# Residential trip worries-HELP PLZ!



## kerrie24

My son is currently in his last year of primary school (year 6-he is 10 years old)
The school has a trip planned for june next year to an outdoor activity centre where they will be doing climbing,canoeing,team building etc,as well as a 2 night overnight stay.

The school have been really pushing the kids to go,showing videos and bigging it up.Nathan is begging me to let him go.

I have to pay the deposit by next friday and I'm still trying to bring myself to feel ok about it.:cry:

The thing is,he's never stayed out except at his grandparents house and Im 95% sure he will be terribly homesick once he gets there.It has to be paid by may (£110,which I dont mind paying) but if he was to freak out at the last minute and I cancel,I wont get my money back,and they advise me to send him anyway!I wouldnt put him crying onto the bus ''cos he's sure to love it when he gets there''

Another thing (sorry its long)-the kids are in a dormitory on their own at night,the 3 teachers that go have their own hotel rooms in a seperate area.Its lights out at 9.30 and wake up at 7am but inbetween those times,they are effectively unsupervised.
They say its secure and there is an alarm on the door so if anyone goes in or out,someone will be sent over to check.

What if someone gets up and slips on the toilet floor,is unconcious?
What happens if they decide to have a fight/put a pillow over someones face/play strangling game?(I know it sounds ridiculous but the strangle each other at breaktime,they are 10 year old boys)

There is no phone contact,no mobile signal,I would drop him at school wednesday at 9am and collect him friday at 5.30pm.

Im VERY worried but I dont want him to feel Im stopping him having the experience with his friends.
There are around half of his year group going,25-30 kids.

What would you do?


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## Redfraggle

How badly does he want to go? The school wouldn't arrange it unless they felt the children were ready and mature enough to experience it.

I'm sure it will be the first time for a lot of the children that they've been away from their family on their own and the teachers will have experienced it before with other children. 

June is still quite a way off and it would be a pity for him to miss out, especially if all his friends are going.


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## Pink Flowers

we went on a trip like this when I was in year 6 at school, It was my first time away from home and I loved it. I was so busy with everything else I didn't even notice my parents weren't there. 

I can understand your worries but the school wouldn't arrange it if they didn't think it was 100% safe.


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## whit.

Hmm. I would send her.

I can see where you think he would become homesick but I think the fact his friends are there and he's getting to be a "grown up kid" (sleeping without adults there, ect) I think he would probably think it was cool and enjoy it.

How far is the hotel? I'm sure there will be adults there past the time kids go to bed to make sure they go to sleep. I totally get why you're worried, I would be worried, too. I would just hate for your LO to feel left out, you know?


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## kerrie24

The teachers rooms are on the other side of the building,they couldnt hear if anything went on.There is a member of staff awake all night incase the door alarm goes but apart from that,how would they know if there was anything going on?


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## whit.

I'm sure they peek in on them every so often, I would ask the school!


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## smelly07

In my daughters school in 

year 3 (age 7-8) they go on one over night camping trip

year 4 (age 8-9) they go on a two night camping trip

year 5 (age 9-10) they go to isle of wight for three nights 

year 6 (10-11) they go to france for four nights

she is in year 3 and just recieved the forms for camping trip for next june - she doesnt want to go but i think she should.......... although i am not forcing her - i think it will be a great experience and i trust the teachers to look after all the children, yes i would be a little anxious but i couldnt hold her back if she wanted to go - the isle of wight and france trips i think would be harder for me but again if she wanted to go i would let her. x


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## Chris77

I can understand how you feel hunni. I think I'd feel the same about PJ going away when he hadn't before. 

If your son really wants to go, I say let him go. My Mom never allowed me to go to sleep overs and I missed out on alot of great things, friendships, etc. 

I am sure it is a very well chaperoned event and call and ask the school and address to them your concerns. :hugs:


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## going_crazy

My eldest daughter has got her residential trip this school year too (she's year 6) and she's really excited! Tbh, I can't wait for her to have a week away with all her friends. My other 2 daughters have just had their brownie camp weekend which they also thoroughly enjoyed, and my 8 year old (year 4) has got a 3 day residential trip this school year too, which she's really looking forward too

I also went to the Isle of Wight when I was year 6, and I remember thinking it would be brilliant at lights out time..... All us girls thought we'd sneak to the boys dorm (to throw water over them btw!), but we were met in the corridor by the "night watch" teacher!!! 

