Year 7 school trip

[XoXociao]

A long short but wondering if anyone has kids who have gone on a Year 7 school trip out of the UK. What are your experiences? Do you think it is worth it? I am worried sending my child off for a week

What exactly are your worries?

I think it’s great! My DS is off to Disneyland and Paris - one week of bonding with his new friends (new to the school, didn’t know anyone before) it’s a fun/easy holiday but a great starter, ‘going abroad without me’ trip. His school (state) do some incredible international trips and I feel very lucky he’ll have the opportunity to go outside of Europe, to places I probably couldn’t afford to take us as a whole family.

Leaving him to travel abroad for a week. Not sure how much they safe guard them. We are black immigrants just relocated to the uk less than 2yrs and they are going to France worried about him not really fitting in or being bullied (there as been some racist hint with some school mates not full blown)

Op, does your DC want to go? If so, I wouldn’t hesitate.

There is so much evidence that school residentials are beneficial to children and young people that the Scottish Government has recently passed legislation to make it a statutory right.

(however they don’t need to be international.)

my own kids loved school trips and also go on loads with scouts as well.

OP it’s fine to make a list of your questions about safeguarding and bullying etc and ask school for the answers.

I think it’s brilliant! DD went on an end of primary school ski trip to Italy in Y6 - had an absolutely fantastic time and grew massively in terms of independence/confidence. She was nervous to go but in the end she didn’t want to come home! The staff looked after the kids really well in terms of making sure everyone was happy & healthy, eating well, showering (😆) keeping rooms tidy etc. We got daily update emails & pictures too.

Mine went last year for the first time in y8. Very worried about him as in a room with no mates, but he had an absolute blast. Communicated with the lead teacher in advance as appreciate not everyone can room with their top picks but to be in a room with people he didn’t know was a bit nail biting for me. The teacher switched things round and he ended up in a room with people he knew and I knew the parents and they were nice kids so it worked out well. Supervision was great from what we were told as parents and they had it drummed into them they were never to be alone. Severe consequences for those that disobeyed that rule. The kids all had the school mobile number to check in on their “free” time and the teachers had discussed where they were allowed to go and where the staff base would be so that there was always a staff member to be found in one place and the others circulated round the area so kids could always find someone.

the only thing that was not great was the hotel food, raw chicken served! Just generally not fully cooked meat. I’d sent him with a ton of protein bars to snack on as he was worried about food and told him to eat what he wanted for lunch when out and not to worry about the cost just to text me and I’d keep his account topped up. He probably spent £50 on food over 3 days which I don’t think is bad given they were buying their own lunches anyway.

@XoXociao I used to run a school trip to France every year when I taught MFL in a school. It was the best thing tho as the organiser, very stressful and utterly exhausting. But my memories of the trips and what the YP did and got out of them are among my best from the school.

Yes we safeguarded the DC. I mean, we used to do a trip to a theme park and obvs they went around that on their own (had to be in groups of three+) but we were there if needed. Our students would get some freedom to explore but in a controlled way – and any issues were quickly dealt with. Actually there were never any major problems. It was always a great experience and for some, the first time they had been to another country. It really helped them see why I taught them French every week!

If he wants to go and you can afford it then I would encourage it.

Edited: I taught MFL not NFL! no football coach me :)

My kids loved their school trips and look forward to any school trip. I think it depends on the child and school. Have a talk with the school and your child. Plus there are things you can do to hopefully help them be comfortable while away - such as bring reading books or card games for free time, snacks etc.

It’s ok to have concerns and ask questions about safeguarding. No one watches or cares about your kids in the same way you do as a parent. Let’s be honest in many places the world is in a volatile state right now. I’d flat decline a trip to the US at the moment and would be researching the political/ civil situation in the country planned to assess how stable it is. It doesn’t mean I would say no but I would give it careful consideration and would want to be able to trust the adults/ teachers in charge.

