Thoughts on 9 year old going abroad on school trip ?

Compromise, OK for trip but can't walk alone to school just yet.
Maybe over Protection, keeps her young, I say this from a professional perspective. Safeguarding children can be made not just for neglect but also for stopping children from doing the things their peers are doing, whilst it can be done all for the right reasons 'keeping them safe' I.e. suppression of what others consider normal behaviour can be seen as damaging the child. Please don't think I'm telling you off, it's just another perspective to allow you to consider all options

I can’t help remembering the girl on a school trip staying in a French youth hostel who was murdered by a man who broke in. Sorry to bring it up, I know bad things are unlikely to happen but 9 seems a bit young to me.

Without reading any responses, my gut is telling me NO, absolutely not to go on this trip. I think shes just too young for international travel without a parent.

There’s just so much potential for stuff to happen with youngsters.

Daughter/mother does not seem interested in asking questions pertaining to the trip either (per G’ma) and I find that alarming.
Maybe Dau or Sil can sign on as a chaperone.

Just my opinion.
USA Gundy

Difficult for you, if the parents are happy with it, so I wouldn't intervene, as it's unlikely to change anything, and will just cause friction. Personally, I would not be happy with a child of mine of that age going so far afield on a school trip. However well-intentioned and responsible the accompanying adults are, the ratio of them to the number of children means that they could not possibly provide the one to one supervision that a parent can. I'm also surprised, as recorded on this thread, that anyone thinks that it's safe to allow a 9 year old to walk to school unaccompanied. Not in my world, and I say that regardless of the environment in which that journey takes place. Encouraging children to stretch their wings is fine, but exposing them, unsupervised, to an environment in which those wings could so easily be clipped, or worse, is most definitely not. Some may feel that for a particular child in a particular environment, 9 may well be a safe age, but why take the risk for the sake of an extra year or so? Returning to the OP, there are plenty of opportunities for exciting school trips in the UK for children of that age, with the added attraction that they are obviously more affordable for parents. Times are hard, and money is in short supply for some. Finally, please excuse my cynicism, but I do also sometimes wonder if some of these more exotic trips aren't more for the benefit of the teachers. Get those kids to bed.. game on for the grown-ups? No thanks. Not for a child of mine at that age.

I agree with OP , way too young to go abroad on a school trip. A trip in this country fine, if there's a problem or she gets seperated from others then at least she would be able to ask for help but not so in Greece. Wonder why Greece has been chosen for such a young age group? If it's meant to explore historical sites or culture then will 9 yr olds be able to get much benefit from this? I would also be worried about the heat, temps in parts of Europe this week due to rech high 40's . Would there be enough staff to make sure children stay cool/ sun lotion/ hats etc.
When it comes down to it it's not your decision but I sincerely hope all goes well and you manage to put some of your concerns aside.

Ancient Greece is on the Y5 curriculum I recall.
It would take wild (Trojan) horses to make me go on a foreign trip with a load of kids.
I didn’t even like taking them to the park.
But I do appreciate that my clientele were somewhat out of the ordinary

Athens, Olympia, Delphi etc yes, all very educational, especially if in school they have been studying Ancient Greece.
And yes, I agree, What about looking at cultural differences, currency exchange, how the passport system works, different foods, the different alphabet?
My point was, clumsily expressed I admit, that at KS2 there are no specific school visits to Greece, so all the above would need to be planned, risk assessed, and delivered by the class teacher which would be way beyond the call of duty in my opinion. I always visited the locations of school trips in advance to check everything 100%.
There's no point just having a jolly outing.

My late husband wouldn't allow foreign trips with school because he didn't trust the school to look after our kids responsibly. I wouldn't allow foreign jollies because not every child's family could afford to send them. What a way to demonstrate the difference between the 'haves' and the 'have nots' and throw it in their faces! Some families could afford to send the whole class, some comfortably afford to send their own child. I've known some get into debt to enable their child to go and then there are those who simply can't afford it. Let parents take their children on foreign holidays.

My old primary school used to take us on Educational Cruises (B&I) which were a part of what P&O Cruises now is. That was 50 odd years ago and I still remember how exotic Madeira seemed with it's flower market etc... if the parents can afford it, she will get a lot out of it rather than spending 2 weeks in a spanish costa swimming pool, the trips have to have educational value and you don't want to see the amount of risk assessments that are done these days.

The school trips I went on were in residential establishments owned by local authorities, run by staff who handed control of the visit over to the teachers and who had to be paid for every activity they accompanied, and who to sleep in the building at night so if there was a fire the onus was on the school staff to evacuate the premises, after having been shown the procedure once. Unsurprisingly , most of them have closed or only cater for adults.
Plus entertaining the children in the evenings until bedtime, making them hot drinks, administering medicines, patrolling the corridors and of course, dealing with bed-wetting and worse, homesickness and nightmares. Supervising wash times, insisting on suitable clothing and footwear for walks, sorting out packed lunches ( I can't eat that), no time away from the children until you went to bed, and then returning home on Sunday night and being ignored by parents with not one word of thanks. No time off in lieu, so a 12 day week without a break.
The cost of taking children on commercial school trips is phenomenal; I have accompanied two, and I wouldn't trust the care of my children to some of the adults employed.
There is a liaison between some of the Academy Trusts and these commercial enterprises, as in school uniform packages.
Free holiday fro teachers!

