Primary train trip to London

[Gwdihooooo]

Aibu to allow my dd (9) to go on a day trip to London with 60 other kids from her school?

The ratio is 2:8.

My main worry is her getting lost from the group!

Plus the playhouse is a bit shit as it is a new theatre with no ambience.

Think of the poor adults on such a long day trip!

It sounds like an amazing trip for your 9-yr-old (primary teacher in London) and the school will likely find they're very well looked after by train and underground staff. When I've taken large trips of primary children into central London I've often found the DLR controllers will announce to everyone to move so the children in red jumpers can meet Mrs SE13 on the platform, the staff at Canary Wharf underground will often radio the driver and let them know a school group will be boarding and to wait for everyone to get on etc. Londoners are very used to children being herded through the streets or stations and in twenty years of teaching I've not managed to lose anyone yet.

What I expect the teachers will find is that the children will be very good at sticking together because they are all out of their comfort zone so more vigilant and less confident. When I've taken 60 children on the train to Dorset or Wales for residential trips, they've been much more subdued than if out and about in SE London. I've never had to worry that they'll run away into a forest/country lane/field of cows etc as they're generally horrified by the dark/quiet/mud/smell.

Your DD will be fine and will have a wonderful time.

Mary Poppins is coming to the end of its run, probably why they have tickets for that. It is an amazing show

Yep!!

This is great to read. Thank you

That’s great! Thank you

I took my reception class on the underground to the science museum, which then had a total lock down and we were all evacuated and had to go to Hyde Park. We were fine 😀 I'd read all the risk assessments so knew where to go and the parent helpers also knew what to do.

Your DD will be fine. My daughter loves going into London.

I do however think the teachers are nuts to think Science Museum, show and 6 hours travel (assuming no delays) is going to be anything other than pure hell for them! They'd be better off staying overnight and enjoying it properly.

A night with 60 odd primary school children to get to sleep would be sheer hell 😂.

Your DD will be fine, OP. Just go through the drill of what to do if she's separated from the group. Does she know your number? If not, maybe write it and the school number on a piece of card so she can get an adult to ring you/ the school if anything happens. And teach her who to approach... police best, otherwise go for tube or station staff or go into a shop and ask for help. Remain in public spaces and don't let anyone lead her off on her own.

even in secondary it was always by coach rather than train

Train and Tube will be a more fun and memorable experience than a coach. And a much better way to get around London if they're going to different places.

My 10 y/o son went on a London school trip, they all stayed in a premier inn for 2 nights and spent three days travelling around london together. It was very safe and they were all really sensible

My primary school used to do this from London. Teacher ratio was 2: whatever the form number was. In my sister's year that was around 2:45

The head said his worst moment in his entire career was turning round one time to see the scared face of one of his boys who hadn't got off the tube as the tube departed. He just had to hope the lad did as instructed-get off at the next station and wait. Which he did, so no harm done in the end.

But that was the only incident in around 20 years of taking them

Op, break it into steps

They'll be herded onto the train and then stay there

Then train to tube. Once past the escalators, it's very, very easy to control a group in the passages as they're mostly white or beige tiled and very well lit and there's not actually that many places to wander off too at most stations

Then a closed train again.

The science museum is reached by a tunnel directly from the tube station - no roads.

Up to the museum across the gardens. Into the museum and navigated in small groups.

Back to the tube, to the theatre, same as before.
At that age, most of the kids will be fascinated by the maps and the lines and how it works

Theatre's safe - again a closed space with lots of staff.

Back on the tube.

Back on the train.

The only things I'd check is -

Can your child recite their name, address and preferably school name and a phone number or can you attach it to them somehow

Are they okay with escalators? There's a lit of them and they move pretty quickly.

My Yr5 child went to London from Yorkshire on a school trip yesterday. They had a fantastic time. Didn't lose anyone!

It not odd at all?? What an odd response?

We live in London and I help on lots of school trips all of which are train/tube walking. I usually have 4/5 kids and it is totally fine though admittedly some of them will be used to trains and tubes in a way your DD's friends may not be.
But as others have said, we count them every other minute and most of the time it's just walking in set routes across stations. The worst part is usually any walking between tube/attraction when at least one child starts moaning because they are used to being driven longish distances.
It sounds like a great trip, tiring but their excitement will see them through.
Maybe ask teachers what the plan is for worst cases such as child not getting of tube quick enough (ie I assume they would want her to get off next stop and wait with a member of staff). Then you can prep DD and that might make you feel confident. She is clearly a sensible and independent kid to have camped and trekked as she has, it's just about making you and her feel confident with a new kind of challenge

You're not odd OP.

People just like to be fucking bitchy. They are twats. You are not.

Anyhoo - I live much closer to London and I'd be worried! But I do remember doing a similar school trip at that age and I absolutely loved it.

I understand your worries but we are in London and take kids from Reception up on day trips to central London all the time. We use buses and tubes and although it's stressful for the adults it is completely doable and your dd will have a great time. Also if it's 2 adults with 8 kids that's like 2 families going out together for the day.

Also, tube staff are amazing with school groups. They move other passengers out of the way and signal to the driver not to go until a you confirm everyone is on or off.

Of course it will be fine.

My experience of helping out on school trips through London is that all of those who live & work there immediately go to another bit of the platform or cross the road if they see a school trip not so much out of courtesy but because they don't want to get delayed by a gaggle of school kids.

Thanks all for your replies! I paid for the trip this morning, so she’s definitely going.

You’ve all put my mind at ease x

At that age the teachers will be keeping a close eye on them so I would not worry. Its older children that get less supervision is where it can go wrong! When I was in 6th form I went along as a volunteer helper for the year 10 RE trip to London, I had a group of year 10s I was responsible for and lost two of them for a while!