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

[Worriedaandconfused]

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?

Its a fairer system but they shouldn't have made the initial promise. Maybe they realised it was unfair (one class didn't get the forms for example).

DDs school does this for clubs and because its an online system, its easier for those picked up directly from school rather than those using after school care as we get the letter earlier...

They should have done a draw to start with, but this is crazy for primary school! They shouldn’t be organising trips that are t available to all children. It’s either educational or it isn’t and if it isn’t, it shouldn’t be happening during school hours.

This!

Of course they shouldn't be running a trip that isn't available to all the children at 4. That's shit planning and the sign of a school that doesn't have its children's best interests at the forefront.

My eldest is now 7 and I've never experienced limited spaces on school trips for these age groups. If they want to go there is enough space for everyone. I imagine trips abroad etc for older children would have limited numbers, but certainly not for 4 year olds. How awful if most of their class get a day trip to the zoo and they're left behind.

Are you a bot?!

Strange to do that to primary aged kids. It's usually the secondary school trips that are out of a hat. Although I think it rarely is!

My DD did a trip to South Africa that was over-subscribed and 'out of a hat' .... it was interesting to see the friendship groups at the airport. Obv easier for teachers if they all get on and happy to share rooms etc.

I just can’t believe they’re running a trip that isn’t available to all of the kids at reception age. I don’t think my DCs’ school would dream of doing this.

Changing their mind is annoying but random draw is fairer. I’d be focusing on why they think it’s appropriate to organise school trips everyone cannot attend. We got through the whole of primary school without this ever happening.

as far as im aware thats not against mumsnet rules ?

What is the trip? To be honest I think it's absolutely awful to offer a trip to 4 year olds without enough space for all who want to attend.

Personally if he doesn't get a space I'd pull him out of school that day and take him on a trip myself.

Not your fault, OP, and the gleeful posturing from some of the posters on here is pathetic.

The school had no business stating 'first come, first served' and then changing the parameters after the fact.

I agree with the posters querying where on earth the school would be proposing to take these children given that there are plenty of places where numbers are not an issue.

You can still hold your promise, OP - take your child yourself. I would refuse any further engagement with school nonsense after this too. Ugh.

Why are they offering a trip to four year olds if they can't accommodate them all? I've never heard of a reception trip that doesn't include everybody.

Also ignore posters saying it's your fault, you shouldn't have promised your son. The school are the one that changed the goalposts, not you.

Sorry to tell you but this 'drawing names out of hat' is highly unlikely....IME the staff will be cherry picking the children most suited to the trip in question. So you'll find the badly behaved/more difficult children won't be on the list.

First come first served shouldn't be happening. It's one of the rare things I have grumbled about to school and got them to change it.

mount AI text looks awful and so obvious that a human isn't typing it. I just ignore it.

The fault lies with you and you alone for getting your child’s hopes up.

The fault isnt with the OP at all, you shouldn't have to promise your child they will get to go at age 4 it should just a given they are going unless they are Ill or away on the day of the trip!

4 year olds should all be going. Ridiculous to have a trip that can't accommodate them all.

I expect all the forms came in promptly so they have to now go to names in hat as too many arrived on day one.

Who on earth organises a school trip for 4 year olds where they can’t all go? If there’s a shortage of staff or volunteers due to higher ratios then don’t do it, do something simpler.
TBH small kids are happy with a visiting police car or fire truck, a picnic in a field or someone bringing their well trained dog to school for half an hour.

lol they are absolutely cherry picking kids. Can you and the other parents make your own school trip? All go somewhere together on the day of the other trip. This stops the kids feeling left out. And is a lovely fuck you to the school for planning to only take some of the kids on a trip. You can laugh when they complain about the attendance numbers for the day

Was this response written by AI?

How bizarre. Where is the trip to?

Everyone in the class should be able to go, or they shouldn’t be running it.

School trips for 4 year olds should be for the full class. How many children are there, how many places available and where is it to?

School has not handled this well.

Where are they going? Can you take your child there yourself?
While a random draw is fairest it is frustrating when they move the goalposts like that and why on earth have they only allowed for a small amount of children to go? My child is too young for such things so I've not had to deal with that yet but is that how school trips work now? In my day there was room for everyone to go.