Am I being unreasonable? Year 6 residential 30 children 2 staff on trip?

[daisycat01]

My son left today on a residential trip for 5 days. After watching the coach leave I discovered that one of the teachers wasn't able to go at the last minute leaving 2 teachers to supervise 30 year 6 children. I know thst at the centre they are staying at there will be staff running the activities but the trip there and back involves a ferry journey that only 2 teachers will be supervising??

I feel quite cross that no announcement was made informing us of the last minute change and a little concerned at how 2 teachers can supervise 15 children each?

AIBU???

There are strict guidelines about numbers - I think it is 1-15max for that age-group. So they are within safetly guidelines, if a bit close!

It's allowed, although I wouldn't personally want to do it! Would you rather they cancelled the trip?

www.atl.org.uk/health-and-safety/off-site-trips/supervision-trips.asp

Not ideal but most classes are thirty kids so 15 should be a breeze really .

The coach driver would be able to be counted, and 1 to 15 is fine for a bus journey, the staff at the centre will presumably run the activities there, the teachers are usually there to make sure they get from a to b at the right time.

I wouldn't want them to cancel the trip, but I do think they should have made an announcement to the parents and not left it to individuals to tell each other. If they had of sent an email 3 days ago, which is when they found out, the may have been the possibility that a parent could have gone. The thing I am really c

What area are you in ? My dd went on a trip this morning too and I am worried now !

...Concerned about (not sure what happened there!!) is that they have a ferry to catch there and home that takes 1 hour. Just worried how 30 ten year olds will be supervised by 2 teachers!!

Suffolk!!

Plus it's the first time many children have been away from home for 5 days!!

I've organised and accompanied many Year 6 classes on their annual pgl holidays. We usually only take two members of staff because the staff at the activity centre count as part of the adult:child ratio ifyswim? They are usually split into smaller groups for activities.

would you rather they cancel the trip? IMO that would be better than risking the children's safety. I think 2 adults and 30 children is cutting it very fine. It would have been more sensible to have someone who could stand in (parent or teacher) too late for this year but worth suggesting for future years. If there are adequate staff once they get there then someone to travel with them may have been enough.

Honestly? I don't think you should worry. I'm taking 26 kids to an activity centre in a couple of weeks with one other teacher, and I know from experience it will be fine. The staff at these place are so experienced and organised, the teacher often ends up standing there a bit redundant!
They really will be fine.

Sorry! I should have read more thoroughly! We have a 1:10 ratio that we always abide by - even on journeys. The coach driver counts too. Perhaps someone from the activity centre met them? Or the head or deputy is accompanying them?

The head waved them of, and when I queried it with them she said that 2 were sufficient so no suggestion of other staff or people meeting the coach en route. It's a 5 hour coach journey there so the staff will be exhausted!!

School journey is always exhausting for the staff, but IME, very enjoyable

I understand your concern about the ferry OP but the staff will probably make them stick to their rules.

I think it's the fact that the head didnt think that it was necessary to tell the parents that there was a change of plan and that 2 rather than 3 adults were going.

I think it was quite arrogant and unthoughtful to not share that with the parents. It's quite a milestone letting your child go away to an island 5 hours away and not be allowed any contact!

Why can't you have faith that the school knows what its doing? The HT will have checked the legalities of cover before allowing the trip to go ahead.
Sorry, but I'm afraid I think you're being a bit precious.

When I was at school the year 6 residential was only ever 2 teachers going-and that was before class sizes were introduced and there were 45 in my dsis form. .

Well, I've been organising the money for our school residential. ATM we're sending 24 children and 6 adults and currently in discussion as to whether the school can afford to pay for another one. Granted there are 2 121 TAs for SEN children in there and the reason they're thinking about another is that there are a couple of very difficult characters (children) going, but 2 adults for 30 children doesn't sound like a lot to me. The children will be absolutely fine, it's the staff I feel for!

I don't think the head was being arrogant though. if you didn't want the trip cancelled, what difference would it have made to tell you?

DeWe there were 45 in my Y6 too. But we didnt go on any residentials

I agree with clam. Speaking as a parent and not a teacher, I would trust my DD's school on this. The teachers/HT will have checked the legalities and ensured these were met and then, presumably, also decided if they themselves were comfortable with the ratio. As far as I can see, there is nothing in it for the teachers to stretch this, they are doing this to provide enrichment activities for our children. So they, just as much a us as parents, need to feel comfortable that the ratios are legal and manageable.

I think its rather arogant that you feel you should have been told this. It makes it sounds as if you wanted the Head to check it was ok with you. It isnt up to you, it isnt actually anything to do with you. The teachers have a legal, proffesional and moral duty to keep the children safe, completely aside from the fact that most teachers have genuine affection for the children they teach.

You have given your permission and paid - no further discussion needed.

Faith

Yes, faith. Because if you don't trust them to take appropriate care of your child, what on earth were you doing allowing him to go on the trip in the first place?

Sorry, but the safety of my child isn't about faith, and actually faith/trust is actually about people being honest with each other. I am sure that my child will be fine, but I was disappointed that an adult made a decision to not give all the parents, not just myself, the full information before we "trusted" them with our children for a week.

As I said, it's a long journey for both teachers and children, with only 2 adults to cope with excited/upset kids whom many haven't been away without their parents before.

I am hugely appreciative of the effort and time that the teachers have given, and the cost for each parents was quite large. I want to make sure my child enjoys themself and doesn't feel worried or upset.

Surely changing the goal posts on such a significant trip should be relevant to be mentioned to parents?!

And... I think I have "trusted" the school...if I didn't, he wouldn't be 5 hours away with no contact for 5 days!!!