School residential, school have said they have to go

[Y4GoingAway]

School Year 4, but it’s a first school so the final year at the school.

Apparently it’s compulsory and there is no provision in school for those who don’t go as the class teachers plus several other staff go.

I don’t want DD to go. She has a genetic condition that affects her muscles and joints. She also has an EHCP due to SN (not ASD)

The trip is canoeing and rock climbing and zip lining and orienteering. Which all sound great but schools only adjustment for DDs condition is she can sit out if she wants to, which she won’t because she never does for Forest School or PE or anything else physical, school say they cannot force DD to sit out. They have PE, Forest School and the morning mile in one day at school and DDs generally screaming in pain by 2pm, I’ve asked for her to sit out of Forest School and the mile but been told that it’s up to DD to decide and she wants to be like her friends so will push herself until she can’t cope anymore – she’s missed school the next day because of the pain and school just shrug and say she needs to tell them when she wants to sit out, while in the next breath saying she seems to refuse to acknowledge her condition as she won’t talk about it!

This isn’t about DD being away overnight, she stays away from me with ExH EOWend for 1 night and he usually takes her away for 3-4 days in the summer holidays plus she’s just done a 3 day pack holiday with Brownies. Also it’s not a cost thing, the trip itself is free, we’re being asked to donate to transport there and back either by paying school for the bus or getting our DC there ourselves.
Brownies where brilliant, they let her choose one active activity per day and then put her in the group that wasn’t doing that activity after she’d done it, so she did crafts or similar, all the girls where given the same opportunity to sit out so no-one knew why DD only did 1 per day – and we’ve agreed that next time she goes she’ll do different activities so she’s tried different things which is a great compromise. Brownies also kept her topped up on her pain medication which school refuse to give her.

They’ve told me they have no provision for giving pain relief on the trip which is the same in school. They’ve also said if children sit out of an activity they will just have to watch everyone else do it, there’s no staffing for them to have a group at the centre they’re staying in doing something else – I even said DD would be happy to do worksheets or similar.

And before anyone says “But there’s more going with school” there’s the same number at Brownies and Brownies had a bigger age range as school only take the 90 year 4s, whereas Brownies had 60 Brownies (7-10 year olds), 30 guides (10-14 year olds), and a couple of Rainbows (7 year olds) who’re ready to move to Brownies soon.

School have said if she doesn’t go they will not be providing alternative work, she will be the only one in her entire year not going and she will be supervised by “whichever member off staff is free”. She does have 1-1 TA for parts of the day and one of her two 1-1s won’t be going and I’ve offered to get her tutor she has outside of school to provide work (tutor has already offered) and I’ve been told again the trip is compulsory. Apparently they've never had anyone not go ever.

So AIBU and just have to suck it up? The trip is after half term.

They cannot make it compulsory.
Have you spoken to the SENCO /SENDCO? S/he should be involved in this.
Could she go to a couple of more suitable days if you can get her there. I was a HLTA and we did this for a couple of pupils with SEN. Some didn't go but anyone that did go was accommodated for but did sometimes have to be outside watching but they were given a 'job' to do so they were involved. sounds like you are up my end of the country. Is it Waterpark because the instructors there were excellent? They did get a child who was in a wheelchair into a canoe I believe. He loved it but it was geared to his needs so not as long as others and first in the shower when they returned. My friend was his 1:1
Medication is a tricky one as staff can refuse to be responsible(unless it has changed) and painkillers is one of the things you can refuse as was Ritalin. Is anyone a nurse in a previous life as they will often administer when others wont.
Anyone that didn't go went to another class and completed some work of their own but joined in things like art within the class they were in.
Any problems and you could go to the LA if your school is still with the Local Authority. Not sure about an academy...further up the ladder? The child's needs should be paramount while encouraging them to meet their potential. Good Luck.

I kept DS at home for a 3 day Y4 residential. The school insisted all children must go as there would be no provision at school for those days. I suggested I would keep DS at home and we would work at home using our own learning material. School was fine with that. If this is an option for you, i would have a chat with the head and suggest it.

You need to accept that if DD doesn't go, the class teachers wont be in school and that's why no special provision will be made for her at school. She'll probably join in some junior class.

Biut that's what you want , right? DD not to be overwhelmed or over stretched.

It beats me why you're comparing school with arrangements at Brownies or expecting any equivalence.

No. It isn’t acceptable and I don’t think anyone is saying it is. It’s the fact of the situation.

She wants to go, but the school isn’t making the necessary reasonable adjustments.

Hi OP, when you say ‘they’, who at the school has stated they will not make reasonable adjustments so your daughter can participate fully in this trip - the class teacher, head, SENCO or chair of the governing body?

Great to know the Brownies have been inclusive. Did you know you can nominate people to attend Royal Garden Parties; that may be a nice thing to do to recognise their positive approach.

Call in and say she's got a bug?

That's ridiculous, they can't make you go
I absolutely loved going on residential at that age, so did my youngest .
Eldest didn't though, didn't want to go so didn't
All kids are different.

The school is being massively unreasonable. I’d try to get the time off work so I could accompany my child on this trip, based on the fact that she wants to go. But I would be absolutely furious about their behaviour towards it all.

Ask to see their equal opportunities/disability policy.

If this was a work place they'd be expected to make reasonable adjustments.

