This is a collaborative post
Remember being a kid and waking up with the knowledge that you were going on a school trip that day? You know you would still be learning, but the new environment and interactive activities that awaited you were more than enough to get you jumping out of bed.
Of course, the idea of sending your child off on a school bus full of near-perfect strangers to a location you’ve never been to can send even the steeliest mum into a tizzy. Fortunately, you’re in good company, and you can sleep a little easier knowing that your child can reap a host of benefits from going on these residential school trips.
Safety
The number one concern of any mum is their child’s safety. Naturally, this concern extends pretty quickly to school trips, where variables outside of your control could easily throw a wrench into your little one’s day. However, primary schools across the UK carry out risk assessments for all potential school trip locations. These assessments check to see how far the site is away from the school, what kind of activities the place offers for school children, the location itself, and if they can accommodate students with special needs. Potential school trip locations must also adhere to staffing ratio standards. Any high-risk activities, like climbing, swimming, or hiking, must also undergo risk assessments to ensure the safety and needs of every individual child.
Enriched learning
This enriched learning is the most significant potential benefit your child could reap from school trips. Anyone who’s ever spent consecutive days in a classroom (so, nearly everybody) can tell you how monotonous it can get after a while. That’s why school trips are such a win-win. They stimulate your child in a new and exciting environment while also helping them absorb important information in a novel and unconventional way. Not only do they learn subject material found in their curriculum, but they have the opportunity to cultivate their confidence and social skills through team-building and role-playing activities.
Affordability
Affordability is another concern for some parents. While public schools in the U.K. cannot legally charge fees for trips conducted during school hours, many school administrations kindly request a ‘voluntary contribution’ from parents. But if even a small donation is too much to offer, privately contact the headmaster of your child’s school and inform them of your current financial situation. Many school administrations are more than willing to work with parents to facilitate a child’s ability to go on an eye-opening school trip.
These concerns are just a few among many. Many mums also wonder how to handle a meltdown on either end. While many schools encourage children not to phone home during a school trip, chaperones are always ready to contact you should they find they’re homesick. If schools don’t allow you to talk to your child directly, you may contact one of the chaperones to check in on your kid and see how they’re doing.
For fun ideas on KS1 & KS2 school trips, visit NST Group’s website to browse their extensive selection of exciting and informative school trips.