Whilst I endorse trying to get children as independent as possible I think 9 years is a little too young for school trips abroad. Senior school by all means. My DGD2 started school last September only 3 days after she had turned 4. I thought she was too young especially as she’s so small for her age but she has coped admirably. I can’t imagine her at 9 going abroad without her parents though.

Difficult one. Would expect staff ratios to be at least 1:8 with a spare….if they’ve had all child injections should be fine. I’d leave it to parents to decide, their prerogative to say yes or no. How long is the trip for? I went abroad on a cruise when I was 16, brilliant experience but then I was older.
As for walking home from school..depends on routes and hazards. I hid behind a tree watching the first few times.

March

If the parents are ok with it and the child is excited to go, please don't ruin it by putting YOUR anxiety and worrying onto them.

You don't want her to go, not because she doesn't want to go, but to make you feel better and to stop your worrying even if she misses out on something she wants to do.

Agreed. Perfect answer.

Is it to Athens, as otherwise there would be no educational benefit?
What about Olympia? Probably of more interest to a 9 year old who would have heard all about the Olympics.
What about looking at cultural differences, currency exchange, how the passport system works, different foods, the different alphabet, etc? Educational experiences happen all around us when you are that age and no less so than when you are abroad.

Joseann

Hmm it seems very strange to me to be taking 9 year olds on a school trip to Greece. Is it to Athens, as otherwise there would be no educational benefit? The school travel companies I know of don't offer such trips until Key Stage 4, so is the school organising their own?
Would need to know more information.

Why would you think that only Athens affords appropriate educational benefit?
I recently holidayed in Crete where there were lots of school parties of all nationalities enjoying the culture and historic venues such as Knossos. Greece is full of interesting historic sites.

I 100% know my daughter would not allow this trip nor would I, nor would my friends. Far too young far to soon. You have every right to worry. Busy airports, to many children to little staff.

Joseann

Hmm it seems very strange to me to be taking 9 year olds on a school trip to Greece. Is it to Athens, as otherwise there would be no educational benefit? The school travel companies I know of don't offer such trips until Key Stage 4, so is the school organising their own?
Would need to know more information.

The educational value is great in that she will see another culture and how those people live. Different architecture, different food, different climate, different art etc. Seeing and experiencing these things will expand her life view generally and open her up to more possibilities in her later life.
What a fantastic opportunity.
I am quite sure the school will have things highly organised. I think they will be well aware of their responsibilities.
I think it’s quite natural to be a bit fearful but try and reign it in and see the positives if you can. Her parents seem to be ok with it.

Personally I would say primary aged children should not go . Wait until they are at least 14 or 15. More in favour of activity holidays here in UK. Also hugely inflated prices for these trips are so difficult for parents to fund. Recently a friends daughter paid over two thousand pounds for a
6 night 7 day trip and items that won't be reused by her as will be outgrown. Their family holiday could not then be afforded and delayed until next year. . I understand completly that that was a choice they made but even so what will their 10 year old get from it , not value for money for sure.
Also teachers taking on the responsibility for a group of children 24/7 not for me thanks !

Schools have very strict guidelines about trips anywhere. They have to have the correct staff/pupil ratio, to have completed stringent risk assessments and usually use companies who are used to providing these services to accommodate the children. Of course, every now and then something goes awry but it is a very small percentage against the huge number of trips which are very successful and rewarding.
Whilst I see you might think that 9 is too young, I think it very much depends on the emotional maturity of the young person themselves. Regardless of what you think, it is her parents' prerogative to decide what is in the best interests of their child.

eazybee

^Maybe the teachers fancied a free holiday.^

Have you ever been on a residential school trip?

I have, on many, and holiday is not what i would call them.

I think a lot depends on the company the school is travelling with. My children all went on activity holidays where the teachers really weren't needed during the day, they only saw the children in the evening and for meals if they were at the centre.
We used to have Italian teachers staying with us whilst their children were here for one or two week courses, staying with host families. They were not involved in the classes and only went with the children when they had a day out in London - and that WAS hard work. They were really only needed if a child was ill.

My 8 year old granddaughter went on an overnight school trip recently and loved it, but they were worried beforehand that she would change her mind at bedtime and were prepared to go and fetch her if necessary as it wasn't far away.
She and her sister have also been to very organised Brownie camps with a lot to keep them busy. I know that the Greece trip isn't happening now, but it does seem an odd choice for such young children.
My other 8 year old granddaughter is nowhere near going away on a trip, she found going on a sleepover pretty daunting!

Maybe the teachers fancied a free holiday.

Have you ever been on a residential school trip?

I have, on many, and holiday is not what i would call them.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Mine never went abroad in primary school, sounds pretty expensive? Maybe the teachers fancied a free holiday. I don't think that all school trips are very interesting, unless they're real "adventure" holiday with lots of activities that you'd never do with them at home.
I don't blame you for worrying, the idea of looking after a whole group of schoolchildren in the water is risky, unless it's a very organised holiday run by a specialist company.

It’s not your role to allow or forbid such a trip. We sent our son off on trips with his choir, but we leave him and d-in-law to decide what’s appropriate for their children.

Have you had any treatment for your anxiety? I didn’t realise I suffered from anxiety linked to depression, which I did know about. Anxiety is quite a burden to carry.