Booster seat on coach for reception school trip?

[Maybeitsok]

My just turned 5 year old is going on a school trip soon via busy dual carriageway to another city, journey time approx 45 min each way. They are still in a rear facing car seat with me, which is all they know, and how they will continue until they outgrow it at 36kg or 125cm tall. They’re currently only 16kg and 107cm!

Anyway, I was reluctant to let them go on the coach but have decided to do so but with a booster seat, so I’ve bought a carry on portable one that’ll be easy enough to use.

Thing is, they’ve asked if it’s just them that’ll have this kind of seat, and it probably will be, since people aren’t that clued up on car seat safety it seems.

Has anyone else sent their 4/5 year old with a booster before? I’m fearful they’ll be ridiculed but then again not sure considering their age. Safety first in my opinion, but want them
happy too.

The school will have done a risk assessment for the trip and would have insisted on booster seats if they were needed. So clearly they’re not. I appreciate it’s hard to let go and entrust your child to other people but you’re massively overthinking and catastrophising this… just let your child go on the coach trip and be happy they’re having a great experience.

Back in the days before isofix, it was drummed into new parents that it was really important that you got someone qualified to check that your chosen car seat was compatible with the car you were putting it in. (I remember this because we didn't drive, and so were buying a car seat to be used in other people's cars - we got advice on the car seat that fitted the most models, and what things to check.) Who is going to check that the booster seat fits well in the coach? It's not just a question of a three-point belt.
One of the key things is that the plastic socket parts of the belt should not come against the seat, as an impact could just cause them to shatter, and then you have NO seatbelt. I'm inclined to think it might be safer without a booster.