What age did you or your child go on their first residential and how long was it?

[BippityBopper]

Just off the back of another thread.

DS' school offered a residential for Y4 for a week. It was at an outdoor activity centre 30 miles away, so close enough to pick up if things went awry.

We didn't send DS because we thought he was too young and the information that the school provided was scarce. They had offered an inormation evening but my understanding was that this was for more detailed logistics as it took place after the deadline to sign up.

My first residential was in Y7 (to Spain). DS school has also offered one for Y6, 1.5bours away
, which he will be joining.

I saw on the other thread some primary schools do residentials to other countries! It made me start to think I'm being way too precious with DS. Other parents at the school merrily signed their kids up with the two paragraphs of info we initially received.

I'm just wondering what general thoughts are on a minimum age for a residential?

To answer a few questions in one - I can't remember all the details that were given as it was a while ago. It was something along the lines of one line saying where they will be going, the date, and that they'd be doing something like a series of activities. The rest was about payment deadlines and that the trip wouldn't happen if there wasn't enough interest.

I wasn't dead set against it, but the deadline to make a deposit to secure your place was a couple of weeks from the letter being sent. One of those weeks was half term, so I hadn't had much chance to get much more info from the school or other mums (only see them sometimes at school gates and this is rare as I often cant to pick up). I asked a teacher about which staff was going and she wasn't sure - fair enough. I emailed the school a few questions but I was informed they'd be further information at the info evening. I received no invite to the info evening and it seemed to have been that only people who paid the deposit were invited. So, I wasn't really put at ease and I was a bit put off with it being 5 days. A couple of nights probably would have been an easier "yes". My hand was forced to make a decision as the payment deadline had a tight turnaround 🤷‍♀️

DS wasn't fussed about "missing out" as half his year group didn't go and he enjoyed a quieter school week. I wouldnt have jumped into a decision I wasn't sure about for the sake of him not missing out in any case. Especially as I knew they'd be other opportunities.

I hadn't really paid it much thought, but the talk about primary kids going on residentials abroad really surprised me. I just didn't know that was a thing.

My son went on a Beaver’s Camp in Year 1! He absolutely loved it!

I was 11 years old for 5 days including one day trip to Calais. My children were around the same age when they went to an activity centre for four nights, which was less than an hour away.

My DC’s primary school took them in Y5/ Y6 for 2 nights. The whole class went. My DDs had already been away by this point with youth club so the school residential wasn’t their first but for my DSs it was. I think 5 nights is quite ambitious for a year 4 class if they’re expecting everyone to go. Better imo to go for a shorter duration and have higher participation.

In contrast, I spent a lot of my childhood in a mainland European country with 2 years at a small school run by Canadians for army families. Both years I was there, the whole school corresponding to years 1 to 8 went ski-ing for a week in another country from the one we lived in. I look back on it now and think what a bold move it was. No phones or internet back then either and a week without your parents for children as young as 5. I was between 7 and 9 and I loved it!

My DCs school offered the following

1. in Y2 - a sleepover in the school hall
2. in Y4 - 2 night sleepover at an activity centre 10 mins drive away. The huge site had a play area open to the public so most children were familiar with the place
3. in Y6 - a 4 night sleepover at an activity centre 2 hours away.

It worked very well, gradually building their experience.

I went to Arthog when I was in year 6! Must have been 1995! I loved it, glad to hear it's still going strong!

My DS1 had his Y4 residential at the end of last term, two nights at an outdoor pursuits type place about an hour away. In Y5 they go to the Lake District for ?3 nights (this is 4-5 hours from us) and in Y6 5 days on the Isle of Wight. He had previously done Beaver/Cub camps with...mixed success... but he managed fine with the school one.

I run Brownies and we take any of our girls who want to on our residentials, so some of them are only just 7 and in year 2. They are never the ones who get homesick!

DS was year 5 ( would have been earlier with cub camp and a school residential in year 4 but they were cancelled due to COVID).
DD did two nights fairly local in year 4 and Brownie camps from a similar age. She didn’t do the year 5 trip to France as her SEN meant it wasn’t really suitable ( that’s a whole different issue, but I didn’t push it as she didn’t want to go anyway).

