History Residential Trip

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BucksBornNBred
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Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2015 4:01 pm

Re: History Residential Trip

Post by BucksBornNBred »

Guest55 wrote:I'd make contact with the school asap and then you will know.
But can they stop you choosing a subject just because you can't/won't go on a residential? He is desperate to do History. I really just want to know if there is some way to supplement what he might miss. I understand looking at the graves is a visual thing but we have visual things here. Can he get 100% in an exam without attending? I can't find the answer online.
Guest55
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Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: History Residential Trip

Post by Guest55 »

Even Geography has to have a back up if you can't go away for the fieldwork.

Please, just ask, only the school knows how they teach it and why there is a residential.
Amber
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Re: History Residential Trip

Post by Amber »

Guest55 wrote:Even Geography has to have a back up if you can't go away for the fieldwork.

Please, just ask, only the school knows how they teach it and why there is a residential.
+1
You seem to be getting really anxious about this :( ; I am sure the school will allay your fears with one simple question.

I have never ever heard of any kind of compulsory fieldwork for History. Two of my three did GCSE History and never went anywhere. I doubt they got 100% but they did both get A*. One went on to do A level, never left the school on account of that either and also got A*.
mad?
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Location: london

Re: History Residential Trip

Post by mad? »

Amber wrote: I have never ever heard of any kind of compulsory fieldwork for History. Two of my three did GCSE History and never went anywhere. I doubt they got 100% but they did both get A*. One went on to do A level, never left the school on account of that either and also got A*.
Same experience here (although one of two not two of three!). BB&B I sense that you feel uncomfortable addressing this directly with the history head and so wondered if there was someone else you could ask like his history teacher or maybe ask his form tutor's advice. You say the school have handled things well so far and so hopefully if you flag this with someone more familiar with his circumstances you might feel that they might be more understanding/responsive?
mad?
piggys
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Re: History Residential Trip

Post by piggys »

OP: my dd is in Y 11 and does History GCSE ( and loves it). She hasn't been on any trips as far as I can recall, apart from a couple of one day events. It sounds like you and your ds are becoming far too anxious about this. If your ds loves history then that should suffice. I can't envisage a situation where a school will 'force' a student to go on a trip if they really don't want to.

I would try and speak to the HOY - who you are on good terms with - and explain. I honestly think it will be fine.

I have just remembered another thing, my dd also does French GCSE but because she switched last minute from German right at the end of Y9 there was a mix up and she ended up not doing the French Exchange. She is still doing well in the subject though, and is predicted a good grade- my point being that while trips are great, fun and all the rest of it, they really aren't absolutely critical to doing well. HTH :)
ToadMum
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Location: Essex

Re: History Residential Trip

Post by ToadMum »

Could you get a fellow parent to ask? I'm always happy t to ask 'I'm really sorry if I've missed the answer to this somewhere, but...?' questions. (I would volunteer in this case, but since I'm possibly ninety or so miles from you, it might seem a bit odd :) .
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: History Residential Trip

Post by mystery »

BucksBornNBred wrote:
Guest55 wrote:I'd make contact with the school asap and then you will know.
But can they stop you choosing a subject just because you can't/won't go on a residential? He is desperate to do History. I really just want to know if there is some way to supplement what he might miss. I understand looking at the graves is a visual thing but we have visual things here. Can he get 100% in an exam without attending? I can't find the answer online.
I think he should just choose history BornnBred and not worry about whether he will miss something signficant by not doing the trip. I am not sure why you do not want to ask the school - but having had problems with schools being a bit weird with me in the past (not ones I have worked at I hasten to add) I can understand why you might not be asking about this particular thing - but there is no way that a student could be missing out, for all time, on a vital part of the curriculum by not going on the trip.

The trip will relate well to the curriculum - otherwise they cannot justify it to the parents as a trip which it is beneficial to go on, and also they would be on a sticky wicket regarding attendance if it was purely a jolly.

As for dealing with the content missed through going on the trip --- well, it should be possible for other students, or teachers indeed, who are on the trip to relay vital info via smartphones etc in this day and age. Also, as not all students will be doing history, he will not be missing other lessons the way the history trippers are so he will have time to catch up with whatever he missed through not going on the trip.

Also, the history syllabus will be well covered in all tthose various revision guides that one can buy. So I really would not get concerned about missed content, even if school does not fill him in on what he missed.

As for very expensive trips abroad for geography GCSE --- yes --- our school does that. We are lucky we can well afford it but my child will probably not do it - despite having been excited about the thought of it for quite some while - because probably none of their friends will do it because they either can't afford it or do not want to spend that kind of money on one short holiday for one child. Pity as it is one of the few trips that is not a hugely long journey by coach which for various reasons cannot be completed by my child so all other school trips abroad are ruled out. They lack the confidence to go without feeling that there is another student they relate closely to. Yes, what about university? I don't know. Older by then. Different motivations - a school trip abroad is viewed by a child as purely fun event and it's hard for them at the booking stage to imagine that they will have a good time if they might not know anyone going ont it or that those who do are already in "fixed groups" - and in a big school with a small number going on a trip that is a possibility

School trips are tricky for so many people for so many different reasons it really cannot rule out your son from history GCSE. There will be other cstudents booked on the trip who can't go at the last minute due to illness, family disaster etc.

I am sure that our children who can't just say yes to school trips etc for various reasons will make up for this in later life with gusto in the way that is best suited to them. Wonderful that he is so keen to do history. Don't let this blot his enthusiasm over GCSE choices.
solimum
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Location: Solihull, West Midlands

Re: History Residential Trip

Post by solimum »

Couldn't you consider a family weekend in Berlin anyway if there are specific things he would benefit from visiting? It is a fascinating city, not just for the obvious WW2/ Berlin Wall sights. Hurry up and visit before Brexit makes everything more complicated

And I was very keen to accompany my DD's school trip to Iceland but apparently they didn't need any extra help!
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: History Residential Trip

Post by mystery »

solimum wrote:Couldn't you consider a family weekend in Berlin anyway if there are specific things he would benefit from visiting? It is a fascinating city, not just for the obvious WW2/ Berlin Wall sights. Hurry up and visit before Brexit makes everything more complicated

And I was very keen to accompany my DD's school trip to Iceland but apparently they didn't need any extra help!
Yes, asking if one could go too could be a way around certain "access" issues on school trips --- but in my case this would not work as the student concerned would, I think, rather spend a week in jail than on a school residential on which I was present!
mad?
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Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 6:27 pm
Location: london

Re: History Residential Trip

Post by mad? »

Thinking more about this there are always children who cannot go on residential trips for religious/cultural reasons. The school must have accommodated this in the past so I am sure it will not be an issue, but I understand your concern about raising it.
mad?
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