The Student Room Group

"Compulsory" school trip.

Next Thursday my school is having a "compulsory" school trip to Sheffield. I do not want to go (personal reasons). For this reason I asked my mum to refuse to sign the permission slip and she hasn't signed it. Now the school are saying it's just a "normal, compulsory" school day. I replied, I do intend to attend school but without permission you cannot take me. They have since attempted to force my mum into signing the slip against her will using black mail. I have also been punished for refusing. They have now given a deadline saying my mum "must sign the permission slip else drastic action will be taken". My question to you is, first of all, am I in the right? Second of all, how should I deal with this. I have no school till Monday (teacher training days) and this is the dead line they set. Am I going about this in the correct way, what can I say and do to insure I do not have to attend this? And shall I (and my mum) continue to simply refuse to be taken?

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Original post by Walkersam
Next Thursday my school is having a "compulsory" school trip to Sheffield. I do not want to go (personal reasons). For this reason I asked my mum to refuse to sign the permission slip and she hasn't signed it. Now the school are saying it's just a "normal, compulsory" school day. I replied, I do intend to attend school but without permission you cannot take me. They have since attempted to force my mum into signing the slip against her will using black mail. I have also been punished for refusing. They have now given a deadline saying my mum "must sign the permission slip else drastic action will be taken". My question to you is, first of all, am I in the right? Second of all, how should I deal with this. I have no school till Monday (teacher training days) and this is the dead line they set. Am I going about this in the correct way, what can I say and do to insure I do not have to attend this? And shall I (and my mum) continue to simply refuse to be taken?


if they take you injury yourself and sue them simple
Yes you are in the right and they can't really do anything to you. Refuse to do any of the punishments they give you and contact the schools' regulatory authority.**
Reply 3
It's your choice.

why is it compulsory?
do you have good personal reasons for not going?

how did they blackmail your mum? blackmail is a serious term, and if you're not exaggerating its a serious offence which you could report the school for.

The school can NOT force you to go on the trip, if someone going on the trip was an hour late to school because of traffic I doubt your school would consider the trip so compulsory as to get a teacher to drive the student down alone. Compulsory school trips are BS.
Reply 4
Original post by jamesthehustler
if they take you injury yourself and sue them simple


Hmmm, that's not a bad idea
If all else fails you can have a sudden illness. it happens....
As long as you go into school as an alternative then they can't force you to go. If there is a strike on the you don't have to go. I don't see how they can make you pay for a trip you don't want to go to
Reply 7
Are the reasons for not going genuinely worth this hassle?
I would say you are in the right. Suggest what you can do instead, given your class will not be at school.
Reply 8
Original post by kelefi
It's your choice.

why is it compulsory?
do you have good personal reasons for not going?

how did they blackmail your mum? blackmail is a serious term, and if you're not exaggerating its a serious offence which you could report the school for.

The school can NOT force you to go on the trip, if someone going on the trip was an hour late to school because of traffic I doubt your school would consider the trip so compulsory as to get a teacher to drive the student down alone. Compulsory school trips are BS.


It's a trip to Sheffield uni, they're trying to force us all into going but it doesn't even do the courses I want. And yes I do but it's a long story, they basically sent her a text saying it is a "compulsory field trip and you [my mum] must sign the permission slip by Monday 11th else Sam will be punished and you [my mum] will be charged a fine due to absence."
Reply 9
if you're in school its not absence.

Why does the school even want you to go?
you absolutely do not have to go on a school trip. The only thing that's compulsory is attending school itself, not participating in trips.
Reply 10
Original post by Ezme39
Are the reasons for not going genuinely worth this hassle?
I would say you are in the right. Suggest what you can do instead, given your class will not be at school.


To be honest they're probably not worth this hassle, i wish they had just said don't come on the trip then and attend private study within school. But it has now come down to the fact that I'm going against the fact they don't give a choice, the fact they are trying to force me to go against my will and force my mum to sign it against her will. I am now almost just going against THEM as oppose to the trip it's self.
Reply 11
Original post by kelefi
if you're in school its not absence.

Why does the school even want you to go?
you absolutely do not have to go on a school trip. The only thing that's compulsory is attending school itself, not participating in trips.


It's a uni trip thingy, but the uni doesn't do the course I like I said, personal stuff as well
Go to your local citizens advice bureau and get their advice. Heck, take it to Sheffield uni freelaw clinic although I am not sure they operate over summer. I am mainly telling you to do this because it's the principle of forcing you which I don't like from the school. It's more hassle challengeing it but the school shouldn't be able to get away with **** like that.
Reply 13
Original post by Walkersam
It's a uni trip thingy, but the uni doesn't do the course I like I said, personal stuff as well


yeah you're completely in the right here. Be confident that the school has absolutely no right to force you on the trip.
You might be right in principle but just being pragmatic , i would try and go just for the sake of it. You may require references for uni and this is the time to be getting on the good side of staff. Having said that if you really have strong reason (which it seems you have - won't ask as it seems personal ) , you have every right not to go. In fact in an ideal world , where people don't have grudges , i would have no hesitation in telling you to not go if you are willing to attend school. To summarise , in principle you seem to be in the right , but you're best placed to judge the safest decision.
This sounds like a classic example of a jobsworth on a power trip as they have no power to force you to go or fine you if you don't as long as you attend school.

"Personal reasons" sounds like a euphemism for "can't be arsed" which is a perfectly valid reason none the less if you have no intention of applying to that university, but as above for the sake of not rocking the boat it might be worth just going, it's only one day after all.
In my experience, the school would have to find cover for those students not going on a school trip, and this is probably the reason they are making an issue of it.
If I didn't want my children to go on any school trip, they didn't go - end of. Turn up at school and they can't have an issue. Don't let them bully you.
In any event, as far as the school is concerned, you can quote to them that in 2010 the Department for Children, Schools and Families decreed that school trips were to become part of the National Curriculum, and schools must offer them, but there is no compulsion for pupils to attend.
bear in mind you're making things very difficult for your school... if you're the only kid not going they have to put together a full program for your day and waste many members of staff's time who have better things to do - just because you have 'personal reasons' you can't go to sheffield for the day... I really doubt you have a serious reason not to go to sheffield, just suck it up and go
Schools and staff are there for the benefit of the children and not the other way around. I had to point this out to my children's schools on more than one occasion. The OP is not a small child. She has the right to refuse to go on the trip if she does not wish to. Her reasons may be perfectly valid and as she is an older pupil, there is no reason why she can't supervise her own study.
It's more that the school should suck it up and realise that on this occasion it isn't going to go their way.

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