How important really are school trips??

[lisad123]

Dd1 has started new school. Parents meeting this week said that they go on a weeks trip to Dorset later in the year, it's about 3 hours drive from here.
Previously she has only done one overnight school trip, and a one night stay at friends and family.
She's nearly 10 years and has high functioning autism. I'm not sure she would cope all week and also that the staff would know her well enough to cope.
How important is it she goes? Will she end up behide her class if she doesnt?

Ususally I would say it's a great chance to bond with her new class but it depends on how well she copes with new environments. Maybe her form teacher could help by showing her the website of where they are going & pics from previous trips to the same place if any, talk through the itinerary etc?

When is it taking place?

She won't end up behind the class in anything if she doesn't go, these trips are a chance to do something outside of the usual subjects, and to spend time doing stuff together with their classmates.

Usually the benefit is in bonding with the rest of the class, so I guess it's a question of whether you think that would be likely to happen for her, or if the difficulties would outweigh any benefit she'd get.

Is it a public centre? Is there any way you could visit it as a family in half-term?

Mostly it is good for children to go even if they don't want to as it forces them to try something new and the namby pamby mummy's child gets a little shove into being normal. However here you have a child with autism so the usual rules don't apply and it certainly would not matter at all if they did not go. They don't really learn much on these trips, just how to get on with others, put up with being woken in the night, tolerate people who are nasty all the stuff I think is incredibly useful even as much as lessons are but which are not something someone with autism will necessarily benefit from.

If she's high functioning, is there a chance that the trip, although challenging for her compared to her classmates, might be coping situation that might help her move ahead?

Our school has a two night trip in Yr 5 and a 5 night trip in Yr6. The vast majority of children go, but there are always two or three who don't, for whatever reason. The school make sure that they have a good week in school, doing other things. They certainly don't end up "behind" because everyone is off curriculum for that week anyway.

For the children who go, they are fantastic, team-building experiences and they get to try all sorts of things they don't normally do. DD1 is in Yr 6, had a whale of a time last year and has been counting the days till this year's trip ever since she got back.

There were at least a couple of HFA children who went on her Yr5 trip. I know their parents, and both children seem to have coped very well, although the whole experience was definitely more challenging for them than for most of their peers.

Only you know your child. And only you can judge how well the school seem to be geared up for her needs. Can you have a detailed chat with them before you make any decisions?