Dear YR 6 Parents, 

As promised this morning Mrs S Stevens and Mrs King have been working with security teams, Palace of Westminster and the Churchill War Rooms to discuss the proposed school trip on Thursday 19th November 2015. We have taken into account all of your concerns and have made the following decisions to ensure a safe and enjoyable trip for all involved, 

1. The Palace of Westminster visit is clearly the subject of a huge amount of security.  We as a school have been assured that, everything continues as normal and they would contact us if this changed.  They have heightened security and all visitors are being rigorously searched before entry to the buildings.  The periphery of the building is regularly inspected and their is security (armed police) at every entrance. We as a school feel confident that this part of the visit is safe and secure. 

2. Walking in London, lunch and Churchill War Rooms. We can get no assurance that this part of London and the war rooms are as secure and safe as Westminster offices.  They have not heightened the security at this venue and their is no additional security checks being put in place. Therefore we have decided that this element of the visit is not safe and secure enough for our risk assessments and so we will not take the children on this part of the visit. 

So, the final arrangements are: 

Children arrive in school as normal. 

Children will have a snack (please provide) before getting on the coach at approximately 9:30am.

The coach will take the children and staff directly to the Palace of Westminster where security checks are made and entrance to the Palace granted. 

The children will have the tour of the Palace as planned.

2pm the children will have lunch at the Palace education centre.

We are hoping the children will have some time in the small souvenir area please bring no more than £5 for this if you wish your child to have something to bring home. 

Children arrive back at school approximately - 4:30pm. 

We hope that you will all find we have carefully risk assessed the visit and have chosen a suitable day out based on the advice and support of educational and security professionals in this area. Of course, you do still have the right to withdraw your child from the trip should you so wish but the children will still need to be in school for that day and will have research work to undertake, linked to the subject in a sister classroom. 

Unfortunately due to the close date of the trip we, as a school, can not offer any refund. 

Yours Sincerely, 

Mrs S Stevens and Mrs King.