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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

No spaces left on school trip !

92 replies

fridaynight · 05/05/2017 12:09

Since starting school DS has always known that in year 4 he will go on a residential trip, DS1 and DS2 went and DS3 has been looking forward to this rite of passage.
So the school advertised the trip and then parents had to log on to pay deposit. Sunday night a reminder came out that Monday was the last day to sign up for a trip thats running next March 2018 When I logged on I couldn't find the trip, contacted the school who said ' you couldn't find it because the trip is full !' He can go on the waiting list.
I was shocked as at no point has there been any mention of a limited number of spaces. I just don't have the heart to tell him he's not on the trip, just feels so unfair. DS 2 and 3 would take this in their stride and I know stuff happens and kids have to live with it but DS3 is only young, just turned 8 ...he's super keen on school and is a sweetie, he feels things strongly and is very emotional. The school is enormous , there are 8 others on the waiting list, I know one of the other Mums and we are trying to think of a way forward. Any ideas on how to move forward with this one or AIBU ?

OP posts:
OhGodWhatTheHellNow · 05/05/2017 14:33

btw I am a school secretary and am fully aware of the pressures schools are under, and still think this isn't on.

ragged · 05/05/2017 14:36

I think OP must live in an affluent area b/c our trips struggle to get spaces all filled.
I don't see a problem with limited spaces for most things. Most venues charge for X many spaces that have to be paid for whether why are filled or not, so of course the school tries to make sure they WILL all be filled & paid for.

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 05/05/2017 14:36

That is awful, how upsetting to be the kids that get left behind. The school should have booked something that could accommodate everybody.

TeatimeForTheSoul · 05/05/2017 14:38

Pop in and talk to school. If possible offer the be an extra chaperone to increase numbers, as previously suggested.
If you ge to a point where you have exhausted all reasonable, proactive, option and it looks like your child will be isolated ... write in (school, LEA, and OFSTED if necessary) notifying them you wish to raise a safeguarding concern as this would constitute institutional bullying of a child.

mythbustinggov · 05/05/2017 14:39

At one of my primaries, this year's School Journey is now 3 days with less than 30 of the 90 in Y6 going. It nearly didn't happen as only 10 children were signed up by the deadline (for the original, longer, trip). It would be madness for that school to book for 90 - they'd lose a fortune. The school have many options in place to support hardship cases, so it's not a case of deprivation stopping sign-up.

The staff are over the moon that next year's trip is already viable based on paid deposits. The finance committee I chaired last night signed off both trips.

For those saying 'they all must go' - these trips are often great life experience but are rarely curriculum relevant. Children who don't go do miss out but not on anything that will impact educational outcomes. And no school can take the financial risk of over-booking accommodation in these straitened times.

Housewife2010 · 05/05/2017 14:42

Many years ago when I was in yr 6 there was a school holiday. More children applied than they had places for. I sat in the hall waiting while they called out the names of the 45 children who were going. I wasn't picked. I had to go into school while they were on the holiday. When they came back they were excited and all had to write a project about it. 35 years later I still remember how I felt.

Hillarious · 05/05/2017 14:43

mythbustin - it's not that no-one wants to go, but that children are being denied the opportunity to do a trip everyone is excited about. It's obviously a repeat trip if the OP's older DC have already been too.

It happens here at work sometimes, why set a deadline and allocate places on a first come first served basis? You either take everyone, or set a deadline and draw names out of a hat if places really do have to be limited . . . and I really believe they shouldn't be in this instance.

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 05/05/2017 14:43

I think, if the OP had been made aware that there were limited places, she would certainly have registered for the trip earlier. BUt if you don't KNOW that the places are limited, then leaving it until the night before the deadline is reasonable - it's not like she tried to get in after the deadline.

I also think it's pretty bad to run residential primary trips with spaces so limited that a waiting list of 8 is already in existence (well, 9 now, I suppose, if your son has been added to it).

There are always children who can't go because of funding issues, or who just don't want to, or whose parents don't agree with it, or for medical reasons - but when none of those apply, it's horrible for the child to be left behind. :(

Hillarious · 05/05/2017 14:44

Look at the effect on Housewife for goodness sake!

Holidayaddict · 05/05/2017 14:45

Some people seem to have missed the point that THE SCHOOL DID NOT TELL PARENTS places were limited. Our year 6 journey is open to all which is why they run 2 trips (big school) - it would be cruel to deny kids the opportunity of taking part for numbers reasons. Generally about a handful of kids don't go each year but guess it varies from year to year, the point is that there is a place for anyone who wants one.

It's different from secondary school trips. My DC didn't get a place on a ski trip, which was disappointing, but we knew from the outset that lots would be drawn so had to suck it up.

tinyterrors · 05/05/2017 14:45

Our school has a residential in year 5, 40 spaces for 180 children and there's always a waiting list even though the trip is ridiculously overpriced. My dd really wanted to go next year but I just couldn't get the £40 deposit together in a week.

