School & Teens

School's optional trip to Himachal before class 10 begins. What should I ask before signing?

maple_trail_727

The school has offered an optional six-day trip to Himachal at the end of May for students going into classes 9 and 10. My son very much wants to go, and most of his friends have signed up. The form and payment are due on Monday. He has travelled a good deal with us, but never without family, and never this far. The circular is brief: a tour operator's name, an itinerary, and 'adequate supervision'. I would like to put some specific questions to the school rather than sign on the strength of the circular, but I am not sure which questions matter. If your child has been on a trip like this, what did you find out beforehand, and what do you wish you had asked?

4 comments

  • teal_wave_6736

    my daughter's only done a two-night camp, so much smaller than this. the thing i'm glad i asked was how many teachers were going, by name, not just 'adequate'. when they said four for ninety kids i felt differently about it.

    • maple_trail_727

      Teachers by name is a good point. The circular does not say how many are going. I will ask for the number and the ratio.

    • maple_trail_727

      Did they tell you what would happen if a child fell ill midway? That is the part I cannot picture being handled well.

  • apricot_badminton_7925

    I would ask for the day-by-day, not the itinerary. Where they sleep, how many to a room, which adult is in the next room, how long the bus days are. An itinerary lists places. You want to know what an ordinary hour looks like.

    • citrus_window_8371

      Also ask who decides when a child is sent home, and who pays for it. 'We will inform parents' is not a plan.

  • mango_bottle_4056

    Phones. Our school's circular for a shorter trip said no phones and a daily update from the class teacher. I was fine with that until the first evening, when the update came at 11 pm. Ask how and when they'll update you, so you aren't refreshing a group all night ❤

  • silver_badminton_5368

    My children are much younger, so I have no trip experience to offer. I would want to know about medical arrangements, though: whether a teacher keeps the children's medicines, and whether a nearby hospital is listed for each stop. Is any of that in the circular?

    • fern_pigeon_3414

      That's the one I'd push on too. When my son went on his first school day trip I tucked a card with two phone numbers into his bag pocket. The teacher told me afterwards that most parents hadn't, and that it helped.

Add a comment

Share what happened for you. Plain text; be kind and specific.

Keep going

Keep reading

More from the parents who were here.