Kids excluded from free trip

[AbiGabi]

Some of the kids at my dc’s school were selected to be allowed to go on an outward bound/activity trip where they had a great time staying in huts, having campfires, petting animals and doing some exciting and amusing team activities and sport.

The activity was free, and it wasn’t advertised to all parents in the year - only those who had been picked.

I only found out about it when I saw the school newsletter saying what a truly fabulous time the kids had had, and about 3 pages of photos showing them all havi nt fun. The school newsletter then banged on about how amazing it was that the school was to be able to provide this trip totally free to the kids who went, because the outward bound centre provided facilities for free so the school only had to pay for food and the coach to transport all the kids. Coaches are NOT cheap!

last month the school came begging for contributions to buy classroom equipment and I gave the school £50 not realising they were spaffing money on trips my dc wasn’t invited to!

Aibu to feel this is sharp practice by the school and unfair?

Yes

I would ask how the children who attended were selected. It's possibly through specific funding but I think it's not unreasonable to ask given they have made it clear that not everyone went.

Sometimes these trips are for children who are young carers or children who access pupil premium.

there can be extra funding that schools have to apply for that is often for specific groups of children.

night this be the case?

Possibly PP kids who might otherwise not get similar opportunities? And transported funded from PP?

You can ask the school what the criteria was for selecting pupils for the trip? My friend’s DD(11) has SEN and an EHCP and she is often chosen to do activities/trips along with other SEN/disadvantaged pupils etc, so maybe it is something similar at your DC’s school.

I understand youre annoyed that your dc has not been included. However, I would imagine that if you asked the school, you may find the kids selected to go are the ones who may not have these opportunities outside of school. Possibly those families with a lower income etc. Have you asked about how the kids were selected?

Of course you’re being unreasonable. There will be
lots of times the school will decide to use their funds for a purpose that won’t benefit your child - like other year groups’ classrooms/trips/equipment or a sport field your child doesn’t use or whatever.

Thats not a good reason to get annoyed you donated £50 (which you could clearly afford) to a school which is, if anything like most schools, chronically underfunded, doing its best and providing a free education to your child!

There will be a reason those children were chosen and you may not be entitled to know what that reason is because it is private financial or medical information.

Primary or secondary?
Age of the kids?

It will probably be pupil premium paying for the food/transport. Your kids probably benefit from that indirectly as it’s rarely spent on the kids it’s intended for.

YABU. There will be a reason those children were picked and possibly special funding that the school had to apply for.

The school may not tell you as by doing so it will identify info about those children which is none of your business

It would have been better practice for the school to be transparent about how the trip was funded and the reason some children were chosen over others, although perhaps they were trying to protect privacy. So you're within your rights to ask.

You're unreasonable to link it to having paid £50 to the school or complain about photos in the newsletter for something that sounds like a positive experience.

I would assume that those children were selected as ones who would most benefit from the trip and that they were most likely to be disadvantaged in some way. It is disappointing if your child isn't chosen for something but when it's a thing like this, there will be an underlying reason for it that you're not aware of. If it's financial for example, I would be pleased that they had been able to provide a lovely trip for children who might not have been away on a trip/excursion/holiday before.

My child went on some school trips that other kids didn't. If the other kids want to go on the trips, they can have my kid's disability and welcome.

True, but making it obvious that some kids have gone on a cool trip and others haven't is always going to generate questions.

Id be annoyed too. Complain tomthe governors amd local authority.

It will definitely be specific funding for specific children - disadvantaged, SEND etc

Why? Have you read the thread??

Would you also complain if someone get to go to a sports event?
Or some get to go to a STEM thing?
What about children who get extra maths and English support?
Or children who are quietly kitted out for free from the second hand uniform store?

I don’t think you're being unreasonable at all, I’d be cheesed off as well especially if I’d given a donation to their begging bowl.
No very ‘inclusive’ of the school and then to announce it and post photos for all to see is just rubbing everyone else’s noses in it.
They’d have been better off minimising this event and saying nothing.

It's very likely it's for kids who didn't have the financial means to go on the standard trips. I work in a school and tbh when I see the mad expensive ski trips and trips abroad so many of our schools go on now, it pains me to think there are prob a lot of kids who just cant afford those experiences. Can't be easy if you are that kid probably making up a lie as to why you can't go.

Presumably a reward trip or similar? Or Pupil premium, holiday activity etc.

I think you’re being unreasonable to jump to conclusions and it is perfectly acceptable to ask the school if you are interested as to why some children were chosen and some were not.

It is most likely for the reasons other posters have mentioned.

find out how it was funded and what was the criteria before bitching about it.

you might be justified but I bet there are good reasons and a restricted funding
behind it

This is common practice in schools and there are a million possible reasons why; Pupil Premium children, SEN, financially disadvantaged, children in care. You sound like a petulant child @AbiGabi and the money you gave has no bearing on a trip for a specific group of children.
For all you know, these particular children could have very limited opportunities so YABVU to begrudge them that. It’s a good time to teach your child that not everyone gets to take part in everything all the time.

It's likely to be pupil premium funded so for children who are disadvantaged and may not have access to a holiday or activities. You are perfectly within your rights to ask for the selection criteria.