Are School Trips Mandatory?

[Swiper]

Sorry didn't know what catagory to put this in.
My 9 year old daughters school residential trip is coming up where they go and stay in a youth hostel for a week etc. I don't really feel comfortable with her going and she REALLY doesn't want to go. Shes a nervous child and has been getting very upset about it.The cost of the trip is £130 and there is NO WAY that I am forking out that amount of money for something she doesn't want to do.
They have sent her home with yet another letter about the trip with all the important bits high-lighted and underlined! They surely can't make her go can they? Are school trips mandatory? I need to know before I go talk to her school tomorrow.
Any help appreciated.

[modeller]

I should add I'm referring to trips in general not residental ones which are usually in the 3rd or 4th Primary and often in France as a part of language learning. However even those are not mandatory.

[saxy_jag]

I once accompanied a special school group on a sailing trip. Just one day on Ulleswater with three or four kids and two adults to a boat. We had one girl who had been sent by Mum and who absolutely did not ever want to step on that boat. She stood on the jetty with tears in her eyes and flatly refused to move. I pointed out that if she wouldn't sail then I would have to stay on shore with her, which would mean all the other kids in that boat wouldn't be able to sail either. I promised she would be safe and that I would take care of her and, with her friends' support, she climbed aboard.

Twenty minutes later we were hurtling across a very rough lake, her getting a faceful of every wave we hit. She was shrieking with laughter and even helping, at one point, to steer the boat. When it was time to go home she asked if she could go again and was the first to put her hand up when we offered another trip the following week. It was something she talked about a lot whenever we worked toget

[saxy_jag]

bl**dy send button!!

As I was saying, something she talked about whenever we were working together after that and there was pretty much nothing she wouldn't have a go at.

[JeniPeni]

My son was really keen to go on his first residential trip; but just before the bus was about to leave he burst into tears and said he didn't want to go. I reassured him that he would have a great time, and would miss out on all the chat the other children would be having when they returned; and he could always come home early if he was having a miserable time. He went - and an absolutely fabulous time and was glad I hadn't taken him home.

[joko]

my dad prevented us going on any school trips - always convinved we'd be murdered etc = and i really resented him for it.
i missed so much and i would agree with others who say she should be encouraged.
do you want her to spend the rest of her life with sense of fear about doing unusual things?
she may not want to go, but i suspect its because you have made her feel scared - you may not realise it but she 9 not 4 - she will know you're uncomfortable with it and therefore come to the conclusion that there is something to be afraid of.

[tamborine]

Great for growing up & bonding friendships.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vybVaAOurY0

[Anita12345]

Yes, school trips are mandatory. Children learn many things from these trips. You should give permission to your daughter to go in this trip.

[BlueToffee]

I couldn't have put it better than OG, take his advice, she will learn om the experience.

[jd_1984]

The school will attempt to convince you that the trip is a vital part of the syllabus but ultimately the parent can decide not to allow their child to go and the school will accept that.

[jd_1984]

I remember a 2 night trip to Hamburg with my German GCSE class that we were told was compulsary and in not going children would be at a disadvantage with coursework etc... It cost in the region of £150-£170 per student. My memory of it was mostly "messing about" in the hotel and a bit of a coach tour around the city viewing some places of interest.

[MadMen]

They can't *make* her go, but it will be beneficial to her if she does go.
My child got really upset at the thought of going on camp, and I was adamant that he wasn't going. We'd have tears and temper tantrums, saying how he really didn't want to go and would miss us. I felt awful, but in the end (and after speaking with his teacher) I put my foot down and just said he was going and told him he'd enjoy it.
That sounds a bit mean, but I'm really glad I did it.
He had such a great time and, out of all the class, only two didn't go. They were then singled out when the rest of the class got back, which my son would have been had I allowed him to not go.
It did wonders for his confidence. I never imagined that just 5 days away from home would change him so much.
He went away a shy, reserved and slightly nervous child, and came back kevin the teenager! Lol

He used to hang around with two or three friends, but came back from camp with a bigger group of mates, and a lot more confidence to mix with other kids.

I worried like mad for the whole 5 days, and couldn't wait to have him home, but hearing him talk about it for the next month or so made me realise I had made the right decision and would do so again without any hesitation.

[BlueToffee]

I see this was first posted on 30 th January, would be interested to hear of the outcome ... did she, didn't she?

[Kassee]

At our local school, children who dont want to do a residential trip can go just for the day at a much lower price (say £15/£20). There are always some kids who dont want to stay away on a residential, and they have the option of going for the day.

[mackfender]

@Anita12345 What rubbish, Schooltrips certainly are NOT mandatory and if you read The OP correctly, the daughter ' REALLY doesn't want to go'.