Do you think this school policy re parent helpers is reasonable?

[cupcakes]

A couple of teachers have been doing this for years but now it has become school policy.

Parent helpers have to go in a different group to their child on school trips. And (or so I have heard) they will not be able to help in the classroom of their child (reading etc) from Sept. But they are still wanted to help in other classes.

Does this seem reasonable to you? When ds was in reception I went on a trip where I had to help another group. He spent the whole time looking over at me and crying. He was only just 5 and didn't understand why I was helping other children and not him.

tbh, I don't think I will offer to help when dd1 starts reception as it made the trips really horrible for ds.

Surely the school are going to find it very hard to get parent helpers?

Our school positively welcomes parent volunteers and it is assumed you want to help in your own child's class. There probably is some uneven help around the school as this reflects the fact that some year groups seem to have a higher percentage of parents prepared to help. This is reflected by the help at fundraising events too (ie it is basically the same parents who help in school and help at events). If our school were to insist on parents helping other classes , I don't think this would go down well at all because the parents would feel there was no quid pro quo with other year groups IYSWIM.