re - horrendous school trip!

tyllwyd

Dunroamin wrote: »

Considering that maintenance people have to have a CRB to go into school to mend a socket, I'm really surprised at this. It's as if schools believe that none of their children's relatives could possibly be a threat to any of the others.

No, I don't think this is something where you can blame schools - it's slow and expensive to CRB check people, so as I remember it, early on when CRBs were introduced, there was a fuss about parents having to be CRB checked to help out on one-off events such as school trips, and it was clarified that it isn't necessary in that situation.

I've helped out on school trips as a parent, and no-one worried about CRB checks, but when I've gone in as a parent helper to hear children read, or as an additional adult to help take children to swimming lessons, I have been expected to be CRB checked.

Going back to the trip ... when I've gone along as a parent on a primary school trip, all the adults have been given a small group of children as their responsibility within the larger group. For the reception aged children, all I remember of the trip is counting heads the whole time, I was so worried about losing one! I can't understand why that wouldn't have been done on the OPs trip.

maman

Dunroamin wrote: »

Considering that maintenance people have to have a CRB to go into school to mend a socket, I'm really surprised at this. It's as if schools believe that none of their children's relatives could possibly be a threat to any of the others.

I think the reasoning is about 'significant contact' in that the adult helpers are not meant to have sole responsibility for other people's children. So, for example if someone's great-gran came into school to talk about her schooldays then the teacher would be there at all times so need for a CRB for this one-off occasion. As maintenance, you'd potentially be going into schools regularly and wouldn't be supervised by a teacher when you go about your task but there might well be children around.

It seems that at the school in question they had loads of help offered (seems they had encouraged 1:1) so that staff could abdicate responsibility.

Savvy_Sue

tyllwyd wrote: »

No, I don't think this is something where you can blame schools - it's slow and expensive to CRB check people, so as I remember it, early on when CRBs were introduced, there was a fuss about parents having to be CRB checked to help out on one-off events such as school trips, and it was clarified that it isn't necessary in that situation.

CRB checks are now DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks. Slow, possibly, but free for volunteers. Also they are now a bit 'portable': when you apply for one you 'subscribe' to the update service, or do so within a short space of time afterwards, and then organisations will be able to check your status.

Also the 'result' is now sent to the applicant's home address and you then have to take it to the organisation, and they have to check you are who you say you are. I can see huge problems with this, but that's a topic for another day ...

jellyhead

Dunroamin wrote: »

Considering that maintenance people have to have a CRB to go into school to mend a socket, I'm really surprised at this. It's as if schools believe that none of their children's relatives could possibly be a threat to any of the others.

I needed a CRB check before going into school to volunteer, but as a volunteer there's a chance you'd be alone with a child, reading in a quiet corner of the library for example.

I haven't been on the sort of trip that Meri's school had. Our primary took year 1 children to the beach but parents didn't attend. The school trips that I didn't need a CRB for that I mentioned were things like walking them to church. No chance of being alone with a child, or even being the person responsible for their safety because the teachers could always see everyone.

Us parents were going to watch their church service anyhow, and it was less than a mile. Teachers took charge on the roads, and the parents helpers were really only keeping children in line, hurrying them up and making sure that they kept to half of the pavement so that other people could walk past them.

meritaten

DIL didn't have a chance to talk to other parents this afternoon - she says she will sound a few out for me and ask
Were you allocated an unaccompanied child? She wasn't asked herself but some parents (especially where BOTH parents went) may have been.
What did you think of the trip?

just two questions but they are I feel crucial as I want to get my facts straight! I may put the letter in on the last day of term as I think the teacher who is leaving shouldn't really have her last week spoiled. (she has been there over 40 years and she is really lovely and the kids all adore her).

Spendless

Tbh I thought it sounded like a strange sort of nursery/school trip when you first mentioned it, unlike any mine have ever done. More like a club/pub trip when the organisers have run the trip as in doing the booking, but the people on it are pretty much on their own individual trip and responsible for any kids they have taken along with them, rather than being an en-masse group.

Usually as already said the children are in a ratio to the adult helpers, so wouldn't the 'spare' children (for want of a better word) who were without a relative with them, wouldn't they have been under the care of the nursery staff on that trip?

Like I said on the other thread, I have accompanied one of my children on a trip once, but they've never not gone. They haven't been unaccompanied though. They have been under the charge of whatever group they have been put it.

meritaten

Spendless wrote: »

Tbh I thought it sounded like a strange sort of nursery/school trip when you first mentioned it, unlike any mine have ever done. More like a club/pub trip when the organisers have run the trip as in doing the booking, but the people on it are pretty much on their own individual trip and responsible for any kids they have taken along with them, rather than being an en-masse group.

Usually as already said the children are in a ratio to the adult helpers, so wouldn't the 'spare' children (for want of a better word) who were without a relative with them, wouldn't they have been under the care of the nursery staff on that trip?

Like I said on the other thread, I have accompanied one of my children on a trip once, but they've never not gone. They haven't been unaccompanied though. They have been under the charge of whatever group they have been put it.

you have just hit the nail squarely on the head! that is EXACTLY what it was like! very unlike any other trip I have been on - and with three kids (all about 3 years apart) and 6 grandkids I have been on many!

gingin_2

meritaten wrote: »

and with three kids (all about 3 years apart) and 6 grandkids I have been on many!

You are a good granny to go meritaten, I seriously admire that. We have to beg to get parents to contribute a bought cake for the cake stall or give 5 minutes to help at my child's school and I've never known a grandparent to go on a trip ( not that it's expected)

I hope someone takes notice.

meritaten

thanks gingin - but the one before this one I swore I would never do another one - for some reason the (different) school takes 4 to 7 yrs on a THREE hour coach trip to a tourist attraction called folly farm - I took my sons twins - and it was .......................yes you guessed it - HORRENDOUS! roflmao.

Spendless

meritaten wrote: »

you have just hit the nail squarely on the head! that is EXACTLY what it was like! very unlike any other trip I have been on - and with three kids (all about 3 years apart) and 6 grandkids I have been on many!

It was when you were talking about buying Grandson an ice cream and putting him on a ride and I thought that doesn't sound like a 'collective' school trip.

Since I posted I've had time to think and actually I have done a nursery trip as you describe. It was when daughter was in a private nursery and run along a similar lines of the mums and tots groups ones (like pub/club ones minus the alcohol.:D). It was very informal, I took my older child with me too who didn't attend the nursery (he was already at f-time school) but you could take siblings with you. The letter you got about it, invited you to come along, but told you the nursery would be closed for the day, but if you couldn't make it and wanted/needed your child to attend then to speak to the nursery manager about child:staff ratios. The staff would be looking after the 'additional' children, otherwise you were in charge of your own child/ren you just had to meet back up at x time to catch coach home.

My kids finished school today, have your grandchildren and if so was the matter queried?