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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

DS's school trip was offered on a 'first come first serve' basis and is now being drawn at random from a hat

315 replies

Worriedaandconfused · 03/10/2023 11:50

AIBU to think the school should honour the first come first serve basis they initially stated for allocating places on the school trip?

They have, due to a 'huge response' of requested places, decided to draw names at random on Friday.

After promising my child a place and ensuring I handed the form in promptly to the teacher (in fairness, it sounds like a lot of other parents did, too), I'm now going to have to explain to my 4 year old he's unlikely to have a place.

How do your own DC's schools handle situations like this where there's limited places and lots of interest?

OP posts:

Overthebow · 03/10/2023 11:52

Names out of the hat is the fairest way. You really shouldn’t promise your child a place when you’re not the one doing the places, how do you know he would have made it even if you handed it in promptly, especially given the large amount of people wanting to go.

KakiFruit · 03/10/2023 11:54

Names out of a hat is much fairer. It's a shame they didn't realise that from the off but you really shouldn't have promised something that was out of your control.

NameChange30 · 03/10/2023 11:55

They're doing a school trip for 4yos and can't accommodate everyone? That's shit. It should be for all of none. They're 4 FFS.

Theunamedcat · 03/10/2023 11:56

They said first come first served why are they changing their minds? Is a staff members or active pta members child not allowed on? Something must have happened for this to change?

littleducks · 03/10/2023 11:56

To be honest I don't think school trips that aren't offered to full class/year are appropriate at that age.

androidnotapple · 03/10/2023 11:57

you shouldn't have promised a place - what if everyone was as organised as you? names out of a hat for everyone who has applied before the deadline is fairest.

Fleabane · 03/10/2023 11:57

You shouldn't have promised him a place.

bookworm14 · 03/10/2023 11:59

Where on earth are they going that they can’t take the whole class? Most Reception trips are to the farm or zoo or similar places.

whatnot929 · 03/10/2023 12:00

Your fault for promising.

First come first served penalises the poorer families and those with unsteady income. Names drawn is much fairer.

Although really you should be complaining that they have organised a trip for year olds that isn't for all of them. That's the real issue.

sweeneytoddsrazor · 03/10/2023 12:00

If there are 20 places and 30 class members who all arrive the next day with their required permission forms/payment then obviously they can't do first come first served, unless you camped outside the school gates overnight

RTGC · 03/10/2023 12:01

I think FCFS is rubbish - give a date and stick to it then draw out a hat.

That said, I’ll be first in line to hand in my FCFS slips.

I absolutely hate that things can’t accommodate everyone at such young ages. All or nothing would be better.

egowise · 03/10/2023 12:01

I find it very odd that 4 year olds are going a trip that the whole class isn't able to.

Through my own, kids in the family and my 3 I have never heard of that.

If there has been so much interest why not do 2 trips, so all children can go?

JustAMinutePleass · 03/10/2023 12:02

It seems something’s changed and they suddenly can’t do the trip for everyone (probably lack of supervision). If you’re in a position to volunteer I’d ask if your son can be given a space if you supervise.

alongcameboo · 03/10/2023 12:02

Yep this happened at DD's school for a trip (but it was) in Yr 9. Originally, it was a first come, first served basis but then one kid forgot to get their form in quickly enough so the Mum kicked up a stink (renowned for this kind of behaviour) and as a result, it got changed to 'names out of a hat'. How fortunate that CF kid's name got picked out the hat eh?! 🙄

Iloveshoes123 · 03/10/2023 12:02

NameChange30 · 03/10/2023 11:55

They're doing a school trip for 4yos and can't accommodate everyone? That's shit. It should be for all of none. They're 4 FFS.

Exactly this - and for people saying drawing names from a hat is fairest, that is fine but the school should have specified that at the start.

Fallenangelofthenorth · 03/10/2023 12:03

My kids school used to do the same but I'm not convinced all the names actually went into a hat in the first place as you could usually guess which names would be pulled out...

Shopper727 · 03/10/2023 12:03

My school has never done a trip where the whole class don’t go, it’s all or nothing? How do you explain to a 4yo why they can’t go and the rest of the kids come back all excited talking about it? We did parent helpers etc but all the children went on all the trips offered if they wanted to go

yogasaurus · 03/10/2023 12:04

Names out of a hat is fairer.

FCFS can penalise parents who work

Not sure why you promised your DC, you don’t know they were going to get a place with FCFS

sashh · 03/10/2023 12:05

Theunamedcat · 03/10/2023 11:56

They said first come first served why are they changing their minds? Is a staff members or active pta members child not allowed on? Something must have happened for this to change?

Quite a simple explanation, there are, say 20 places, at 9.00am the day after it was announced 40 applications were handed in.

You still only have 20 places, so what other way is fair?

Iwasafool · 03/10/2023 12:06

At my children's primary school they did a big trip every year in year 6. In one year they had about 12 or 13 too many wanting places. A meeting was called and we were told they only way all the kids could go was if we all paid X amount extra (can't remember what it was) to hire an extra coach. It was immediately agreed, spare seats on the coach were sold to parents who wanted to go to France but once in France they were off on their own not with the school.

It was nice that everyone was united in making the trip possible for them all and I think for 4 year olds it is even more important to include them all. Isn't there anyway they can accommodate all the kids? Maybe some parents would need to help to have enough numbers but that's what I'd want.

Canibearsed · 03/10/2023 12:07

littleducks · 03/10/2023 11:56

To be honest I don't think school trips that aren't offered to full class/year are appropriate at that age.

This!

Iwasafool · 03/10/2023 12:07

sashh · 03/10/2023 12:05

Quite a simple explanation, there are, say 20 places, at 9.00am the day after it was announced 40 applications were handed in.

You still only have 20 places, so what other way is fair?

Show quote history

Even if 40 were handed in some must have been handed in earlier than others, even if they said you can't hand them in until the office opens at 9 am there would be a queue so the first 20 would get the places.

They shouldn't change the rules once the game has started.

HarrietStyles · 03/10/2023 12:08

I’m guessing more people turned up on the first day with their forms requesting a place, than there were places on the trip. So first come first served was then made impossible.

Blabla81 · 03/10/2023 12:08

This is normal at my DD’s secondary, so I was going to say YABU, however … 4 year olds? No, I wouldn’t be happy with that, at all. It should be available to all, if not, no one.

Iwasafool · 03/10/2023 12:09