If your son really wants to go, I'd let him. It will be very secure, and a risk assessment is always done before these trips, which you can view from the school. You should also raise any questions/concerns with the school so that you will feel more at ease 

xx


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## kerrie24

Thanks everyone,I think I will go into school on monday and speak to them about my concerns.The actual activities aren't worrying me its just the night time.Some of the boys going are quite naughty and start fights often in the playground.


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## Redfraggle

I'm sure they'll be so worn out from the daytime activities I doubt they'll have the energy to fight!

Good idea to go talk to the school though. I hope they can reassure you.


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## Midnight_Fairy

I am with you on this one, I dont like how no staff are close by! xx


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## kerrie24

Thanks Mf,I was stating to think I was way overprotective lol


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## Midnight_Fairy

No, I am the same. Already panicking about my sons residential next year! He is off on a trip next week that is 8am-6pm thats bad enough! 

I do think you have reason too though, it does not sound right to me how the staff are so far away? I would enquire more about that x


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## wilbz

my eldest has been away 3 times the last was to an outdoor centre similar to what you described in january it was freezing. When she goes away i dont sleep eat and am a total wreck, I always imagine the worst and I am not on my own the other mums in the playground feel exactly the same, BUT she has a fabulous time its a learning curve for them, and helps them grow and gives them life experience. She goes to london again with the school in june so it will be another week of sleepless nights for me and a week of fun for her


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## kerrie24

Thanks Wilbz.

Well I paid the deposit today and the money doesnt have to be in till feb so I will go to the next meeting and raise my concerns with the group leader.


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## Midnight_Fairy

Make sure you tell them your concerns no matter how small as you will only worry x


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## wilbz

kerrie24 said:


> Thanks Wilbz.
> 
> Well I paid the deposit today and the money doesnt have to be in till feb so I will go to the next meeting and raise my concerns with the group leader.

before my girls school went they had like a parents evening where we were all invited got a list of things to take fill in forms and ask any final questions we had


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## scoobymum

Hello, I don't often pop in this area yet as my DS is still young but as a teacher this thread caught my eye.
I've been on many residentials and have just started in y6 last year. The staff who go on the y6 trip go every year and to my knowledge have never had any problems with homesickness. There might be the odd occasion of a little tearfulness, but nothing that a quick phone call home couldn't sort out.
In terms of night time, the first night they are always so excited they stay up late chatting so the teachers are inevitably popping in and out to susshh them! But by night 2/3 they are so utterly exhausted after all their activities they all want to go to sleep!

They honestly have a wonderful time, at my school the y6 children always cover the class trip in the leavers play. The photos and videos they show are so lovely, all smiling and happy together :)

Have a chat with the trip leader, I'm sure all parents have the same concerns, I'm sure I will when it comes to my DS's turn! X


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## Scarletvixen

It sounds just like dolphin house, my eldest two have went and LOVED it!!
Well worth the money and yes they aint allowed mobiles etc but they are fully trained staff on hand at all time and it teaches the kids some responsibility as they have to tidy there rooms etc.
i think parents worry more than the kids tbh :) xx


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## Toms Mummy

Hi, I thought I'd reply in here and give you a different perspective. I am an outdoor tutor in a residential outdoor education centre in North Wales :)

The centre I work in is owned by cheshire county council, it has 400 beds! That's alot!!..... Most centres have 40 beds max! These 400 beds are split in to each dorm where there are 6-8 beds. There are also 4 residential buildings with these dorms in. The biggest building hase about 200 beds in. The staff bedrooms are less than a 2 minute walk from every dorm, a dorm is NEVER locked when the childen are in there, they also all have an alarm system on each door (for the en-suit, or corridor for the shared loos) so that is a child opens the door during bedtime hrs then an alarm will ring in both the staff social room and the staff bedrooms. 

Teacher's usually take turns each night (so that they all get atleast one good nights sleep while there!) patrolling the dorms until everyone is asleep, this can usually take a coupl of hrs as you can imagine lots of 11 yr olds in a dorm can be quite noisy!.... They do jump on beds and pillow fights etc, but there is teacher there to calm anythig down, they don't just leave them to it!

