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AIBU?

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Original poster

Schoo trip first come first served

157 replies

Meetingonthehill · 26/05/2023 21:45

AIBU to think school could and should have managed this better?

Son is Year 9.

Today school informed the children that there is an enrichment trip to a theme park. The letter would be sent to parents at 3.30pm and the payment portal opened at the same time. Kids advised it was first come first served.

This particular enrichment activity was open to Year 9 (this is their only offering for this year group) and also open to Year 8 (who have the choice of two theme parks).

(Year 9 have had no enrichment trips prior to this - Covid meant the Year 7 residential wasn’t offered and nothing was offered last year when they were in Year 8.)

My son tried to call me at 3.20 as he came out of school but I was at work (no phones allowed). I did finish work at 3.55 so called him back when he told me about the letter and trip.

I logged on to the portal straight away but all the places had gone.

AIBU to think that if offering something on a first for first served basis they should give people a bit more notice than 10 minutes? (The time between when the kids can use their phone after school and the time the portal opened.)

Surely only the parents who don’t work/have desk based jobs can realistically book something with that tight a turn around?

Not to mention those who may just be able to afford it but might need a little bit of time to balance the books to make sure.

Of course, it’s half term next week so nothing can be done and probably won’t be.

I realise they are lucky to have staff that can put on trips but it seems really unfair to split this opportunity across two year groups and not give everyone a fair chance at taking them up on the offer (especially as they haven’t had any other trips before). I realise they may not have the staff to cover everyone going. But why not make the booking process fairer?

OP posts:
openstop · 27/05/2023 08:47

EarringsandLipstick · 27/05/2023 08:26

Most secondary school trips are not for the whole year group as it isn't possible at lots of places to take 150+ children at a tim

My kids year groups are c180. There have never been school trips that have excluded any students.

Most have modest payments.

Some - like an overseas in trip in our Transition Year - are about €600 and so not everyone can go. However there's a long period of notice and options to pay in instalments so most do.

It's nonsense that trips that can accommodate everyone can't be arranged.

Yes and if it comes to it they do the same trip 2 days on a row with both halves the year group

musixa · 27/05/2023 08:49

enrichment trip 😂

SunnySaturdayMorning · 27/05/2023 08:54

caringcarer · 27/05/2023 00:41

My son's school you had a weekend to return form but then all returned forms went into a big drum and however many spaces were drawn out. It sounds very fair but because every single time the well behaved children get drawn out the drum there is a suspicion that the more challenging children don't get their name put in the drum. The draw is always done in assembly in front of all of the DC. Not one challenging child has been picked for 3 years in a row.

That’s good. Challenging behaviour should not be rewarded. Actions have consequences.

Megifer · 27/05/2023 08:55

Our school used to do these across a few days in groups so everyone got to go. Just seems lazy to do it first come first served and disadvantages kids with parents that work. Really unfair to the kids.

Paq · 27/05/2023 08:57

That is really shit OP. I don't think a school should offer a trip like that unless everyone can go.

Could you book the theme park for the same day and take him in yourself? So he gets to hang out with his friends?

minisoksmakehardwork · 27/05/2023 08:58

Yanbu about the timeframe. Dd1's year group were offered similar - trip to the local trampoline park as a reward for good attitude to learning and attendance. But, the school emailed the letter home with information and stated on that when the booking portal would open, to give all the students a chance.

Paq · 27/05/2023 09:00

Sailawaytocromer · 27/05/2023 08:39

I’m going to agree with a few posters and question the “enrichment” of a theme park (assuming it’s to visit and go on rides, not to have an engineering behind the scenes visit).

Social enrichment? Sure. Academic? Hmm…

Our school has an enrichment week for every year. Some years go away for a whole week, most year groups do a different activity every day but they have an academic/sports/arts base and it is usually something like produce a play in a day/ecology project/maths and computing project/day to learn a new sport etc. I would be so underwhelmed if our school took my child to Thorpe Park or somewhere without any other academic enrichment activities.

