Thoughts re school trip - advice needed

dadofkent · Post by **dadofkent** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:13 pm

Its a group of mothers organising a day trip for their children. Whats the problem. Mothers are there to give permissions, no contact details are required, coach companies/venues have their own insurances. From some of the above comments, it would appear the Nanny state has won.

ratbag · Post by **ratbag** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:16 pm

dadofkent wrote:Its a group of mothers organising a day trip for their children. Whats the problem. Mothers are there to give permissions, no contact details are required, coach companies/venues have their own insurances. From some of the above comments, it would appear the Nanny state has won.

IT IS A SCHOOL DAY!!

Guest55 · Post by **Guest55** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:28 pm

Some if the following may be interesting:

http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschoo ... ty/visits/

http://publications.teachernet.gov.uk/d ... ctId=HSPV2&

zorro · Post by **zorro** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:40 pm

I agree with Guest55( for the first time ever!)
If it wasn't on a school day it would be different but I can't imagine my DS's school sanctioning such a visit. Private school or not , they are still responsible for the children during school hours. You know when they go on a trip you have to sign consent forms - same thing should apply .If I wasn't able to come along I wouldn't allow my child to go.

Sam's Mum · Post by **Sam's Mum** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:56 pm

If there was another mother going that I knew well and trusted, I would just ask her to look after my daughter and let her go!

I agree that it's rather strange and can't really understand why the school are allowing this to be organised in school time - but I can't imagine that that would make it any less safe than doing it at the weekend or in the holidays. Would you let her go if it was at the weekend?

KES Parent · Post by **KES Parent** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:58 pm

dadofkent wrote:Its a group of mothers organising a day trip for their children. Whats the problem. Mothers are there to give permissions, no contact details are required, coach companies/venues have their own insurances. From some of the above comments, it would appear the Nanny state has won.

No-one is more averse to the nanny state than I am. And if it was just a group of mums organising an outing for their own children that would be an entirely different matter. But this appears to be a class outing on a school day, the only difference being that the school has opted out of any responsibilty for organising or supervising it. However, if there was any kind of incident the senior management of the school would find their collars being well and truly felt by the GTC and probably by the police. If Ratbag does get pressurised into letting her daughter go unaccompanied, how can she be confident that the other mums (who aren't necessarily used to organising large scale trips) will carry out even such basic things as regular head counts.

zorro · Post by **zorro** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 11:00 pm

yes, if I was going or one of my child's friend's mums who I knew well was going.

Bexley Mum 2 · Post by **Bexley Mum 2** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 11:02 pm

This is very very different to letting your daughter go out for a day trip with a friend and her parents in the car. Managing large groups of excited children is a minefield and definitely best left to the professionals. I'd be very reluctant to let a child of mine go unless I could go with them.

But that aside, what on earth is the school thinking of allowing this on a school day? If I was the Head I'd be concerned about any comeback - has he/she issued any sort of disclaimer renouncing responsibility for the children concerned on that day? If not, surely there's the risk of a parent saying they hadn't realised it wasn't a joint parent/school activity - and holding the school responsible should anything go wrong.

zorro · Post by **zorro** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 11:06 pm

I think this is a definite no-no.If you have any doubts, don't send her because if anything happened you would regret it for ever. The school should organise it and be fully responsible.

ratbag · Post by **ratbag** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 8:39 am

Thanks for all your replies, I would feel different at a weekend - mainly because I could go and then be sure of DD being looked after properly.

There has been nothing from the school at all about this - the letter was from one of the parents - apparently the school have "given" them the date as being the most suitable one at the end of term...

DD won't be going - fortunately child care isn't an issue.