily.

As long as the school has put sensible plans in place they'll be fine.

Teacher54321 has described the experience exactly. Every secondary school teacher who has been on a trip will recognise that account of how it works.

Phantom

When my DD was in yr7 they went on a trip to Lille to see something and visit the Christmas market and the arrangement was the same they were given X amount of time and an emergency phone no . Yr10 wouldn't be an issue for me .

It's funny how nervous we get as parents - would you have been daunted by it yourself at 15?

Ok feeling better now.
Thanks

We wandered around the west end with our French exchange pals aged 14.

It's pretty standard for a trip at that age in my experience. Even back when I was at school we did it, trip to museums etc then a couple of hours free with strict instructions to be back at the train station in plenty of time for the train back to our rural town. Never any issues, and having smaller groups travelling together wouldni think be a lot easier than trying to shepherd a large group on and off tube trains.

Our foreign students are allowed free time without a group leader from the age of 12 unless their parents specifically say they can't.

When I was in year 8 I went to London on a school trip we had 'free time' in convent garden but the teachers were around. Never too far away, maybe it means similar? I can't see them letting a bunch of school kids go all over London tubes etc on their own as they don't know the area, the lines.

I've run trips to London with Year 10's. We never let them roam around London. They aren't even allowed of at service stations from the coach unless we escort them.

The policy being used is called remote supervision. It's a recognised policy, but l would only use it in an enclosed area or with older kids.

My school was an Ofsted outstanding, particularly with safeguarding. Having run trips to London, there is no way, l would let a load of 14 year old out of sight.

I think yabu too op. I have a year 9 ds and really wouldn't worry if he was offered this in year 10.

I think it's great for children to have these experiences. There likely will be some boundaries put in place before the teachers let them loose.

When I was 15 I did a German exchange and we had a day in Cologne without teachers supervision we did see a man wanking in the pews in the cathedral but apart from that it was uneventful

I think central London is quite safe. Slow moving traffic and lots of people and police. My children have roamed freely since they were around 13 as they live in London. I think its te unknown. I would worry about sending them anywhere suburban or rural. London feels very safe.

My D.C.'s went to France, Germany, Isle of Man and Belgium between the ages of 11 and 15. They were also given time to roam around, without mobiles as no electronics were allowed.
Was also allowed off the coach at the service stations along the way, roamed the airport unsupervised and the ferries unsupervised.
Remember when I was in school and it was the same then.
I would be really at a school not trusting a bunch of 14/15 year olds and wonder how they were supporting independence.. But then the outstanding schools my D.C.'s went to seemed to have common sense.

They won't allow them all over the place. I'd be very surprised if they did. I live in London, with kids at a Comp. and they wouldn't let them off just anywhere

Take your point about rural Shropshire

It's like the 1950's come to life

I would have been fine at that age. I suppose it depends on the child.

I think you are being a bit overprotective here. DSs both went to Belgium with school age 12 and went round Bruges by themselves in small groups shopping. I appreciate London is bigger but they are unlikely to be heading to the outskirts on the tube, just wandering around a small area near where they have to meet up.

Dd was allowed free time in Paris in year 9. London would be easy considering there would be no language barrier.

At year 10 I'd say it was pretty standard.

This may out me as I have told this story IRL. I took a group of year 10s and 11s to the Barbican centre in London to see a concert. They were quite a lively group. Those who have been to the Barbican will know it's a supervision nightmare. All on different levels, loads of entrances and exits etc etc. I told the kids that there were video cameras on the doors that would alert me if they went outside and an alarm would sound. They looked a bit suspicious but I am very convincing with my serious face on so they agreed to not go outside. In the interval there was a really cool fountain/art/LED installation in the big square out the back of the Barbican centre and it was all lit up. The kids came running up to me to ask if they could go and look at it. I said 'yes of course, it looks really cool!' One of them said 'but Miss, what about the cameras?!' I hastily fiddled with my phone and said 'they're all switched off now!' And off they scampered, when they came back in i ostentatiously fiddled with my phone again and said 'all on again!'

That's so funny!

I think remote supervision may include rules such as no getting on tube/buses, e.g. stay in Covent garden area or whatever. Check with school, should be OK.

Dd did the same trip in year seven,their free rein consisted of a square in Covent Garden that the teachers had marked out the boundary of and the children were given a mobile number and a teacher was posted in a central spot. There were no problems and dd was fine in spite of being a very naive 12 year old at the time.