Tbh it really depends on the background of the children in the school. If the catchment area is such that many of the children have little or no opportunity for trips like this then yes, it is absolutely enriching. Expecting everything to be about pure learning is a middle class privilege.

Headingforholidays · 27/05/2023 09:03

openstop · 27/05/2023 08:47

Yes and if it comes to it they do the same trip 2 days on a row with both halves the year group

Show quote history

But you generally find that not everyone wants to go (or can afford to go) on every trip. Some trips are suitable and can be organised for the whole year group, but not all are or need to be.

AlyssumandHelianthus · 27/05/2023 09:04

What a shame for your son. I think it's worth giving feedback but not in an arsey way. A lot of teachers are on their knees and I think you need to acknowledge that they are really trying their best. Enrichment trips are one of the most exhausting things to do with kids. It's early start, late finish, massive amount of responsibility - imagine being in charge of 100 teens in Thorpe park!!
A pps suggestion that those who didn't get to go have priority on the next trip seems like a fair & workable suggestion.

Motherhubbardscupboard · 27/05/2023 09:05

They should have given more notice. Are you sure that was the first time they had mentioned it? I've had children at three different secondary schools and I've had alarms set to log on to the portal at a certain time to pay multiple times but always been given a few days notice. And I do agree it's unfair for parents who can't log in at that particular time because of work. I do recall one time when my child missed out, because similar situation to the OP, places had gone by the time my child was able to contact me, but it was slightly different in that they were a younger year group suddenly invited to take up spare places on an older year groups trip.

LlynTegid · 27/05/2023 09:07

It could be argued to be discrimination, however well intentioned. Those unable to take work calls are more likely to be in certain jobs.

A period of time (say 72 hours) to sign up as interested, names drawn out of a hat, then say a period to pay (say 24 hours) after which your place goes to someone else (from a reserve list).

Runningslow · 27/05/2023 09:09

Dixiechickonhols · 26/05/2023 21:59

I think that’s poor. Lottery would be better. I’d feed back to school. It’s unfair like you say and not inclusive it’s a few days to pay day for some. Giving say a week then selecting at random from those would be better.

The problem with a lottery is that a lot of kids would only want to go if their friends were going, which they wouldn’t know until after it had taken place

JesusMaryAndJosephAndTheWeeDon · 27/05/2023 09:09

Un7breakable · 27/05/2023 08:31

Lotteries don't work as DC don't want to go without their friends.

I agree first come first served isn't good with little notice.

Not insurmountable.

You could set it up so the kids enter on pairs so they always have one friend. Coach seats are in pairs so you don't want odd numbers.

HappyKoala56 · 27/05/2023 09:11

I think first come first serve is fine, but a few days notice and a start time that everyone can realistically make 6/7pm would be much better. Nothing will change for this trip, but maybe your feedback will help for next year

JesusMaryAndJosephAndTheWeeDon · 27/05/2023 09:11

Un7breakable · 27/05/2023 08:31

Lotteries don't work as DC don't want to go without their friends.

I agree first come first served isn't good with little notice.

First come first served doesn't work for friendship groups either

XelaM · 27/05/2023 09:26

An you not buy him a ticket to the same theme park gor the same day and just take him? Then he could meet his year group there. Is that an option?

XelaM · 27/05/2023 09:27

Sorry for the typos. It should say:

"Can you not buy him a ticket to the same theme park for the same day and just take him? Then he could meet his year group there. Is that an option?"

BusyMum47 · 27/05/2023 09:30

Luzina · 26/05/2023 21:59

My stepdaughter’s school sent an email out saying there would be an enrichment trip with all the details etc. they had an expression of interest form that parents could fill in the following day from 6pm. They then confirmed she had a place a few days later and we paid. Seems a fairer system

Exactly the same at my son's school. They send the info out, give parents a date to register interest, then follow up with the date/time that the payment portal will open & warn parents if there may be a 'limited spaces' situation. This is usually over the space of a couple of weeks so everyone has plenty of time to sort themselves out. Occasionally children my son knows have been unlucky & not gotten a place on a trip but the school always works with a 'reserve' list right up until the day before.

