School trip

[KamiKaur]

Advice please. School are having a residential trip and there are not enough places for all kids-first come basis which means 4 children will be excluded from the trip. I think it's really unfair as raises issues of inclusion for all children and the impact it will have on a child then can't then go as a result of this. Does anyone know if this is even legal?

Does every child actually want to go? It seems very odd that the school would book a residential trip which has almost-but-not-quite enough spaces for everyone unless past experience suggests that there will be a few children choosing not to go?

There were 80 places for DD's year 6 residential in a year group of 123. Only 77 children chose to go, so lack of spaces simply wasn't an issue.

Sounds very unfair but worth checking if this is because of their previous experience of drop out / non-sign up rates. My sons school is a one form entry and at least that number each year seem not to go.

I think in previous years some kids have left in year 5 so maybe the demand hasn't always been there but all kids apart from 2 are wanting to go this time-which means 4 kids are on a waiting list hoping that someone might drop out!

That seems so wrong. I can understand if it was limited to about 50% but not to miss out 4 children.

Only 4 children will be left out? That seems a very odd choice. I'm sure they could have found somewhere that would accommodate all the kids.

4's an odd number, I expect it's because there's a hard limit of 90 or whatever. In secondary it's normal for there to be vastly fewer spaces than children, so I think it's unlikely there is legislation about it.

Thinking back to my children's residentials in primary, there was always a handful of children who did not attend, for all sorts of reasons. Realistically, it's unlikely in a big group that every single non-PP family can afford it, every child is ready to be away from their parents, no one has any weddings/holidays/dance shows/important football tournaments AND there's no one whose parents won't let them go for religious/cultural reasons. I would bet good money that the 4 will be found from people who don't sign up anyway, or are ill on the day, and this will be a non-problem. I bet school also know that more than 4 decline, or don't attend, every year.

However if they literally exclude just 1 to 4 children who did sign up, that is awful.

Hopefully there will be at least 4 who can’t/won’t go, that’s my experience of every residential both my dc have ever been on
If not they shouldn’t go, it’s totally unfair

Apologies OP I obviously missed your later post. Is it a small year group?