There is also a social area for the children so they don't really get that much time in there dorms on their own anyway, as they're kept so busy!

The centre itself will also have a duty member of staff on call, with a mobile phone at all times in case of emergencies.

If you are really worried then the staff should be able to give you the name of the centre, or the landline number so you know exactly how to get in touch x

Just out of interest.... where is your child going? x


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## Toms Mummy

Oh forgot to add, there is a very good reason for not allowing mobiles..... one they might get damaged/stolen/lost. 2, they cause so much grief for the teachers as a child who is home sick will naturally call parents on their mobile, who will then call the teachers competely disptressed when the teacher had no idea that the child had called the parents and the only reason they were feeling homesick was due to something trivial like being tired or not being in the same group/dorm as their best friend x


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## wilbz

I also forgot to mention although I worried like mad about my daughter being at her outdoor centre. I actually went there when I was her age ( a long time ago 24 years), and had a brill time, but my parents felt the same as me when my daughter went


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## kerrie24

Robin wood??


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## Toms Mummy

Aah, I've nover been there but met kids at the centre where I work who have been there in the past and loved it!..... They'll be in dorms very close to the staff x


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## Magpie

Is it the one near Alston? I've been to this one as a teacher and it is fantastic. We take Y4 and Y5 children and they love it. Sometimes one or two get a little bit homesick from time to time but there's so much to do that it never lasts for more than a few minutes.

The kids are kept busy all day and activities run into the evening. If I remember correctly the last organised activity finishes at 9 o'clock, so they're all pretty exhausted by the time they get to bed. The teaching staff from our school always stay until the last activity is over then make sure the kids are getting ready for bed and settled, especially on the first night. The dorms aren't massive, ranging from 6 to 12 beds.

The activities are done in groups of about 10 and, unlike some other centres, they have the same group leader (from the centre) for every activity for the whole of the stay, as well as having a member of staff from their school with each group. Also, although the teachers will be in rooms in another part of the building, they're not that far and there are staff from the centre on duty all night (and they do keep checking on the children). If there are any big problems or a child gets very upset, the night staff will get a member of staff from the school, although this rarely happens as the kids are usually so tired.

I hope this helps and that your son enjoys himself!


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## caggimedicine

I completely understand your concerns and worries - I know i'd be exactly the same!

I would firstly speak to the school about your concerns re safety - I'd want to know answers to all of those questions. I always have questions like that in my head about certain things, and am glad I asked the questions because the answers often put my mind at rest.

In terms of you wondering whether your son will change his mind in going last minute - unfortunately that bridge can't be crossed until you come to it. It does sound like a fantastic trip, particularly for a 10 year old boy - i'm not surprised he wants to go. Personally, I would put his name down and pay the deposit. It is a lot of money, and I wouldn't want to lose it either - but I would be the same as you... not wanting to force him to go if he changed his mind.


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## Baby France

Aw Kerrie :hugs:

I went on residentials when I was a kid - trust me the teachers are closer than you think. It was the best thing my mum did for us. It gave me confidence, pushed me out of my comfort zone and we absolutely LOVED it.

I also take my team on resi and even though mine are 16+ we still watch them like hawks. All of the risk assessments, health and safety, first aiders and qualifications etc etc... will have to be in place.

Its a natural thing to worry about your child. If you set days and times though that you keep in touch and that :hugs:


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## Harveysmum369

I wouldn't let Harvey(then aged 2) go on a trip to the beach with the nursery(staff ratio 2 children to 1 adult) and was made to feel like I was making a fuss :cry:

I totally understand your concerns,its a massive thing to let your baby go...I can't imagine letting harvey go on any school trips at the moment,but I know the time will come...xx


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## shellie

My son is due to go on his second trip like this in march. He went for the first time last year and loved it. I was really nervous letting him go and the school were pushing that they wanted every child to go. 

I remember when I went on my first school trip. We tried wandering around corridors and were caught by a teacher and when we made too much noise in the nighttime I remember a teacher coming into our room to tell us off - the teachers rooms werent by ours so I don't know how they had heard us! There will be somebody checking on the children though, they wont just be left. I know how nervous you must feel though as I was hoping inside that my son wouldnt want to go, he did however so we let him.

In year 6 the school takes the children to spain, which I will be really worried about as it is a lot further and out of the country. xxx


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