Schoo trip first come first served

[Meetingonthehill]

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?

And go to the dentist for check ups and go to the bank and save a house deposit in our twenties and go to university without it costing £40,000.

With similar years ago I used to have a window to sign up, say 2 days, then if oversubscribed I’d lucky dip names.

I had a similar thing happen to my DD. Put her on the waitlist and the week before travel a space came up. It's the best you can do now, although in this situation a ballot would be fairer.

I think it's crazy. I'm not in the UK but my children go on multiple trips a year and unless they are for a specific thing like the computer club or music class every child in the class goes. Dd is going to a theme park next week, she went paint balling a few weeks ago, was away for an over night to an adventure centre type place a while back and they are all heavily encouraged to go to everything with the school covering the cost for the few children that might not be able to afford it. They would be upset if it was even a lucky dip nevermind a first serve basis where some kids don't stand a chance because their parents work.

The portal shouldn't be opened until 7pm, for example

there is no good time to do that. Plenty of people work shifts and are in work at 7pm - factory workers, doctors and other health professionals, care workers, supermarket workers, people working in call centres, emergency services etc etc etc. The only fair way is lottery but the extra work for schools is problematic.

Totally ridiculous of the school.

Some SEN kids wouldn't also necessarily appreciate the urgency either so hardly inclusive.

There's why most schools have "sign up week" or month even. And it gets sent out by text message or email.

Lottery style after a week's email deadline would mean everyone got fair opportunity to be in with a chance. The way this school did it didn't give everyone fair opportunity. There's a different between not everyone being able to go, and not everyone being given opportunity to go.