Thoughts on 9 year old going abroad on school trip ?

I don’t have children, but I have taught a lot of primary children and I know that many, if not most, wouldn’t be that keen on the idea

I remember it was at 9 that DD’s did their cycling proficiency as under 9’s don’t have spatial awareness. So walking to school is fine provided there aren’t too many hazards - mine used to walk with a group of others and no main roads so I was happy with that.

At 9/10 there was a school trip to France for those who wanted to go and could afford it. They spent a couple of terms learning French so it was quite educational. Those who didn’t go had fun events in school. Not sure I’d be happy about Greece though but I’m sure it has been explained thoroughly to the parents. The school will not be going without having done a full risk assessment. Gd won’t want to be left out on what her classmates are doing. If the parents are happy with it you will have to go along with it. Yes you will worry whilst she’s away but it may do her the world of good in confidence building.

Knowing nothing about the school and it's intake of children I think it's difficult to comment on the cost, location etc of the trip. Many kids have been used to foreign travel from a very early age, others not. Having seen the risk analysis that schools prepare prior to any trip outside school, I'd feel safer with a child going anywhere in a school party than with some parents and grandparents. If the child wants to go and the parents are happy to pay them surely it's nothing to do with a grandparent. One thing I learned when I had children is that worrying about them is part of the package, letting them know you are worrying about them is not.

It must be a school where parents can be excepted to afford it? but whatever our POV, it is up tot he parents.

Drina01 do you get on with parents well enough to do a "worried not critical" gran?

Find out a bit more to allay concerns? here on gransnet we are making so many suppositions about adult/pupil ratios and booked through proper company without information.

I'm not sure I could carry that off without seeming critical in my situation, but families are so very different and it may cause no reaction.

I think it sounds a great idea, children,especially nowdays, should be encouraged to be adventurous and sociable. there is too much of life being lived indoors and onscreen. nine is a very good age to start exploring outside her family..

Good post Wyllow

I wouldn't be happy for my GC to go and would air my concerns with their parents.
They can judge if their children are mature enough much better than the school.
I am an ex-teacher and would not let my own go on school visits until they were in secondary school. Even bringing the wrath of the Head down on me when I would not let them go to the Isle of Man.
I knew the ferry was a booze trip for lots of people and could not see what could be gained when other parts of GB would offer the same experience. I was accused of wrapping them in cotton wool and scaremongering other parents. Some did go others stayed at school.
The main problem the school seemed to have was not how to cope with 90 10-year-olds flying around a ferry at sea but what would they do with those left behind.
MY GC is meant to do a residential in the autumn aged 10 his mum is already questioning if he is mature enough to do it.

My oldest did go on a school trip aged 11 with Y6; it included a ferry trip but still in the UK. They had a wonderful time but the teacher in charge was one I knew and trusted.

Many children do travel to and from boarding schools, go on school trips, sports trips, residential trips at outdoor activity centres etc but it doesn't stop us worrying.

I am still pondering why Greece - have they been learning about Greek history?

There are so many interesting places close to home so why do schools want to take young children overseas? I think 9 is far too young although I am sure all safety measures will be in place.

I was not worried about my 9 year old going on a skiing trip but that was 1986. She had the time of her life and it did great things for her confidence especially wrt outdoor activities. Since then she has D of E gold, 5 year uni course, army major, ironman triathlon twice and now health professional and so on. I would never have kept her in a cotton wool ball and am glad I didn`t

It is not always easy to loosen the apron strings but it is worth it

You are correct callistemon, Ancient Greece is a very popular module within the National Curriculum in Primary History.

The value of the trip would very much depend on the aspects which the teacher had focused on with the class.
There are many other interesting and valuable places for Primary trips which incorporate ALL aspects of the curriculum, both at home and abroad.

Parents will need the complete wrap- around care and expertise of an experienced School Trip company, ( I do not work for one, I am a Schools Inspector)in order to cover all possible eventualities and provide complete reassurance

You are correct callistemon, Ancient Greece is a very popular module within the National Curriculum in Primary History
I longed to go to Knossos since I first learnt about it age 11 but it was a long time before managed to visit.

Presumably she’s soon going to be 10 if her classmates are older.

Trip to Greece - I think they’re a bit young but the OP doesn’t really seem to know what’s involved.

But there’s also anxiety about walking to school. The grandchild will be in her final Primary year next year. Most schools encourage children to walk to school independently in the final year. A familiar route to a familiar place in preparation for the longer walk to Secondary.

And anxiety about school asking parents to step back and let children take responsibility for their own homework and any consequences. Again it’s part of growing up and becoming independent.

