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?

My dc school do trips like this. Sometimes my dc qualify and sometimes they don't, depending on the criteria of that particular trip. Usually when my dc don't go I am just grateful that my dc are not in that category.

😂

Honestly, can people use the brains they were born with for a second.
I work in a secondary school and there would have been a specific criteria for this trip.
At my school, it likely would have been care experience. Or maybe young carers.
So is the school supposed to broadcast the fact that these children are in care, or look after an unwell parent (for example)?

We are currently having this at my children’s school too. My daughter was invited but my son who really wanted to go wasn’t
According to my daughter the criteria was children who have poor attendance, have issues regarding having to see the school counsellor, children with additional needs etc. a friends son lost his dad and so was invited. Not just those on pupil premium although some of those will receive it too
I do think this is unfair in some ways to children who are doing well and not being rewarded like my son who really wants to go. But they can’t send the whole school
My daughter was invited as she sees a counsellor due to severe anxiety. She has declined the place as the thought of going makes her feel anxious as none of her friends are going so her place has now been passed onto someone else on the list
If there was an option for me to “demand” my son takes my daughter’s place then I would have done that but it doesn’t work like that. His best friend is going due to Neurodiversity and he wants to be with him but isn’t allowed. I can’t even pay for him to join.

But was there a hidden element like it was funded by pupil premium? And that would have driven who was sent?

Schools are absolutely brassic at the moment, so I cant see any other way unless charitable.

I'm sure lots of people have already said this, but it will definitey have been special funding for either disadvantaged or SEND pupils. Schools do this all the time.

That said, I'm suprised they mentioned it in their publicity - my school never used to do this for those type of trips as you're making it clear to everyone that there's something different about this group of kids.

Schools have to evidence how exactly they use their disadvantaged pupils funding to benefit disadvantaged pupils, so it's not like they used money they could otherswise have spent buying classroom supplies for everyone.

Better ask your kids what they've been up to. Or maybe they just chose the kids they know that have the toughest lives.

I was one of about a dozen to be part of a programme to "improve self-confidence". It involved taking part in various sports/physical activities (we'd end up encouraging each other, talking about what we'd done etc.)

Another thing, the most gifted and talented went to visit Cambridge Uni, got shown around, and had a brief taster of a few classes. Did a couple of little activities, had a quiz etc. and stayed overnight.

These were free, and I wouldn't exactly consider them unfair. The point is that not every student is eligible for every event - whether they are free or not. Just get over it.

Our school is selective about trips. Some are for specific subject areas and even then, they are invite only as limited spaces. My sixth former gets a bursary due to my income so hers are free but my younger child down get things free as I earn too much for free school meals.

I know that those on free school meals get their trips free at our school but usually bigger trips like residential are offered out to the year group, or in the case of French and Spanish those who take that subject and then it’s first come first served or names out of a hat type scenario. My kids do theatre trips quite a bit but again they’re not free but they are only open to certain kids. Either those doing music and drama at GCSE or younger years where the kids have shown a particular like of that area and are sensible kids to take out of school.

I do know as a teacher though that there are certain pots of funding available and that means kids going if they fit the criteria - could be send, could be free school meals. I think if it’s to do with free school meals they probably don’t advertise as many kids don’t want others knowing about their financial situations.

They were secretive by only telling people about it after the event. There’s an assumption this is some sort of jolly for PPM kids but we don’t actually
know that.

Grow up, the school cannot afford to take every child on a free school trip, the children were probably chosen due to perhaps doing well in school, no1 makes a parent donate so if you don't want to donate, DON'T, how is sending deserving children on a trip spaffing it up the wall?