PLEASE report this to OFSTED @Y4GoingAway

@2bazookas I want her to go, I just don't want her to be in pain if she goes. If I didn't want her to go I wouldn't have approached school and said "I want her to go but the activities will be too much, how can we make this work?" I want her to take part and she wants to go.

I'm comparing it to Brownies because they managed, and they're not paid and don't have to make adjustments for her, yet they did and she loved it and wants to go again. I'm not asking school to change the activities they offer, I just want them to make it so DD can do an alternative, and that not be sit and watching her friends have fun, because I know my DD she'll say "I'm ok now" and get up and carry on which is not only causing her pain but could damage her joints and muscles.

Will speak to the centre, it's an outdoor education type centre (not PGL) but their website has pictures from a special school (i googled the school name) so they must be able to make provisions.

Last resort I offer to go and be in charge of DDs medication and keep her with me when she's done enough.

@2bazookas

Your reply came across as incredibly unhelpful and nasty. You could have addressed your point (which I don't personally agree with) without coming across as so unpleasant. You could also have read the OP post before getting so nasty. OP very clearly made the point that if told not to take part her DD would comply without a fuss. That is relevant whether it happens as Brownie camp or school residential which in fact ae quite similiar. If anything since school is run by professionals, not volunteers, the expectations would be much higher. It's also clear that OP's DD has a physical disability which makes taking part in certain activites not good for her physical health. Nothing to do with OP not challenging her - no one should be challenged to harm themselves.

@LadyLapsang So far the class teacher and the head of KS2 have both said she has to go. And I want her to go but she can't if they aren't going to make the adjustments.

@Y4GoingAway She does NOT have to go! As a disabled person myself, I can tell you that they have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for your disabled DD whether that's on the trip or at school. If they do not do so, then they are in breach of the Disability Discrimination Act

The Brownies is a good comparison as Op has seen how a very similar activity holiday can be inclusive to her dc.

90 children will not all be doing exactly same activities at once (some will rock climb, some kayak, some crate stack then swap) The difference on Brownies trip was there was a none active option in the activity rotation.

Out of 90 children there will be ones who can’t participate eg sprained an ankle, feeling sick etc. Having a none active option in the rotation would seem sensible to me and would enable everyone inc op’s dc to take part.

Please don’t let this drop Op. Your language is spot on. Your DD wants to go. I’m so angry on your and your dc’s behalf.

As far as the pain meds go, could you ask her GP for a specific prescription for those 3 days, stating that she needs meds 3 times per day. It may be more than she needs but better than nothing for a short time.
Also a written note from the GP stating that she can’t do more than eg 2hrs of activity per day.

Otherwise, I don’t see how you could safely send her.

As a Guide leader I’d also echo feeding back to her leader how impressed you were with their accommodations. We are all volunteers. Lovely to hear she had a fab time.

What does her dr say? Maybe a sternly worded letter re the lack of supporting her wouldn’t go amiss.

What utter nonsense, they can’t make it compulsory. I’d just keep her at home.

They can't make it compulsory. If you don't want your child to go they can't make her go and they will have to out some provision in for her at school. Write to the Head copying in the Governors. If you get nothing helpful back from them write to your local councillor and MP copying in the school.

OP the Class Teacher and Head of Year clearly don't know what they are talking about

Write a list of the reasonable adjustments (like a really long shopping list of options) and ask for a meeting with the SENCO and Head (and the Inclusion Governor if you are feeling fancy) to discuss how they are going to make the trip accessible to your daughter using this guide. Make it a SMT problem. Think about what you can do eg .

Ask to speak to the centre about what they have done in the past to ensure children weren't excluded. There are always kids who can't swim and can't do canoeing or scared of heights, or homesick or get a cold AS WELL AS accommodating disabled children which mean they can't take part in everything.

So far the class teacher and the head of KS2 have both said she has to go. And I want her to go but she can't if they aren't going to make the adjustments.

I'm pretty sure they are breaking the law by not making any adjustments - its discrimination on the grounds of disability.
I've taken Brownies to eg PGL, and they are fab at accommodating differently abled children - surely it's not beyond the wit of man for either the school or the centre to provide some activities that your DD can do.

And as for depriving her of her 1:1 support for the time the class is away - surely that's illegal too. The funding for that support is for you DD, not for making up adult numbers when the whole class goes away.

Do you have any official medical documentation that exertion worsens DD's symptoms/condition? If so, I would be suggesting that it was potentially a safeguarding issue to take a child with a condition exacerbated by activity on a trip full of activity, while not permitting pain medication to be given. While I suppose it could be argued that they will not give pain meds in school hours, if she has analgesia before and after school, how will this be managed while she is away. You would be on strong grounds if she is on prescribed analgesia.

However, I am also conscious of the fact that for many conditions that affect joints and muscles, a degree of activity is good for them as it helps to keep joints from stiffening up. Does your daughter have a paediatric physio that could make suggestions about activities?

A school trip should be accessible to all. Does the activity centre do other activities that aren’t so strenuous to your daughter @Y4GoingAway. If so, some of these should be offered too.(in the same way Brownies camp ran)

It is a good idea to talk to the venue, especially as they will be running the activities not the teachers, so they will need to know your daughter’s medical needs and the school obviously won’t be able to advise correctly