DS did cub camp at 8. School residential in Y4, 4 days to the Isle of Wight. Y6 residential in France

DD age four with rainbows, one night.
DS age seven with cubs, two nights.

Exactly this. We must be in the same school!

Year 6 with school to Cornwall for 4 nights. Had done a night camping with the guides beforehand which was helpful.

French exchange year 8

I think oldest went on a 3-4 day residential about Y4, but they were working towards a two-week residential abroad at the end of Y6.

@BippityBopper - what information were you apprehensive about not having? Was it something you could ask for?

I think they key thing is whether your child wants to go - if they are excited about it and keen it wouldn't be fair to put anxieties first.

Our youngest (now 14) has ADHD and didn't always cope well with overnights... there was a two week residential camp a few friends went to but we were a bit nervous of sending him given his background and he was unsure as it would go over his birthday. In the end, we took a chance when he was just about to turn 12 and sent him because this was the last year they held his age group somewhere near enough for him to be picked up if it came down to it.

And he loved it and has been back every year since - I wouldn't have pushed the boat out when he wasn't keen except for the one shot at doing it where we could take him home so he could at least try, but it's been immensely worthwhile for him on the friendship front.

Wondering what information you wanted or would sway your decision ? Genuinely as have signed DD up for Brownies camp and another mum mentioned similar concerns. Then I wondered if I should be asking more questions but I’m honestly not sure what information would sway my decision. I guess I just assume the facility they are going to is suitable and the leaders will look after them. Also they are with their friends.

My year 6 has just done 5 days in Paris. Her first was 1 night in year 3.

That said I can’t imagine sending my five year old away overnight, she would be frightened without her usual routine and could wake from a bad dream needing her mum

Beavers age 6 (yr1)
The y3 residential and various cubs camps.

By year four DS had done about half a dozen overnights.

Every year from Y2 onwards, at least 2 nights a time. Never occurred to me to not send them.

Church youth group year 5 and 6.

School end of primary year 6.

First year of secondary year 7 and different church youth group.

After that it was COVID years and the next residential was lower sixth, year 12

Nor should it be. I found it awkward enough mine doing one overnight I think in 2nd year and that was only up north and 3/4 days abroad (Italy/France) when in TY so for other countries 2nd year is around 14 years old and TY is 16ish years of age.

DD did a one night residential in Year 3, age 7. She loved it and all the dcs in the year went. In Year 4 there's a 2 night residential and in Years 5 & 6 there are 4 night residentials. I'll be happy to send her to all of them. It's a prep school so small staff/pupil ratios, and dcs are probably a bit more used to different kinds of childcare - lots of nannies, use of childcare in holiday resorts etc.

I went to a state primary in England and did one 4 night residential in Year 6, that was all they offered.

Me - late 1970s age 7 went away for 2 nights then every year after that for longer trips. Age 10 went abroad to play sport - first time on a plane.

Dc1 - age 8 brownie weekend
dc2, 3, 4 - age 6 rainbows or beavers residential

Fantastic opportunity to be away from home in a safe environment with their friends. DC4 (now 16) goes away this summer for jamboree- with same scouts he’s been camping with for 10 years. So good for their independence and resilience

My DD went to a private prep school and they had their first residential in the Summer of Reception. It wasn't far - just a local outdoor pursuits centre - and I think they stayed 2 nights.Year 1 and 2 did that too and after that it was outdoor camping for a bit longer.
My DSs went to the village state school and the whole of KS2 went on residential together so their first one was in Year 3. That was Mon -Fri and the trips alternated between a local-ish outdoor activity trip and a city in another part of the country.

My oldest, now in his 20s, went away on his first residential with school for 4 nights in year 5.

My youngest, now 17, never wanted to go so hasn’t ever been on one.

Where we used to live, kids went to secondary in y5. So all the primaries did a week away in y4. All of mine went. Despite going away with brownies for the weekend, they found 5 days with the school too long.
We moved when youngest was in year 5 and she did year 6 residential with the primary school and loved it.

Mine went Y4 and y6. I can't remember how long, perhaps 2 nights. Pretty much everyone went and they did various activities like kayaking and archery. I encouraged him to go and didn't really think about him not being happy for any reason.
Residentials weren't a thing at my school and I never knew anyone who had been on one.