LadyEloise1 · 27/05/2023 09:33

Dixiechickonhols · 26/05/2023 21:59

I think that’s poor. Lottery would be better. I’d feed back to school. It’s unfair like you say and not inclusive it’s a few days to pay day for some. Giving say a week then selecting at random from those would be better.

I agree.

Newspeaker · 27/05/2023 09:33

For future - maybe write to the Headteacher suggesting an alternative and fairer approach? Get a look at their Inclusion Policy and see if you can find something useful there. All pupils should have equal opportunities, so those with parents working full time should not be disadvantaged compared to those who get picked up at 3.

openstop · 27/05/2023 09:34

XelaM · 27/05/2023 09:26

An you not buy him a ticket to the same theme park gor the same day and just take him? Then he could meet his year group there. Is that an option?

I really don't think the school would like that

IhearyouClemFandango · 27/05/2023 09:34

mycoffeecup · 26/05/2023 21:58

Easy. Anyone who wants to go signs up before a certain time, if demand outstrips supply, those who didn't get to go on the last trip get priority then names out of a hat.

Show quote history

This. Many, many schools manage this. Anything else is just plain lazy tbh.

VegetablesFightingToReclaimTheAubergieneEmoji · 27/05/2023 09:40

My children’s school does the same. It also ridiculously expensive.
it is great to reward the good ones, it’s only rewarding if the parents have access to emails and have the funds

Saisong · 27/05/2023 09:41

Year groups at DCs school are 240 (8 classes) so no way every trip can be offered to all. The way they try and make it fair is everyone can register an interest (with estimate of costs), then a draw is made at a later date. If you are successful you have a couple of days to make the deposit or place is forfeit and given to next on waiting list. The next time a trip comes up for that year group places are first allocated to those who missed out on the previous trip before the draw/waiting list is done.

This seems to work mostly - though I can't say there aren't parent who complain. In our case one DC was fortunate enough to get a place on residential for one trip, before the details of the next trip were announced. They would far rather go on the second one, but are unlikely to get one (still a possibility in the draw, but unlikely). Giving up the place on the first (still a good trip) would not guarantee a place either. So we're just rolling with it - life is not entirely fair, a good lesson to learn now!

The school does do one whole year residential in Y8, for which they like full attendance and really big it up. It's just camping at an activity centre, and the year has to go in 2 groups over the week, getting 2 nights each half, with a crossover day in the middle. There is lots of support for everyone to attend, and it at least ensures almost everyone gets one residential with the school.

Newmumatlast · 27/05/2023 09:41

LividHouse · 26/05/2023 21:54

You CANNOT understand the levels of stress and hours of work that go into planning even the smallest of trips nowadays.

And you CANNOT make it fair for everyone, because by definition giving you a place would mean denying someone else a place.

I ran a trip two years ago where an arsey email from a parent about something similar, when I was genuinely on my arse with logistics and paperwork and competing demands sent me over the edge and I haven’t run the trip this year because I just can’t face this sort of stuff.

You really, truly can’t please everybody and they will have had a list of reasons as long as your arm about why it had to happen this way.

You can't possibly tell someone that they cannot understand the levels of stress and hours of work, when you've no idea what they do or their personal experiences.

You miss the point when you say that you can't make it fair for everyone giving the example of if OP gets a place then someone else doesn't. Fairness doesn't mean everyone getting a place. Fairness is making sure everyone has as fair possible an opportunity. Obviously there is only so much that can be done in that regard as you're right that you cannot please everyone. But it really wouldn't be hard work for the teacher/s who organised this to realise that a. Opening the portal at the time they did with limited spaces would prevent people with parents and work or who need to sort funds from partaking and b. It wouldn't take much extra work (if any extra work at all) to change the time the portal opens to, for example, the following day.