I will tell you something that happened to my class on a Year 9 ski trip to Italy. The trip was amazing, so many fantastic experiences and memories. However our lives were casually put at risk by our ski instructor (no teachers were present during group ski lessons)

We were taken up a mountain and different routes down were available depending on level of experience, we were taken down what was billed as an intermediate route, but involved a long stretch of very (very) narrow mountain pass with a sheer drop off. Think downward slope path hugging the mountain with nothing to stop you going over the edge if you slipped. There was no barrier so if you fell that would be it. We were all novices and I could see the friends in front doing the same as me, hugging as tightly to the mountain side as possible and trying not to slip over. The (single, lone) instructor had gone off ahead so we really were on our own on that sheer drop pass. Seems a crazy choice for inexperienced skiers never mind a bunch of novice kids.

Still makes my palms a bit sweaty thinking about it to this day. I never told my mum as I knew it would have caused her so much stress about the danger were we put in. This is MN and I may well get blasted for this but I say again no one cares or looks after your children the same way you do as a parent. The instructor guy was young, I doubt he had kids.

Kindly, times have moved on and school trips are risk assessed within an inch of their life nowadays. There are a few select ski resorts that schools tend to use as they are known for their safety with beginner/intermediate level skiers and have instructors who are very well experienced with these sorts of groups. Going off piste for example would be an absolute no and any drops are fenced in. There is no chance of falling off the side of a mountain!

I would want to know what happens with the passports at passport control if he doesn’t have a British passport. When my dd was going to Belgium with the school her British passport had expired but she has duel nationality so she took the other one in to school to give to the teacher in charge of the trip and the teacher almost fainted. We do not live in a diverse area. The teacher was super concerned about what was going to happen but it was, of course, all fine when it actually came to it.

They risk assess and safeguard them to infinity and beyond.

However, the racism is an issue whether in school or away on a trip.

Does your Dc have a group of good friends that will go on the trip?

What form is the racism taking?

Re passports.. . Check the visa situation. My DDs friends only realised 3 weeks before they would need a visa for their European trip, it wasn't time for it to be sorted unfortunately.

Sounds great - my oldest did a 10-day trip in Y6 (DS missed it because of Covid) and it was a fantastic experience.

They will safeguard very hard, let's put it that way. It would be a shame for him to miss out because of parental worries.

What sort of trip is it? Ds went to a pgl in Normandy where they were supervised 24/7 at activities and a few excursions to a market or attraction where they were in small groups and allocated a teacher to touch base with. No issues. The year before he went on an exchange and stayed with a host family in pairs. Met up at host school each day and took trips out to a castle or theme park, again in small groups allocated to a teacher. So it sounds pretty normal to me.

Well that’s a relief to hear, it was odd and a bit of a shock tb honest. By the time we started the descent and rounded the corner to the pass there was no going back or chance to stop and say I don’t feel safe etc.
I couldn’t figure out why there was no barrier or anything as the path was so narrow.

For example if walking it off season (with no snow) you’d still be hugging close to the mountain side and keeping well away from the edge.

The young instructor bloke (Italian) did seem more concerned with looking cool, being a bit flirty with the girls (14 yr olds, so also weird) and making jokes then actually teaching us so hopefully this is also better managed nowadays too.

It is really subtle. Making fun of food, accent or culture but it is not really something my DS is faced about. Just his mom wondering if it is mere banter or deep rooted. I will find out if his group of friends are going also. That will be comforting. Thank you

Yes the school is in conversations with us whose DS will require visas

Thanks for your comment. Quite reassuring

My DD went to France for a week in Y7, bloody loved it. I felt sorry for the kids in her year whose parents wouldn’t let them go (some kids didn’t want to go but some parents wouldn’t let their kids go).

what I would say is don’t put your child off going because you find it difficult. If they don’t want to go that’s different but don’t hold them back from the opportunity simply to soothe your own worries.

What a concerning experience. Thank you for sharing. Situations like this is what to has heen giving me a pause.

My son went on a pgl trip in year 7 and loved it. It was great for confidence and making new friends. Personally I wish they would do one every year. Luckily, next year he will be going to Rome. I would recommend letting them go if you can. The staff take great care of them and they have a ball.

Yes. Brilliant. He absolutely loved it and they all had a smashing time!