Would you let your nearly 8 yr old go on an overnight trip to london with their school ??

[NuttyMuffins]

Dd's has come home with a letter today, saying that when dd is in yr3 (sept), they will be learning about the egyptians as part of the curriculum, and that in nov/dec the exhibition of the tomb findings is back in london on loan from Cairo Museum.

The school want to take the kids to see it and have given us the following 2 options.

Option 1 : The children travel to London on 28th Nov and return on 29th. This includes a stay overnight in a hotel designated by a school travel organisation. The cost of the trip is £75, which includes travel, accomodation, ticket, and meals.

Option 2 : The children travel to London on 29th Nov with an early morning start and a late evening return. The cost of this is £39 which includes travel and ticket.

The school want us to greatly consider the benefits of option 1 as if they stay overnight it means that they could also fit in other visits to Buckingham Palace, Westminster etc etc.

They have said that they realise it is expensive but that they are hoping they might be able to arrange some subsidy.

So which option would you pick ??

yes I would at age 8, dd goes to a very good school and I trust them totally, she is also used to sleeping away from home as she stops at her dads, her grandmas and with her aunties and I would imagine would by then ahve gone to the odd sleepover.

My dd is 8 and in y3 and would LOVE a school trip away. As it's only 1 night, they'll most likely love it as it's not as daunting as, say, a whole week away from home at that age. When ds2 was 10 - last year - he was adamant he didn't want to go on a trip to France for 6 nights as he'd have missed us, but would happily have gone for 3 or 4 nights...

Our children's school has a trip for the whole class away for 3 nights in the country doing adventure stuff from age 7 and then every summer (in fact it's that that made me have to get the bed wetting situation sorted out last year). They loved it. A few children were upset they said but most weren't. You are told before you join that school that there are these annual trips away from age 7 upwards though so it's not a surprise.

Also even if they don't want to it could do them good.

God,I would never let my kid off on a jaunt like this.Never ever.

Why ever not? And if not at what age are they allowed out of your sight for a night?

I'd let her go. if you trust these people to look after your child during the day at school then it's the same people who will be looking after her on an overnight trip so why would you have doubts?

if you say no who are you saying no for, her? or you?

Option 2 - without a doubt! I live on the outskirts of London and I wouldn't let my 11 year old go and stay overnight. No way!!

yes yes yes option 1, and I live in central london. It is not a location issue.

No - and I would struggle even with option 2.
Too far away (we are oop north) and too young. No need for overnight stays at primary school age. But then I very reluctantly do sleepovers. Only if it's a special occasion and only if I know the parents very well.

would depend on the child at that age. ds2 yes- he's very sensible.

Nope. no way. Plenty of time when they are older.

I understand the OP concerns. IMHO It very much depends on the children and teachers going.

My DD (now aged 11) I would be doubtful if I would have agreed to her going. (not a nice social group, teachers a bit off with them most of the time) They missed out on all school trips from year 3-5 as teachers werent sure they could control them out of school!
BUT my DS (now 10) I would let him go, nice year group, good friends, respect teachers, etc.

HTH

No, I wouldn't want my nearly 8 year old to go to either. He's too young. Sounds like the staff are very enthusiastic, committed and hardworking to make such an offer.