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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

School trips

12 replies

Spookedparent · 17/10/2006 13:44

My DS is desperate to go on his school trip, which he says ALL the yr5/6 are going on. I don't want him to go. He's not a fab swimmer and the activies are canoeing, gorge walking, caving, rafting etc etc.. Am I the big wuss he says I am? I just think he's too young and its unnecessary, have offered to take him off somewhere else so he doesn't feel left behind. I know how much I wanted to go on schoo ltrips and I also remember what we got up too!

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Milliways · 17/10/2006 13:47

Let him go (if you can afford it). They are SO safety aware these days & will have to wear life jackets on the water. It's character building.

My DS hates heights but still managed to leap from the top of a telegraph pole to catch a trapeeze (on a rope I must add )

nellie245 · 17/10/2006 13:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Posey · 17/10/2006 14:07

Let him go. Dd's school go in y4, then again in y6. I know a lot of parents were concerned, particularly y4, but they had a brilliant time and it was the talk of the class for weeks.
It is character building. Some of the things he may achieve will be a huge ego/confidence boost.
I'm sure there will also be ample opportunity to meet with teachers pre-trip, and if not, make an appointment to discuss it further. Find out exactly how much they're supervised, tell them he's not a great swimmer... Speak to parents whose children hav been before.
Then make a decision.
Bloomin' hard though isn't it?

HuwEdwards · 17/10/2006 14:13

agree with the others, if he wants to, and you can afford it, let him go.

cece · 17/10/2006 14:17

I completely understand why you wouldn't want him to go. I know one of the children that was drowned on a school trip in the fairly recent past. I would feel the same as you.

emmatom · 17/10/2006 14:27

So understand your fear Spooked parent.

My kids teachers now almost expect to see me whenever a school trip is looming!

For my own sanity I (privately, without the kids knowing, to save their embarrasment)go to have a word with the teacher and get them to explain to me any of the bits I'm worried about.

DS started to have swimming every week at school this term and before it started I would imagine how he would run and fall, knock himself unconcious, fall in unnoticed and.........

Crazy, but some of us are born worriers. I do consciously make sure I don't spread my fear onto my kids and do all the background work without them knowing, so that they don't carry any of the worries.

Anyway, re the swimming, the teacher told me how regimented it is, how it has to be, so precisely that sort of thing doesn't happen, and I felt fine about it all them.

Please go and speak with the teachers and get them to go over any aspect you're not happy with.

Its your son and it's only right you want to ensure he is safe so don't worry about asking, and then, hopefully, you can wave him off with a smile on your face.

Original poster

Spookedparent · 17/10/2006 18:56

Thanks, I guess my common sense agrees with the general consensus but then I think about all that could go wrong and start wussing again. It's soooo hard when its your own child and you want to say yes to them but you want to protect them from any real or imagined dangers.
Will go to the meeting and see, but wish they were doing less adventurous activities - what's wrong with a bit of brass rubbing?!

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mamamaaargh · 17/10/2006 19:19

I totally understand you fears. As a teacher, I led kids on a residential trip like the one your ds wants to go on. I was terrified of there being an accident and constantly counted the poor kids, watched them like a hawk & was generally very anxious all week! Of course, nothing happened - all the kids were fine. They had a fantastic time and were well supervised at all times by a teacher who knew them and by an instructor, qualified to lead the activities. They were put in small groups so it was easy to make sure they were all ok. Of course, accidents can happen anywhere but the benefits of these trips far outweighs the slight chance of something going wrong. If he doesn't go, he will be so left out. I don't know about this trip, but ours was used as part of a geopgraphy topic and it was really hard for the kids who were left behind to feel involved. Even years afterwards, the kids would say 'DO you remember when X did this when we went to X?' & laugh about it.

busybusymum · 23/10/2006 11:15

my DD went on a school holiday in July and she isnt a strong swimmer (canoeing, swimming) and is terrified of the dark(pot holing/caving) and hates heights(climbing /abseiling) but she had a great time (even though she got stuck half way up a climbing wall and was too scared to come down or go up.)

I was dreading them going and did think seriously about not sending her but I'm glad she went now, she had a great time.

They are so much more safety aware these days and have a higher adult to child ratio that we used to on school trips. I remember my history teacher taking us away from the main group and off to another museum, just him and 20 children, crossing roads too!! it would never happen these days!

daisy1999 · 23/10/2006 11:36

god I hate school trips I would be happy to see them discontinued altogether.

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Spookedparent · 29/10/2006 20:37

I so agree Daisy1999. Its not a good position to be put in. Why children need to go on them at 10 is beyond me. However I am, after much persuasion, thawing slightly, plus its a great bribe/threat to have at the ready! Ha!

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7up · 29/10/2006 20:41

hi, can see why youre worried with all the water activities going on but if you dont let him go he will be pretty upset and his mates will probably rib him about it.

enjoy the break!my ds went on an activity week with the school and he loved it and i enjoyed the break

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