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Original poster

Refunds in School Trips.

32 replies

Justturned50 · 28/02/2018 15:50

Posting here for traffic. I've withdrawn my DS 14 from a 5 day trip to Paris and Disney as he is suffering from anxiety and won't be well enough to cope with the itinerary. Recent events mean that if I didn't pull him out the school would say he couldn't go. Does anyone have experience of getting a refund on a school trip due to illness?

OP posts:
SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 28/02/2018 15:52

I suspect you would need a sick note, to get a refund for illness.

Wolfiefan · 28/02/2018 15:53

I would expect the same. Is the whole year going or is there enough time for someone else to take the spot?

Sirzy · 28/02/2018 15:53

What is the insurance policy?

PlanNumber · 28/02/2018 15:56

It will be the same as any other holiday. You need to fulfill the conditions of the insurance and make a claim. So probably a doctor's note.

soapboxqueen · 28/02/2018 16:03

I'm would assume you'd have to claim on your own insurance.

Notso · 28/02/2018 16:23

Two of my DC's friends have pulled out of school trips due to illness. One was a couple of months before, and got a full refund minus deposit. Had school been able to find another student to go in their place then they would have had a full refund.
The other one was the day before the trip and they just got the cost of food and transport refunded.

LittleOwl153 · 28/02/2018 16:25

Think I'd have been inclined to let the school make the call if you were wanting money back...

NewYearNewMe18 · 28/02/2018 16:26

I would ask the school if they have a waiting list for places, eg can another parent 'buy' your place.

But, having organised many of these trips, there should be something in the details eg non refundable deposit, etc. The majority of trips are booked on numbers so if one drops out the price for the other participants would go up. That wouldn't be fair on the others who may have their backs to the wall financially.

Original poster
Justturned50 · 28/02/2018 17:42

Trip is in a month and was oversubscribed so I feel that a replacement could be found, but school is basically saying they can't be bothered. Another member of staff said that he wouldn't be allowed to go so I thing I have to go down that route.

I'm not expecting it all back but there must be some costs that could be refunded.

OP posts:
soapboxqueen · 28/02/2018 18:19

I think it's a different matter if the school are saying he can't go. Did you get anything official or just a comment by a teacher?

Discusting · 28/02/2018 18:22

If they are travelling on a group passport it will be too late the change the name on it and replace him with someone else.

If you sont have your own travel insurance then getting a refund is unlikely I’m afraid as the school can’t afford to be out of pocket.

KittyVonCatsington · 28/02/2018 18:25

Trip is in a month and was oversubscribed so I feel that a replacement could be found, but school is basically saying they can't be bothered.

When was this trip first organised OP? You are basically saying in 4 weeks they have to find a parent who will stump up full payment at the last minute, which may well be more difficult than you realise. It really is very late in the day.
Everything will have been paid for-it may be that the school can’t get a refund from there organisation doing the trip (I have helped to organise a Disney Paris Music trip before).
It doesn’t mean that you can’t try but please don’t assume it is the school just being difficult in this instance.

RabbityMcRabbit · 28/02/2018 18:29

If you're only a month away from travelling it's very late in the day to be expecting a refund. The school has committed itself financially to your son's place. You don't give much info about why he has been told he isn't allowed to go, but at the very least you would need a letter from a doctor explaining why he can't go so the school can pass this on to its insurance company for a refund.

SweetMoon · 28/02/2018 18:36

Why are they saying he isn't allowed to go though? That doesn't make any sense.

If he feels too anxious to go that's his decision, I can't see the school saying he can't go just because he's worried about going. Has he been playing up? So effectively banned from going and you're blaming that on him being worried about the trip?

Blinkyblink · 28/02/2018 18:37

Absolutely nothing to do with the school

And everything to do with whether you have travel insurance for your son in place

shushpenfold · 28/02/2018 18:37

Ask the school about their insurance policy. My Dd was ill for her trip and with a drs letter (which I paid for) we could receive a full refund.

Original poster
Justturned50 · 28/02/2018 18:46

Thanks for the responses.

The kids are all on their own passports and we've suggested that anyone wanting to take his place could pay a reduced amount in installments as we did initially. Sadly no separate insurance.

H
e was on another trip and had such a bad panic attack that we had to do a 1700 mile round trip to bring him home. School have said that can't take the risk on that happening again.

We're going to look at the trip insurance and seek advice from our GP.

OP posts:
YellowMakesMeSmile · 28/02/2018 18:47

You'd have to ask the school if they have insurance you can claim from and see what the criteria is.

You can't expect them to find a replacement within a month, unless you are in a wealthy area where parents can afford trips like this at the drop of a hat.

Original poster
Justturned50 · 28/02/2018 18:48

Thanks "shush" I think that's probably the best option.

OP posts:
Original poster
Justturned50 · 28/02/2018 18:50

"Blinky" the school manage the insurance for the trip.

OP posts:
BewareOfDragons · 28/02/2018 18:55

I would like to think that you'd have a very strong argument for a full refund if THE SCHOOL is saying he can't go because they're afraid he might have a panic attack and want to go home. They've made the decision, not you. I would press them on that if I were you.

Blinkyblink · 01/03/2018 07:37

Justturned50

If you had an annual travel insurance policy in place for your family, you could claim on that. Subject to you getting a letter from your Doc saying travel is unadvisable.

Same applies with school Insurance.

However you will need letter from GP confirming unadvisable and there may well be an exclusion for mental health issues.

I say this from perspective of someone who worked 10 years in insurance

bunbunny · 01/03/2018 11:43

Surely if your ds has suffered from anxiety on a school trip before they should have known to say that they weren't prepared to take the risk long before now... preferably before you booked, especially if it was an over-subscribed trip.

And if he has had to come home before that might count against him if you want to claim on insurance (school or your own) as they will say it's a pre-existing/foreseeable condition (or something along those lines) and thus refuse it.

I would definitely press the school to say that as they are not letting him go on the trip (assuming that a teacher said this to you) and given that the school have arranged insurance for the trip then you want to claim for your son from that insurance - no point in letting them fob you off. If they haven't arranged good enough cover, then it's pretty worrying and you should be angry with them for that.

I would also take matters into your own hands regarding somebody else getting the place - is there a class or year or school messaging system, facebook page, twitter account etc that you could put a message on to see if there is anyone that would like the place and if so to contact you so that you can both go to the school together to see if they will change it - it's lots easier for the school to fob you off with it not being possible when they haven't got anybody else standing there saying they will pay and take the place.

If you don't try you'll never know - if they are presented with an easy solution (particularly if the replacement is also a boy so they won't need to rethink room allocations etc) they may well go for it.

Good luck!

Original poster
Justturned50 · 01/03/2018 13:00

Thanks Bunny. The trips were both arranged last academic year when he was fine. Anxiety has only come out since Christmas. The trip he came home from was at half term just gone. The next one is at easter so close together.

I've had an email from the school saying that they've decided not to offer the place to anyone else but we've gone back to challenge that and have offered to take the cost in installments after the event if that would help. I might suggest offering to organise that myself. Bad timing that the school is now closed for 2 days!

I'll also ask to see the insurance documents.

OP posts:
londonmummy1966 · 01/03/2018 13:04

DC1 had an injury just before a school trip and was on crutches. Her consultant was happy for her to go but school/activity centre said no. We were initially refunded minus the "non-refundable" deposit. When we pointed out that it was the centre who wouldn't let her go we eventually got the whole amount back. SO if it you can demonstrate that it was the school refusing to take him I'd push really hard for a refund.

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