Year 2 parents: would you give your consent?

[cloudyweewee]

I teach Y2 in a suburb of Birmingham and have been asked to take the class to a daytime concert in the centre of Birmingham. I assumed we would be going by coach, but we are in fact going to be travelling by bus and then will have a 15 minute walk from the bus stop to the venue. Then obviously we will have the return journey later in the afternoon. Several parents have not given their permission as they are worried about their children using public transport when there will only be 4 adults (me, TA and 2 others) supervising them.What are your views as parents? I can't say I'm entirely happy about it either!

It's the ratio rather than the journey that would bother me. Is the no way you can get more parent helpers?

Will the bus take 30 people?
Is the service frequent enough to be able to split up?

I think I'd sign the slip, but would have big reservations. No way of getting an extra couple of TAs? 1:5 sounds much more realistic, especially if the 2 other adults are parents less used to wrangling 7 students!

Btw we live in London and the children travel as a whole class on public transport right from reception. It's a very normal thing in London to see a whole class on a bus/tube.

I would. I don't really understand the extreme caution that a lot of parents proceed with where fairly simply things are concerned.

How many children? If 30, it seems too few adults, if 24 I'd be happy enough to sign yes.

I've been on the bus when a school group got on, I'd guess Y4. It all went fine, though it was lucky the bus want too full before that. I'd suggest for Y2 a slightly higher number of adults would be useful, if only for the bus trip and back.

I'd have reservations as a parent.

Might it be possible to get some extra helpers in the form of parents - shouldn't need a DBS if they meet you at the school door, ride the bus, then do the same on the way back.

I wouldn't let my child go. The ratio seems too low. Do you have a policy on ratios at your school?

Going by bus is fine. A common occurrence in London.

Our sons in yr 2 and they do something like this teice a year in year two. Once to the local museum then to a massive pkayground after sats.

They get the bus to the museum (60 kids) them walk the rest of the way.

The park is 1.7 miles away and they walk it, alot of it is a roadside walk.

Both trips went fine. Minimum staff for museum, some parents for park

My kids use public transport all the time for their journeys (tube, bus, walk).
But 4 adults to 30 kids? Not a chance would I give consent.

Meaning, my kids’ school/teachers use public transport for their journeys/school trips.

I’d say it’s the ratio of adults to children that’s giving your parents major pause.

Ours did this sort of distance from reception in central London using the tube but they also asked for about 4 parents volunteers each time? (For a class of 30). They all wore fluorescents and I was never worried. Given the parents withholding consent maybe you could mention that other schools ask for parent volunteers? We were given say 3 specific children to look after

Year 3+ at my school go on public transport into Manchester all the time. That ratio sounds ok to me but I’m not sure if it’s different for year 2?

To be honest I didn’t think school had to get consent for trips anymore. I think legally they’re allowed to take the children. That’s how it seems to work at my school anyway.

4 adults?!
No way.
I'd ask to see the risk assessment

When I was at school, school trips were class teacher, head teacher and what we'd now call a TA. My class only had 30 in, but dsis' class had up to 45 with some children who had quite severe behavioural problems. Never had any problems even when going by public transport.

However in the 6th form we went on a trip some distance away by coach and managed to leave two boys behind.

So no, it wouldn't worry me.

Really agent?
We have consent for every trip.
OP depends on how many in your class. 24 or less would be ok but more is being a bit risky. Could you ask a Governor or two if they could go? Grandparents?
Flag it back up to the HT and see what they say perhaps you will get another TA. We always have coaches but do walk to the city and go to the library, museum, castle etc. Year 5 sometimes just Teacher and myself but Year 2 I think they take about 5 adults.

Yes how many in the class the child to parent ratio seems to low for a class of 30 in that situation where as a parent I would want 1 adult to 4 children not 1 to 7

Fattymcfaterson.

OP is the teacher she will have written the risk assessment!

I've gone as a parent helper on a trip that was a coach to the train station then a train and a 5minute walk to the Museum. There were approx 60 children and around 9 or 10 helpers. I had a group of 6 children.
You need more staff or a couple of parent helpers.
The most scary part of the trip for me was getting the kids on and off the train and making sure we had them all, all before the train left.

Can't a group of 7-8, 7/8 year olds behave with one adult?

I've been on loads of school trips. That seems like a standard ratio for that age.

I'd sign the slip

The Head will not allow parent helpers on trips. The journey there shouldn't be too bad as we get on at the terminus but it's the return journey that worries me as I worry we won't all fit on one bus and no way are the kids going upstairs!

Year 2 is 6-7 not 7-8 and I don't think I'd give my permission really. It doesn't seem an important enough trip for the risk.

It's not the children's behaviour that worries me, but the behaviour of the people on the bus!!

Why won’t the head allow it I thought it was standard with parent helpers

No the parents are not being unreasonable if it’s about parent ratiod

The recommendation is 1 to 6 do you have that