To be annoyed DD didn't get a place on her school trip?

[VictorianSqualor]

Argh!
About three weeks ago DD came home with a letter about a residential trip to a farm.
DP and I discussed it that night and agreed she could go, as it was first come first served place-wise I took the deposit in to school the very next day and handed it to the office myself as I knew DD would lose it.

Found out from one of the parents in the playground that there were only 14 places for the whole of year 2, and apparently the other class in year 2 had had their letters two days previously.

Today I get a call saying DD hasn't managed to secure a space.

Surely if there are only going to be 14 places for 60 children they should try and find a way to make it fairer? Maybe two trips, or at least a warning that the letters were going out, and at the very least all children given the letters on the same day???

We had a similar disappointment with a school disco last year, she went to buy her ticket two days after the letters had gone out and they had sold out!

[Troutpout]

ooh we had this scenario with a residential trip to France. This was also first come first served. They couldn't take the whole year group (74 kids). Anyway..about 6 kids who wanted a place didn't get one and the parents complained about the unfairness of it all. In the end most of the parents signed a petition saying the whole thing was unfair.They ended up cancelling the thing and booking a pgl holiday instead that could accommodate all of the kids.

[bluefox]

Yes - happened here too with a trip to a residential outdoor activity centre - dd and one other boy were excluded. DD was absolutely devastated and was bullied by other children for crying about it for weeks. The head refused to see any problem and wouldnt do a thing about it. I had to move dd to another school in the end it was so bad. In hindsight I should have done it earlier because the school I put her into for the rest of year 6 was fantastic - best thing I ever did.

[bluefox]

IMHO schools shoud ensure that ALL who wish to go can do so and if there are too many then the trip should not go ahead.