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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 Isle of Wight 5 day trip year 4!

41 replies

Twistedpantsagain · 21/07/2017 21:28

My son of 8 is due to go on a 5 day Isle of Wight trip now he's entering year 4.
He is confident, has lots of friends and doing well at school but has no desire to go away from home for this length of time especially as it's overnight.
I'm dreading the meeting I'll have to have come September about it!

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Hulababy · 21/07/2017 21:48

Is it compulsory? I wouldn't have thought so. So if he doesn't want to go, just decline. It'll be fine and there may well be there not going.

Dd did residential from year 3 (3/4 nights) and went to France with school for a few days in year 5. She loved them BUT the key was that she actually wanted to go, hence she went. I was far more nervous than she was!

TeenAndTween · 21/07/2017 21:49

He doesn't have to go. Is there another residential in y6?

Is it early y4 or at the end? DD went on residential mid y5 (probably to same place as your DS is due to go to), we were very nervous about it as she hadn't done sleeping away from us, but she had a great time.

Original poster

Twistedpantsagain · 21/07/2017 21:55

It's not compulsory but very unusual not to go.
I've only ever heard of one child not going in the 4 years my son has been at the school.
It's in April so he would be just 9 but the payment has to be made by October so not much time for him to change minds and at £300 not a sum I would pay just in case he changes his mind as I really don't think he will!
He is outgoing and sociable but has never stayed away from home overnight as he's never wanted to!

OP posts:

Hulababy · 21/07/2017 21:57

He doesn't want to go so just say no. Doesn't matter how many have said I before. It's not compulsory.

I'm not sure what else you want people to say. Surely it simply say yes or no.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 21/07/2017 22:02

Why do you have two threads on this?

Original poster

Twistedpantsagain · 21/07/2017 22:04

I was just seeing if anyone has been in a similar position that's all!

OP posts:

deplorabelle · 22/07/2017 08:27

My DS has just left primary school. He has a yearbook of memories his class have compiled and so so many of them are of the two residentials they did in year 3 and year 6. I think he will seriously regret it if he doesn't go and you should start adopting the position that he's attending and it's non negotiable

Original poster

Twistedpantsagain · 22/07/2017 09:53

Non negotiable? That's just madness. He's 8 for crying out loud

OP posts:

TeenAndTween · 22/07/2017 11:27

What you could do, is try to arrange a sleepover somewhere before the decision date. So you can go to friends, stay for a bit, you go home, they have tea, fun and bed, you pick up at 10am.
And see how that goes?

If there is a y6 residential it would be good to go on that (to build confidence before secondary, get ready for secondary trips abroad etc), but at y4 I'd let him choose whilst explaining that when the time comes he may feel left out, and may spend the week in y3 if he chooses not to go.

Original poster

Twistedpantsagain · 22/07/2017 12:53

The year 6 trip is about a 2 hour drive.
He will have just turned 11 by this point and I will be very encouraging of that one as for us it's an appropriate age and destination!

OP posts:

Pud2 · 22/07/2017 13:40

It's worth bearing in mind though that if he doesn't go on the trip, he will still have to go to school. He can't just have the week off!

user789653241 · 22/07/2017 15:52

He may change his mind. Mine did. Before starting yr4, he was adamant he won't go to yr4 5 days residential. By the time the meeting was held at school, all the children were talking about it and excited about it. My ds couldn't even remember saying he didn't want to go few months before. When I asked him if he wanted to go or not, his answer was, "of course I am going!"

Original poster

Twistedpantsagain · 22/07/2017 15:58

He wouldn't have to go to school if home educated for a week

OP posts:

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 22/07/2017 16:01

I think the school would probably have something to say about that. You can't just take him out for the week!

ProjectGetThroughTheDay · 22/07/2017 16:12

My son did a week long residential in YR4, I was worried- he had a fantastic time

Pud2 · 22/07/2017 16:12

I'm afraid that's not the case OP. If he didn't come to school it would most likely be an unauthorised absence. Worth checking out.

Original poster

Twistedpantsagain · 22/07/2017 16:45

My friend did the same last year.
Dealt with via the council and local education welfare officer and they agreed she could home educate her for that week rather than her going into a class full of year 3 or 5 children. It may well have been unauthorised but no fine incurred as not more than 5 days, just 5.

OP posts:

habibihabibi · 22/07/2017 18:17

It's quite a long trip for children who, I assume , have never had a single night residential with the school .
My son started with an overnight camp with Beavers at six and at seven went on a two night camp and was absolutely beside himself with exhaustion and very emotional by the time he got home .
He loved the experience but I'm not sure he'd cope with 5 nights.
I also think teachers are slightly bonkers to take a group away for a week if the majority haven't had time away before . I chaperoned a secondary ski trip once and it was physically and emotionally draining for me !

mrz · 22/07/2017 18:24

I'm not sure why you're dreading the meeting, surely if he doesn't want to go you don't need to attend.
Your plan to keep him home for the week isn't home educating. To do that you would have to formally withdraw him from education and then reapply.

Original poster

Twistedpantsagain · 22/07/2017 19:00

Yes I think that too, had they did a night or two in year 2 and 3 this may have been a completely different story now!
Such a shame they didn't think about it.
I'm not planning to take him out for the week, I'm just guessing what she may suggest if all other classes are going and year 4 teachers gone on the trip too obviously!
I don't know how difficult it is to pop a kid in another class with different work for a week!

OP posts:

mrz · 22/07/2017 19:10

It's not at all difficult.

Original poster

Twistedpantsagain · 22/07/2017 19:26

I wonder why they made out it was so hard then!

OP posts:

habibihabibi · 22/07/2017 19:26

Perhaps there will be other parents whose children won't attend. At my last school over a quarter of 13year olds didn't do the week long residential and we actually ran a special programme for them. Most pupils who opted out did so because of culturalI sensitivities . I am all for education beyond the school walls but it doesn't mean every trip is for everybody.

underneaththeash · 22/07/2017 21:52

Both of mine went on a 4 day residential in year 4 and loved it, it was compulsory, but being a private school there wouldn't be a fine anyway for non-attendance. Both of mine got a huge amount out of it. DS2 has a mild auditory processing disorder and is very young for the year but still was very up for going. He'll be fine...If you're enthusiastic - he'll be more keen too.

Most of the year 4 children around us go away.

Pud2 · 23/07/2017 09:36

I wonder why they made out it was so hard then

So have you already discussed it with the school?

As MrZ said, it's not difficult to put them in another class. Their teacher would have to leave some work for them.

If you DS knows that this is the alternative, it may encourage him to go on the trip?

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