Thread: School Trips and Mobile Phones

ds (Year 8) is off on a field trip tomorrow until Friday . Got a note confirming last details last night by email and they are allowed to take a mobile to use for half an hour each evening. Bearing in mind they are with their friends and this is the fourth or fifth school residential trip for most (none of previous have allowed phones), for just 2 nights, within the UK, why on earth would they need access to a phone ! He doesn't have one and I would n't have had time to go and buy one today anyway.

What rules apply elsewhere ?

DD4's school don't allow mobile phones on school trips, but I know some of the girls do sneak them away with them. If he doesn't have a phone and has never felt the need of a phone then don't get one just for the trip.

Lol, I misread that as Age 8 to start with!!

I don't know what the rules are at this school yet but I really don't think it's necessary! What are they going to do, text each other from across the dinner table?

What age is Year 8 - it's a different system here so don't know what age applies. DD is in 6th class, 11\12 year olds and any school trip they are on they are not allowed phones at all. We have the school mobile number, which one of the adults on the trip would have, so if an urgent message needs to be given to a child then the group are contactable. Not sure why they'd NEED a phone.

DS went on a residential when he was in year 6 and they were not allowed mobiles, we got a daily text to let us know what they had been doing. I don't think they are necessary for a residential

They're 12 / 13 yr olds. I'm afraid I just fail to see the need. ds, and the others, survived a week on a French exchange with no phone contact (he didn't even email us !) with us getting the odd general update via school/form rep. He's perfectly happy not to have one and really this is just one day away. I knew they let them have them for a recent tour abroad, on which ds didn't go, and also for the big leavers' trip at end of Year 8 but think this is unnecessary .

I survived a whole childhood without a mobile, or a computer, or a tv in my room (my best mate didn't have a tv in the whole house!!!). I only got a bloody walkman (size of a house) when I got reasonable exam results @ 16 - those were the days when the A grade were only given to the highly intelligent, remember those days?

tell you what, my kids are gonna hate me

Originally Posted by Ginnygin

I survived a whole childhood without a mobile, or a computer, or a tv in my room (my best mate didn't have a tv in the whole house!!!). I only got a bloody walkman (size of a house) when I got reasonable exam results @ 16 - those were the days when the A grade were only given to the highly intelligent, remember those days?

Exactly - and we're not letting him take his ipod touch or ds either, just his original GBA ! He must look so uncool but they're not there to entertain themselves and the potential to lose them causes more issues.

Originally Posted by Ginnygin

I survived a whole childhood without a mobile, or a computer, or a tv in my room (my best mate didn't have a tv in the whole house!!!). I only got a bloody walkman (size of a house) when I got reasonable exam results @ 16 - those were the days when the A grade were only given to the highly intelligent, remember those days?

Oh yeps, I remember those days, and imo they were better (I sound like my Mother!!). I seemed to have a lot more fun generally than my children seem to sometimes ......
I also remember the coveted A grade O Level .... I got ONE and thought I was Einstein!