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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

Help me decide whether or not to send dd1 on school trip

43 replies

Beauregard · 14/06/2008 20:56

Thw whole school are going to the seaside for the day in a few weeks time.The school are generously funding half of it so the cost is not an issue.Because the whole school is going there will be no classes for those that dont go.The journey will take approx 2 hours each way traffic permitting(with toilet breaks)
The pupil to escort ratio is 1 to 5.
They will be going on a donkey,then along the seafront on a train and then have packed lunch and an icecream.They cannot take spending money.

The issues i have with her going are

1-The ratio of helpers to children concerns me

2-The distance(fear of coach crashing)

3-Seems a long way to go for not mmuch more than donkey ride.

4-And this is the main reason.We are off on holiday the next morning and will be getting up very very early to travel down there.
If the coach from school is late on its return then by the time dd1 has had her tea and bath etc then it will be late and as i said we are up early next morning.

I dont want to be a meany and if we werent off on hols the next day i wouldnt be as concerned.dd1 never admits she is tired and doesnt sleep in the day so she would be very grumpy the next day.

Help please

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EffiePerine · 14/06/2008 20:58

How old is she? I think she'd feel left out if she didn't go and all her friends did. Will she sleep in the car if she's v tired?

emkana · 14/06/2008 20:59

1 I've been a helper on school trips and I think the ratio is fine, perfectly possible to supervise them safely

2 unlikely

3 they will still love it though

4 all she has to do the next day really is sit in the car, so...

CONCLUSION: LET HER GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WillburyNibbleQC · 14/06/2008 21:00

Could you volunteer to be a parent helper?

LIZS · 14/06/2008 21:00

how old ? I'm sure she could cope without her bath should the coach be late back. Can she not sleep on the next day's journey if needs be ?

twentypence · 14/06/2008 21:01

How are you going on holiday? What will you do with her if she doesn't go?

Original poster

Beauregard · 14/06/2008 21:03

She is 6
We are travelling by car the next day
The school i am told have enough helpers and they said i wouldnt be able to supervise my own dc anyway.
If she didnt go i was planning on doing something nice with her,not sure what.

OP posts:

wannaBe · 14/06/2008 21:04

of course you have to let her go.

ratio of 1-5 is good especially as whole school is going so the older children don't need that much supervision compared to the younger ones, iyswim?

thought of coach crash is irational.

it's a long way but they're obviously going to love it, and it would be mean not to let her go.

and..

you are going on holiday the next day, so she will have plenty of time to get over the tiredness.

WillburyNibbleQC · 14/06/2008 21:04

I'd let her go.

branflake81 · 14/06/2008 21:04

send her. your concerns are unfounded.

ProfessorGrammaticus · 14/06/2008 21:13

let her go. is she your first?

lupy · 14/06/2008 21:16

seems a long trip 4 hrs travelling for a six year old. The actual day will be great but not pleasant sitting on a coach for 2 hours at a time. Mind you if she stays at home you will have to keep her occupied instead of finishing off that last minute packing.

NotABanana · 14/06/2008 21:19

My only real concern is 2 hours each way is a lot.

stuffitllama · 14/06/2008 21:22

let her go, the coach ride is part of the fun for them

wannaBe · 14/06/2008 21:26

they'll be fine. they can sing, play games (i spy etc) look out at all the things through the window, sleep etc.

Orinoco · 14/06/2008 21:28

Message withdrawn

Heated · 14/06/2008 21:31

The highlight of ds' nursery visit to the safari park was the coach journey .

They'd be back in good time and she's likely to be happily worn out & ready to sleep.

twentypence · 14/06/2008 21:35

She's going to spend the next day sat down in a car - so tiredness is not important.

She's going to spend the next day in a car - so your thoughts of a crash are an overreaction.

The school wouldn't be taking them in a coach for 4 hours unless they thought it was worth it.

You said it yourself they will be spending 4 hours on a coach and so a ratio of 1-5 will be fine.

Original poster

Beauregard · 14/06/2008 21:51

ProfessorGrammaticus-She is my oldest dd

So i should let her go then

Ok mumsnet has spoken
Thanks for the replies

OP posts:

maggiems · 14/06/2008 23:08

yes you should. Have you become so confident in your driving skills Mrs slowlearner that you dont trust anyone else to drive her about?

unfitmother · 14/06/2008 23:15

Send her!

edam · 14/06/2008 23:20

I really wouldn't worry about it being a long journey for a few hours at the seaside. Ds went on his very first school trip a few weeks ago and the coach was definitely the highlight from his POV! Every time we walk up to school, he points out exactly which coach it was (the same firm supplies one of the coaches for the high school next door).

MrsWeasley · 15/06/2008 10:05

I remember being torn by a similar issue. At my DC's school all year 2's go to legoland. This is a well known system and the children from reception all talk about in "year 2 we get to go to legoland". They love it.
When is was my DD's turn (2 years ago) it fell on what was predicted to be the hottest day and it was a scorcher.
The school tried to cancel but couldnt get a refund so each child came home with a letter saying the trip was going ahead but if you objected you could keep your child off that day.

A few friends weren't sending there DCs and they put me under a lot of pressure I had sleepless nights and was in tears.

I spoke to the teacher and she reassured me. They were well prepared. All the helpers had been before so were all familiar with the setting and the children So I let her go, with me being in tears most of the day.

DD had a great time, Didnt have any bad effects from the weather. Teachers reapplied suncream, they took extra water along and the PTA funded ice cream.
I am so glad I let her go.

savoycabbage · 15/06/2008 10:10

You should let her go. She will feel left out otherwise and it would be better, not worse if she was tired in the car the next day. She will go to sleep instead of pointing out sheep in fields when you are driving on the M1.

MrsWeasley · 15/06/2008 10:21

should mention that DD's class still talk about the trip now! 2 years later.

kittywise · 15/06/2008 10:23

I don't understand how you could even think that she should not go.

It's hardly big thing to worry about, let her go and go and worry about something else!!

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