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?

@Prettypussy you can see how it is seen as a 'treat' by some parents and children alike, though?

FWIW, what you have said about the selection process is true for many schools, I'm not disputing that.

As long as the two children with SEND were not identified then that isn't confidential information. For example, it is something that might be discussed at a governors meeting and available in public minutes. What should not happen is that any child is identified. That goes for those eligible for pupil premium funding too. Governors will discuss the fact that they have x number of pupil premium pupil and for example how that affects the budget.

The school should be able to tell you in broad terms how pupils are selected for forest school.

Are you upset that forest school is only for some pupils, or upset that your child isn't one of the special few? this is a very important question. Would it bother you as much if your child was the one who got to go?

When I was at school along time ago the children with SEND were taken out to the “remedial class”. who knows what they did there. Would you feel the same if your child was missing out on that?

No, you don’t line everything about these kids or why it’s been decided they need this time. If their teacher was deciding things based on favourites, I’d it not more likely it’d be the ones they dislike that were chosen to get a bit of peace?

Theyll probably have a whole classes session or two at the end of the block.

I’d be more interested in how the bullying was dealt with and DSs anxiety issues than forest school. Just might not be the right school if they’re not supportive.

FWIW, all the class do get to go for a whole class session at some point in the year, but the weekly sessions are just for a smaller group.

Look at this way, would you rather your child went to forest school, or are you grateful your child is more academic and you can give them those sorts of experiences yourself out of school.

Approximately 15% of children have some sort of special needs. So either it’s a very tiny school or their intake is miles of the average. Or the OP has no idea about the actual make up of the school!

I’m with you OP, I wouldn’t be happy at all if my child’s school did this.

As an aside though I’m amazed only two children get FSM! It must be a very affluent area.

Even if the children are high achievers, it doesn't mean they do not have SEN requirements!

In year 3, there will likely to some children with suspected but as yet undiagnosed SEN. In addition, as other posters have pointed out, children could have been chosen for any other reason that you do not or should not know about. There are lots of things in schools that look or feel unfair on the surface, and sometimes I think they are unfair, but things aren’t always fair in life so it’s not a bad lesson to learn. But there is almost certainly something else at play here which you are not aware of.

if your child has been bullied for a year and no action has been taken, I would look at moving schools if you can.

Is it possible, that it's a reward based system, do well ect then get rewarded and as motivation to others, if they do well or improve then they have a chance at being the ones ?

How about taking him for a day in the woods yourself? Not all education takes place at school, you know.

It would be better if they could organise it so every child gets a turn to go and the ones identified to specifically receive it get more sessions. However I imagine it’s a funding issue.

It’s possible but unlikely. It’s skills building, so it’ll be for kids who struggle to make friends, don’t communicate as well as the others, need help with teamwork or need some extra nurture due to issues at home, like bereavement or divorce.

Echo what some other posters are also saying, because it is very relevant.

Children who are academically able can have SEN.
Children who are academically able can also be disadvantaged.
Children who are academically able can also be subject to child protection procedures.

OP, I do understand your point of view, whether I agree with it or not doesn't matter. Out of interest, if your child was one of the 'chosen few,' would you still have made this post?

I would be reporting your SENCO for giving out confidential information to start with!
but there will be many children who don’t have an EHCP but will have an additional need of some kind.
talking to other parents and taking their word as concrete is pointless, as others have said nobody will advertise the fact that they have/have had issues.
One of my DCs appears as the most popular in class, plays with everyone, appears confident, does moderately well but actually suffers with anxiety and hates change (teachers have seen this too) I don’t advertise it to other parents.

Not sure how you know the children going to FS are more academically able, of course parents aren’t going to to declare their children are bottom of class and if you are basing it on which groups children are in then that may not be accurate as some teachers used mixed ability groups rather than all the highest achievers in one group, middle achievers in another etc.

However saying all this it sounds from your POV that your DS could benefit so have a chat with the head, they probably won’t tell you the actual criteria as this may expose the confidential reasons why the other children are going, he may not fit the criteria for FS but there may be some other sort of intervention that he could benefit from.
If the school is as bad as you say then and your DS is struggling maybe another school is the way forward. One of my DCs found it hard to make good friendships in one school, we moved area and they started a new school in Y3 and they absolutely thrived in the new school.

I feel that both times the list was drawn up that it is largely down to select people the teacher likes.

No state school, let alone a small one, can afford to do that. It will be based on PP funding.

They can't tell you those kids get PP.

No it's not fair. Every child should have the opportunity to take part in things like this.
Years ago at my sons school the children with the poorest behaviour in class were taken on an end of term day out to a theme park while the children who had quietly and diligently worked hard all year looked on open mouthed.
Several complaints were made to the school but all fell on deaf ears, of course 🤬

You can not possibly know what issues these children have or don't have. Not every parent will openly say if their DC has SEN, ASD, some kids might be on the at risk register, living with Foster carers or in childrens homes.

You do not know what is going on in another child's life.

Dd got to do it when her dad died. No behaviour issues.

Why was their behaviour so poor?

@donquixotedelamancha I can tell you absolutely there's no SEN and pupil premium for these pupils. Very affluent area and I know the parents very well.

Could be a reward for good behaviour and good academic achievement. As I said before this makes sense.

Even if it was the special needs kids or poor kids I wouldn't agree with this. Why should they be more deserving? It doesnt send out a good message to the well behaved high achieving kids. School should be a level playing field and stuff like this should be offered to every kid. Our school does forest school and the entire class take part. The school has a lot of land so it is done on school grounds, no travel involved, but if all of them couldn't go none of them should in my eyes. I'd complain to the head and the governors.