I think 9 is a bit young,too. Hope the teacher has eyes in the back of his/her head. I’d be happier if she was 12 ,though and you wonder how much benefit a 9 year old would get. None of mine went overseas that early with school and neither did my grandchildren. They did go camping locally with school and they enjoyed that but at least we were within a couple of hour’s drive away in case of accidents.

About 30 years ago I worked for a Summer School where amongst others we had 9 year olds from Hong Kong. In those days I though nothing of taking them to London with a ratio of 1:6. I remember going to Covent Garden ,standing at the door of a shop and counting them as they came out.I certainly would be far too anxious to do it now and can’t believe I did it then.
When teaching at a boarding school we did allow our secondary aged children to walk to the station and travel to London on their own on an exeat week end if they were met by a “guardian”. They did have parental consent though the parents lived abroad. I would be very wary now but we never had any problems and the girls learn to find their way around.

DGS went on a school trip when we were over in Australia but he was 11 and several parents went too as well as teachers.

I would see it as a wonderful opportunity for the child, the school will have the requisite pupil-to-adult ratio and their safety will be paramount as they will not want any harm to come to the children.

It sounds like a very good school promoting independence, I feel children are becoming so dependent on adults that they cannot cope with making simple choices for themselves, managing their time when it comes to homework and facing the consequences when not doing it is important when in secondary school.

You need to try to work on accepting that she is going on the trip, saying to her parents that lots of people on Gransnet think that she shouldn’t go is not going to make any difference.

Just as an aside, children vary hugely in their maturity and ability to cope so in the first instance, I'd be guided by the child. My older daughter, when primary school age, was always quite anxious about going on school trips especially if it involved overnight stays. My younger daughter was the pole opposite, came home with a PGL brochure aged 7 and asked to go on one of the holidays. She did one as a 7 year old and one at 8, completely on her own and didn't even phone home. She had a fabulous time and tbh I didn't worry about her as I knew she'd be fine.

Yes, foxie. I was very mature for my age, but very anxious.
I hated being apart from my mom

Exactly foxie they are all different.
We took my DD new friend on holiday to France with us when the girls were both 12.
Apparently this girl had been abroad before and had been on a swimming tour in Germany.
Almost from the start she showed signs of homesickness. She missed her mum and was very jealous that her family, including step siblings, were together on holiday.
Her misery spoiled the holiday for all of us. She refused to do anything - eat our food, speak to us or come out with us. So we didn't go out much apart from swimming

It was a huge relief to deliver her safely to her mother at their holiday cottage in Wales and return to normal.

It's obviously up to the parents, but I honestly don't see the benefit at that age of going all the way to Greece or anywhere else abroad.

They would learn much more about being away from home, independence and responsibility by visiting interesting places in the UK living in youth hostels or community halls etc.

Once they are studying for exams, uni entrance etc then possibly such trips could be beneficial.

I think I'd have been somewhat taken aback if either of my sons had been offered this kind of trip at such an early age. In Year 6, two of my GC had short breaks in Normandy when they were able to attend some classes at a local school and visit a market to make purchases for their lunch. There was unquestionably value in educational terms as well as for the children's independence. As a parent I would have wanted to ask questions about the educational value of a visit to Greece.

What an amazing opportunity to see different cultures and ways of living.

Is this a state school in the UK? Or an independent school? Or a non-UK school? If they are just starting to talk about it/plan the trip then it sounds like they won't be going until next year when the kids will be 10 or 11. Many independent schools run school trips from younger ages for educational, sporting or musical tours,

When I was at school in the 1960s 10 and 11 year olds from my school used to go on an international "educational cruise" each year on the SS Nevasa (a converted second world war troop ship).

It's important not to pass on fears to our kids. My kids did not go to school in the UK so trips, both domestic and international, were pretty normal. Some included stuff that would never be allowed in the UK - but the kids were happy for the experiences that they promoted. There were 2 that made me nervous, but I tried not to make my own fears influence the girls. The first being DD1 aged 12 going to Norway to an international science and engineering competition for kids - it was just a few months after the Utoya massacre and the sleeping accommodation had to be patrolled at night by teachers and Police because of "copy-cat" threats. The second was when DD2 aged 16 went on a school trip to Israel and the Palestinian Territory.

I’m amazed that such a trip is being offered to primary pupils. School I taught at had to stop a traditional much loved trip to Yorkshire ( we are in W London)Not enough children wanted to go: too expensive, they would be homesick, they didn’t fancy the walking etc. Also there were problems getting enough staff to go. I went several times after I retired and it was intensive but such a good trip for Year 6.