Mum slams school as children 'up in arms' over end of year celebrations

A mother has slammed her daughter’s primary school for not celebrating the end of her step up to secondary school properly.

Samantha North said 11-year-old Lea would be going on a two-day residential trip to celebrate the end of Year 6 – but other schools nearby had been offered four-day trips, discos and barbecues.

The mother of five said Hellingly Community Primary School should be offering more for her daughter and other pupils - and she thought parents would be happy to foot the bill.

Samantha, 34, said: “My daughter is up in arms about it, saying it’s not fair.

“I really think we should celebrate children when we have done really well. To not celebrate them kind of upsets me a little bit.

“I think there are a lot of other kids who feel the same way.

Hellingly Primary School (Image: Google Street View)

“Lea’s sister left the school during Covid and got a week-long residential trip, a silent disco and a barbecue.

“The school says it’s because of cost but we would pay it. If every parent just chipped in £20 they could do something nice.”

Samantha, who lives in Horam with her partner Luke, 33, and their children, said the school had offered a two-day residential trip for Year 6 pupils.

But she said other schools in the Rampion Federation had been offered longer trips and extras including a disco.

Hellingly Community Primary is run by the Rampion Federation, which also oversees Grovelands Primary School in Hailsham.

The criticism comes ahead of school pupils breaking up for the summer holidays in the next couple of weeks.

Hellingly Primary refused to comment on the complaint.