What would you do?

Hi everyone. I don't post often, mainly lurk, but I'm after a bit of advice.

My son's primary school have just sent out an e-mail with an attachment about a "Whole School Walk" which is taking place as part of Citizenship Week. Their reasons are:

The aims of this activity are:
• To highlight the attractive aspects of the local environment and encourage respect for it.
• To promote the work of the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and raise money to support their activities.
• To promote walking as an enjoyable and stimulating activity.
• To enjoy a winter stroll with family and friends.

I have a real issue with this as the local woods they are going to are in a conservation area and are ancient medieval woods. I don't think that having about 400 people tramping through it (in a 2 hour period) is actually a very good idea (especially given te ground conditions at the moment) and is more likely to cause harm than good. I also think there is real potential for losing children. I find the third reason quite patronising and don't see what enjoying a winter stroll with family and friends actually has to do with school work!! They are also expecting everyone to donate £1 to the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust.

Apparently, the Admin staff are also going so there will be no-one in the school at all.

The form sent out doesn't actually give you an option to say no.

What would you do?

Maria

if I felt very strongly against it I would just keep my child off for that day,maybe raise your concerns with the headteacher and they will put your mind at rest, 😀

Like JOJO has said, maybe raise your concerns to the headteacher, or arrange a meeting with him/her and ask him how it is going to be organised, how the children are going to be looked after ie: how many teachers are going to be there and made sure that they don't wander off or approach others using the woods etc. What else they will be doing besides walking - will they be learning about the wildlife, picking of wild flowers, what to find in a wood etc.

Thanks for your replies. I've decided to e-mail the head with my concerns and see how she responds. I'm quite happy to pick my ds up from school at lunchtime if they are unwilling to make arrangements for children who don't go. I think it is a daft idea and not well thought out at all.

Maria