Another quick poll: should a primary school allow children to take handheld games consoles on a week-long school trip?

[Anna8888]

Yes or no.

No
I came across a post on another forum, where a parent was saying it was all the schools fault for her child losing a gameboy. Neither my DCs were allowed to take them and they didn't miss having them

No. Far too much hassle when they get lost or broken. It is all very well for the school to say "tough titty", but it's still hard on the teacher who has to console a hysterical child or have a hunt for the thief of an expensive item; it takes time from everyone. On all our school trips, the schools have specified that you must bring no expensive toys and no more than a certain amount of money.

All right, they may not get stolen or broken or lost on anyone particular trip, but sooner or later they will and it is impossible to know beforehand which trip it will be.

Personally, I think it's a bit pathetic if you can't live without your electronic toys for a week.

No, but may feel differently to Year 6.

DS2 wasn't allowed to take his away.

The reason is that the center they stayed in was not allowed to have electrical equipment that wasn't PAT/safety tested.

They weren't allowed to take anything electrical - not just electronic games.

DS2 (who is normally joined at the hip to his PSP) had a fab time building dens and feeding pigs and didn't miss his PSP (or me ) at all!!!!

I think up to the teachers but would prefer it if teachers said no.

Its not fair on the kids who can't afford/don't have consoles.

I doesn't promote friendship building which I'd have thought is a large part of a school trip.

Don't think its fair to expect teachers to have to sort out arguments over whose is whose, etc.

No definately no.

yes - ours do for the journey then they are all collected in while staying there. Coem to think of it I suspect that our french kids weren't allowed them, brought mp3's though.

No, definitely no.

No
Someone's is bound to get lost/broken
Someone will try to lift one
Someone will get jealous of someone
Someone will boast incessantly

They will all sit there like little zombies getting RSI in their thumbs while the teachers will feel like they are talking to brick walls.

They might as well all have stayed home.

Message withdrawn

Absolutely NO.

no

Mine take theirs absolutely everywhere, but even if their school allowed them on residential trips, I'd make them leave them at home. Wouldn't want the teachers to have to be responsible for them, wouldn't be able to replace them if something happened. I wouldn't send them with anything that expensive tbh - send them with a cheapy camera too. So with all that in mind, it would make my life easier if they just said No.

brainfreeze Teachers are not paid to be responsible children for 24 hours a day so are giving up a considerable amount of their own time to take pupils away on such trips. When we go away on school journeys (year 6)we only get our usual pay and contracted hours are around 8-5 but are responsible for the children for the whole time (including overnight.)

In fact I work part time and when I go away I only get paid supply rates from 9-3.30 on my usual days off and have to go to considerable lengths to reaarange my usual week in order to go.

Our kids are allowed to bring them but only ever get time to use them on the coach on the way there and back (3 hour coach journey) and are told that we take no responsibility for their safe keeping what so ever.

Exactly what smartie jake says re teachers' hours.

Re handhelds: NO. There is more to life than being a thumb bandit.

No, send them with a pack of cards, you'll be amazed how much they enjoy it AND it improves their maths!

I agree with lil.
I take yr7s to Germany each year, and we do allow hand-helds. (It's a 19 hr journey, you need something to keep you sane! I take mine.)

Anyway last year one girl didn't bring a hand-held, but did bring a couple of packs of cards and some pieces of rope. All week she always had a group of students playing a card game with her, or learning to tie a new knot!

NO

Too much responsibility to have an expensive games console. If it goes missing it would be so much hassle for everyone involved.

besides does them good to just get on and play with each other.

OH and I say no as an ex teacher who has done residentials, albeit with secondary school age. Even then we said no to consoles.

I also say no as a mum to a child who has a DS. I myself have a DS too. School trip not the place IMO.

Yes, on some trips they may not go missing or get damaged but on many occasions they do.

This is not a holiday it is a school education trip.

Even if it were a school holiday trip I'd still say no because of the loss/damage potential.

Oh, and teachers don't need to be engaging children all day and evening on school trips. parents don't need to engage childre 24/7. Children should be able to engage themselves and play with one another, without the use of a games console. If they want time out - read a book or magazine, play a card came, etc.

No

no

No

My dd (year 4) went away with school for a 2 night residential and they were not allowed to take electronic toys, phones, cameras etc. They were allowed to take disposable cameras though. We had a large kit list of do's and don'ts. A school trip is not the same as a family holiday. Plus the children have all their friends around them, so why on earth should they want electronic games. Electronic games have a place, and it is not at school residentials (or cubs, brownies, beavers etc).

My dd came back from her trip caked in mud, tired but exhilerated. They did pond dipping, assault courses and lots of outside activities that children at an inner London primary school rarely get to do. Screen time is one thing that city children do get plenty of, so it was lovely that they got to do different things with the school.

No.

no