Primary school residential trips should be affordable and have enough spaces for the whole year group.

ALittleMop · 05/05/2017 14:46

The school should have planned a residential that could accomodate ALL the class, both in terms of numbers and needs.

It's piss poor on their part.

What are their plans for those who are not attending?

isupposeitsverynice · 05/05/2017 14:47

Yeah our school has a hardship fund but we forked out three hundred quid for this most recent trip - if I didn't have it I wouldn't have felt able to request help from the fund for such a huge amount on a relatively frivolous thing. Some of the kids are from quite large low income families - if the school had to base trips around including everyone, none of them would ever go anywhere. It is unfair on the kids, I don't disgaree, but when is life ever fair? It's not fair that some ten year olds have iPads of their own while some of their peers have never owned a new pair of shoes, but that's the world we live in.

Witchend · 05/05/2017 14:53

(school, LEA, and OFSTED if necessary) notifying them you wish to raise a safeguarding concern as this would constitute institutional bullying of a child

It may be unfair, but it isn't bullying, and I very much doubt that LEA or OFSTED would be at all interested.

I would check before saying too much though that it wasn't mentioned that places are limited. I've certainly failed to notice something like that in a letter or presentation because I haven't thought it would actually be an issue.

UrsulaPandress · 05/05/2017 14:58

I think that is dreadful.

I can remember having to get to school early one morining to register and pay for my DD to do something which had limited spaces - in the end there were just the right amount who wanted to go.

But to leave some out like that is cruel.

Goingtobeawesome · 05/05/2017 15:00

My DD missed out on a trip she would have loved because she had a medical appointment the day the forms were given out and no one thought to give her one. I knew nothing of the trip until too late Angry.

Hope your DS gets to go, OP.

TinklyLittleLaugh · 05/05/2017 15:07

In DD's school, they book for the whole class. If for whatever reason they have spare places, then. They are offered to another year on a first come first served basis.

The Y6 residential though, at the start of the year, is billed as "compulsory" to form a strong leadership team (not sure how that works in practice) and everyone goes.

Legma37 · 05/05/2017 15:14

People who read things properly will also do better out of life than those who don't. The OP said there was no mention of a limit on places.

harderandharder2breathe · 05/05/2017 15:18

The school should have booked a trip that all pupils could go on. Or if places had to be limited it should have been made very clear at the very beginning that not everyone would go and how they would choose who went if more people wanted to than places available. It's not fair to spring this on parents when it's too late.

skilledintheartofnothing · 05/05/2017 15:29

Ok, Yes i agree this is a horrible thing to happen.
What i would suggest is that you first need to find out why the places have been limited. Is this for accommodation or transport reasons.

If it is accommodation then there may be little that you can do. The centre could have decreased numbers from previous years or they may have another school attending on the same dates.

If it is a transport issue - Ie a 70 seat coach has been booked and there are 78 children who want to go then can the school look at changing the vehicle to say a 50 and a 30 seat.. how much cost difference would this make per head for each of the children attending on the trip. Its not as simple if costs have already been given to parents as many will not be happy if they now have to pay an increase to cover additional transport costs - 2 smaller vehicles will cost more than a single large capacity coach.

If it is transport can you look to see if any companies can supply a 12 seater mini bus and and what cost - this could work out cheaper and may only increase the total trip cost by a few pounds per head.

Be aware that as the number of children increase, the number of adult helpers will also need to increase - could some drive to keep costs down ect.

Speak to the school and see what options can be looked into

MycatsaPirate · 05/05/2017 15:30

That's horrible.

Either they accomodate the entire year group or don't do the trip.

If there is no option but to limit numbers then it should be names drawn out of a hat.

I feel very sorry for your DS and I hope a resolution can be found.

That is a really shit way of running a residential.

FrancesHaHa · 05/05/2017 15:38

Even if they had made it clear that there were limited places, it would have been unfair for some children. Probably those whose parents couldn't get the cash together quickly.

It should be a trip for all or none IMO.

AmeliaLion · 05/05/2017 15:40

Be aware that as the number of children increase, the number of adult helpers will also need to increase - could some drive to keep costs down

Adult helpers might not want to go. Going on residential trips is exhausting and often not much fun. And most school staff cannot simply drive kids in their own cars due to not having the correct insurance.

Benedikte2 · 05/05/2017 15:40

Even if OP had registered earlier then though her DS would have been included, some poor child would have missed out. Unfair to limit numbers for primary school tripa

Oblomov17 · 05/05/2017 15:43

This is poor, in primary. There should be enough places for all that want To go, to go.

Or at least made clear.

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