Forest school only for 'select' children

[Eyelashesrgreat]

Ds in Y3 and his school have recently 'selected' children from his class to go to forest school. The children do this weekly whilst the other children have to stay at school and do work. The children (selected) get to wear their own clothes that day and have treats.

The school did the same thing last year and ds wasn't chosen then. Ds has had a really difficult time recently at school and would have loved to have been selected for this activity. I asked his teacher if all the children will eventually get their turn at the forest school but she has said only certain children can go. AIBU to think this is a bit unfair?

So ask them why their children were chosen.

It could be, come to think of it that the school had some extra money and sent the children who are doing better academically. That would fit more and make more sense actually. Definitely not a SEN issue from my understanding of who was chosen. Difficult to say on here as I don't want tobe anonymous but the children are more the higher ability.

Yes that’s very unfair and I’d be quite annoyed by that

Why ? As a reward for doing well I see it as.

Move schools. If you're not happy with the school the sooner you move the better.

Erm, higher ability children can also have additional needs, or be pupil premium, or have emotional difficulties or any other reasons why they may have been selected for Forest school provision.

There you go then. It's becuase they don't need the extra maths lessons or whatever.

Higher ability in what? How do you know all this? As a parent I’d be totally pissed off about other parents knowing about my child’s SEN or what their ability was at all in anything.

Or our finances and benefits we were receiving.

Mixture at my DD school...all get a chance but those with other needs (not shared but know one who has severe anxiety but you never know that) get extra time at forest school

As a Headteacher I would be taking action against any SENdCO who shared information with a parent.
I would also be surprised that( even in a small school) there were only two children with SEN.

At our school every class gets a turn. Each class does a half term block.

Is it a MAGAT (More Able, Gifted and Talented) thing?

There could be a whole host of reasons why particular children are chosen. It sounds like your DS 'fits' into a group that doesn't have SEN but isn't particularly academically able, hence the reason he may not be being chosen. Is his behaviour good? Is there any other reason you think he wouldn't be being chosen?

I understand as a parent that this doesn't seem fair.

For the people saying that there is no way the OP understands the criteria/hasn't had conversations with the SENDCO about the levels of SEN, I can quite dispute this. It feels outrageous, I get it, but in smaller village schools in rural areas, procedures and conversations like this are often much more laid back, to the point where they could even be considered a bit 'unprofessional.' Everyone knows everyone's business, whether right or wrong.

Superficial stuff you may talk about but if there is something personal and major like a child being pit on child protection do you honestly think the parent will be telling everyone in the playground. As an earlier poster said it can be people you don’t know

It sounds like there are good reasons only certain children are chosen. The focused attention they benefit from would be lost if everyone went - even if the school could afford it.

Are you upset that forest school is only for some pupils, or upset that your child isn't one of the special few?

Why don't you take your child yourself? Or fundraise with the school and other parents to take the entire class/year group as a one-off?

If there really is a small clique running a village school it will have serious ramifications for the wellbeing and education of un-favoured children. Get together with other parents to sort that out instead of focusing on who goes to forest school.

That is bad, OP. I used to run a Forest School and I know how valuable the experience can be.

I really hate this kind of thing - someone somewhere has decided on this policy but children don't understand why they can't all take part. My personal view is that, if these children are deemed to need FS for special reasons then it should be done in the holidays. Their classmates don't have to know and, if they are from difficult family backgrounds, surely this would make more sense - since it's in long holidays that these children will suffer most from lack of school contact and supervision.

I would put your views in writing to the school. Could extra provision be paid for by fund-raising? Or - a teacher from the school train as a FS leader, so that the sesssions can be done at school without the need for expensive transport etc?

It may be. The school won’t release information about this and can give you a number of answers to avoid telling you something that may cause the selected kids being seen in a different way, but the reasons could be as simple as that, the selection criteria may be even being imposed to them by the sponsor of the activity.

In the case of DS and his friend, they both attended the same school, had similar grades, houses and upbringing but his friend lives in a very small postcode where there are mostly retired people and almost no children while we are very close to the school that is classed as Ofsted grade 1, in a neighbourhood full of families that were attracted to the area because the school provides a good preparation for university.

Your kid is much younger but the “Forest School” selection process may be guided by similar criteria. I still think that discriminating by postcode is a bit unfair in some occasions.

Good grief get a grip! I’m a TA in KS1. I can promise you whatever children were chosen, there would have been very specific reasons behind it. Every single thing we do has to proven with expected outcomes. They will have not been chosen cause they are the teachers favourites.
My own DS is older (Y6) and looks to outsiders the most super confident (bordering on cocky!) 11 year old you could meet. What others don’t know is that he has just been diagnosed with ASD. What a parent sees and thinks they know is not the complete picture.

@Blu3Butt0n
Higher ability in what? How do you know all this? As a parent I’d be totally pissed off about other parents knowing about my child’s SEN or what their ability was at all in anything.
Your child’s SEN won’t be shared with anyone/any parent in the way the OP is suggesting, don’t worry about that. She’s talking utter rubbish and making it up.

I would look at a larger school so less chat in the playground.You are about to learn life can be unfair for many including children. Some very bright children are given chances that others don’t get.Can you find a forest school in the holidays for him,yes you will have to pay but there are discounts for children on FSM and benefits.

Those who don’t believe there are some schools where teachers are still able to operate on a favourites basis obviously live in a magical fairyland where everything is always perfect! My middle child had the misfortune to end up at a primary where this was blatant - even the parents of the ‘favoured’ kids would discuss & roll their eyes… they thankfully now have a new head (& governors chose not to appoint either of the current teachers who applied) so I’m hoping the kids there in the future will have a fairer experience. It does & can happen in smaller schools, though it shouldn’t. I would ask again what criteria they are using etc etc.

We do this at the primary school I work in. Only a handful are chosen to go- it's not a treat, but supposed to be an activity to boost children's self esteem and confidence. Therefore, the teacher picks children who struggle to conform to traditional classroom expectations, struggle academically or have additional needs. Or it may be a child who has a disadvantaged homelife where parents don't take them out to the countryside or do activities with them at weekends.

you need to move schools. a year 2 child being bullied?? that's awful. you're not getting the support your child needs. can you go down formal complaint route so there is a record of your issues?

But asking what the criteria are is giving out confidential information about the children chosen! What if the criteria is children who are looked after or previously looked after? Why should you be given information about the background of other children? Either you trust the school or not. If not, then why be there?

I think the children that work hard and behave should get the treats. They have worked for them. The children that are disruptive or struggling get extra attention from the teacher and a chance to catch up whilst they are gone. Seems fair to me.