Educational Visits: is this trip important or not?
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Re: Educational Visits: is this trip important or not?
At BGS they went to Stratford Upon Avon for the day for GCSE geography (tourism apparently). For A level there is an eyewateringly expensive trip to Iceland (not in the least bit compulsory) & one to Liverpool which I think most go on. (River Chess is year 7 I think! Windsor year 9).
scary mum
Re: Educational Visits: is this trip important or not?
It would be wonderful if DS's school did that too - very cheap and cheerfulscary mum wrote:At BGS they went to Stratford Upon Avon for the day for GCSE geography (tourism apparently).
JD
Re: Educational Visits: is this trip important or not?
I think it is bang out of order to use an expensive trip like this to collect data for the fieldwork element of the course. DS1 did his at Malham Cove on a day trip which meant a very long day but it was very cheap. I think you should contact the school with the aim of 'clarifying' the matter, and use that opportunity to get very cross if it is indeed the data collection.
As for trips to Iceland, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring countries on the planet, please be aware that schools charge a lot of money for these and they are in no way essential or even particularly useful for A level Geography students. They may be nice, and fun, and all that, but please be aware that they are 'jollies' and little more. I have recounted on this forum more than once our experience of English school parties when we were in Iceland, including the shivering teenagers in designer hoodies, whom I reminded, as they stood huddled round their 'phones checking their Facebook pages near one extraordinary natural site, how much their parents must have paid to send them there and how maybe they should have a little look at what they had come to see! (Much to the embarrassment of my own children, tee hee
).
As for trips to Iceland, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring countries on the planet, please be aware that schools charge a lot of money for these and they are in no way essential or even particularly useful for A level Geography students. They may be nice, and fun, and all that, but please be aware that they are 'jollies' and little more. I have recounted on this forum more than once our experience of English school parties when we were in Iceland, including the shivering teenagers in designer hoodies, whom I reminded, as they stood huddled round their 'phones checking their Facebook pages near one extraordinary natural site, how much their parents must have paid to send them there and how maybe they should have a little look at what they had come to see! (Much to the embarrassment of my own children, tee hee
).Re: Educational Visits: is this trip important or not?
Drummer I'd be tempted to accost the school about this one. My son's GCSE data-gathering trip was, like others', wading in a local river somewhere. I think we possibly paid for transport and that's it.
At my son's school they run the Iceland trip before geography GCSE, presumably to encourage Geog uptake. We did let my son go on this trip and he really really enjoyed it, learning a lot about plates, geysers, fault lines etc, and having fun with his friends in a strange landscape. He still talks about it three years later. He did mention another school that they kept bumping into whose pupils were indeed doing what Amber describes. Luckily his group were not like that. The main thing is, this was an optional activity. We decided to fork out for it. You should not have to fork out extra for part of the geography syllabus.
At my son's school they run the Iceland trip before geography GCSE, presumably to encourage Geog uptake. We did let my son go on this trip and he really really enjoyed it, learning a lot about plates, geysers, fault lines etc, and having fun with his friends in a strange landscape. He still talks about it three years later. He did mention another school that they kept bumping into whose pupils were indeed doing what Amber describes. Luckily his group were not like that. The main thing is, this was an optional activity. We decided to fork out for it. You should not have to fork out extra for part of the geography syllabus.
Re: Educational Visits: is this trip important or not?
How on earth can they justify this expense? It's totally unnecessary for GCSE and they must be paying for external staff surely.
I'd kick up an almighty stink!
I'd kick up an almighty stink!
Re: Educational Visits: is this trip important or not?
I would ask the school what the alternative is if dc's don't attend. My DS's Geog trip was a trip to Westfield shopping centre where they seemed to spend all their time taking pictures of footballers. Cost nil, but he got an A.
Re: Educational Visits: is this trip important or not?
We've had several invites from DS' state secondary about Geography and Language trips to Europe.
We didn't consider them because
a) they're open to all children up to GCSE ( not just DS' class)
b) they cost a lot of money ( 3 times what the primary school charged us for a similar trip.)
c) They haven't mentioned that they're compulsory.
d) A non refundable deposit is required, which will be forfeited if the child's behaviour at school isn't exemplary.
Really wish they'd had an residential trip for each class like the Archer Academy did at the beginning of Year 7. IMO A great way for children to get to know each other better.
We didn't consider them because
a) they're open to all children up to GCSE ( not just DS' class)
b) they cost a lot of money ( 3 times what the primary school charged us for a similar trip.)
c) They haven't mentioned that they're compulsory.
d) A non refundable deposit is required, which will be forfeited if the child's behaviour at school isn't exemplary.
Really wish they'd had an residential trip for each class like the Archer Academy did at the beginning of Year 7. IMO A great way for children to get to know each other better.
Re: Educational Visits: is this trip important or not?
Elibet - they are different to this. Coursework is part of the Geography GCSE course so some data collection is needed; what is at question is whether parents should have to pay.
Re: Educational Visits: is this trip important or not?
Thanks Guest55. From your posts I guess you are a teacher, so you will know the answer. Are the GCSE trips compulsory? Am very interested to know, since my OH and I have been asking ourselves "when will these trips (Iceland, Sicily, etc) we're being told of become a necessary part of the coursework, and therefore unavoidable?"Guest55 wrote:Elibet - they are different to this. Coursework is part of the Geography GCSE course so some data collection is needed; what is at question is whether parents should have to pay.
This is something that will obviously affect us in future years, so I am interested in your reply.
I can't see why the compulsory trips can't take place in the UK, since we have a wide range of material right here. No volcanoes though, but do they really have to go to one to write about it at GCSE?
Re: Educational Visits: is this trip important or not?
I don't teach Geography but I do know that primary (ie doing it yourself) data collection is a necessary part of Geography GCSE.
Personally I think a local visit should be enough as the cost should not be charged to parents. Any 'costs' like this should be clearly explained to parents at Options time and a non-residential option offered. From a geographers point of view, I'm sure it is more interesting to go to Wales or even abroad; but is it really essential?
Personally I think a local visit should be enough as the cost should not be charged to parents. Any 'costs' like this should be clearly explained to parents at Options time and a non-residential option offered. From a geographers point of view, I'm sure it is more interesting to go to Wales or even abroad; but is it really essential?
