Should I be told when DS gets taken out on trips?

[CoffeeAndChoccies]

I’d like opinions on whether I am blowing this out of proportion and is this quite a normal thing for preschools to do?

DS (nearly 3) started a preschool last year. He’s absolutely thriving there and has come on so much, and made some friends. Compared to his previous nursery, the handovers are certainly a lot briefer, we don’t get details of his day and only get told if something needs handing over explicitly (he’s bumped his head for example). We have to ask for anything else. I put this down to him being in a different setting (preschool rather than nursery) and him being older and this preschool just having a lot more children to do handover for.

Anyway, on his admission forms I signed to say I consented to him being taken out of preschool, on foot, to nearby high street/parks etc.

A few weeks ago DH asked if he’d been out of preschool that day as he thinks he’d been talking about stuff that didn’t make sense - a park, shops etc. I said no, that I did sign to say they could take him, but surely they’d let us know if/when they do. DS isn’t the clearest talker and he’s definitely prone to embellishing and making things up. We shrugged it off. Anyway, broke up for the holidays and got a newsletter from the preschool summarising the last term. It talks about how the children have enjoyed trips out into the local community. So it seems like he has been out the preschool.

However, I just feel very unsettled that they’ve taken him out and not said anything to us, not at drop off about the plans for that day, or at pick up when we’ve asked how he’s been and how his day has gone. I know I consented for him to go on these things, but I genuinely assumed they’d let me know as and when these trips were taking place. I feel very uneasy knowing my 2 year old wasn’t where I thought he was for periods of time. I have no problems him going on these little walking trips, he’s obviously enjoyed them with how he’s talked about them, but I do want to know where my child has been that day.

I’m thinking about sending an email asking if he’s been out on trips and if so can they let us know in future - ideally at drop off if it’s pre-planned, but definitely at pick up if the trip has been impromptu. DH agrees that we should have been told, but thinks an email is overkill. But the handovers at preschool are so rushed and hit and miss that the message may not get through and handed over, or my concern not filtered through. A (nice) email shows I’m serious and that it’s concerned me. WWYD?

Fine for them to go out of course but I would also expect that to be in the handover "he enjoyed visiting the park today".

Though when I worked in nursery, by the time I was doing handovers at 5.30/6pm I often couldn't remember anything we'd done that day 😂
And often the member of staff doing handovers won't have been the person in the room that day.

I wouldn't expect to be told, but I would like to see pictures and get a handover even if it was generic.

My 3 year olds preschool sends a generic text about their day, and there's usually 20-30 pics on their private Facebook group too.

Ours go out a lot. Like to the extent that in the baby room it was only mentioned if they hadn’t gone out that day.

Baking is a more unusual activity than going out, so on a handover that gets any details - that would get a mention over a trip to Morrisons.

If your child’s communication development is needing some support, definitely have a chat to them about that and how can help it. Eg. Can we find a way to tell us about a couple of things that have done each day so we can use them as prompt in conversation at home. They may have a floor book that you can take a Quick Look at, or diary, or photos, or add it into the handover.