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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to ask for school trip money back

137 replies

georgiadronea · 07/05/2018 08:36

DD was sick last night, so although she is absolutely fine now and perky as anything she can't go to school for 48hrs after the last time she was sick (so will now wednesday if no further sickness).

Problem is she was due to go on a school trip tuesday, I don't want to be too outing but the trip was between £15-20, I'm a single parent so this was a bit of a squeeze but I put aside a little for the few weeks and managed to pay it at the last minute.

Now she is unable to go this seems an unnecessary expense that could go towards something important or just a little something to cheer her up after missing the trip but having not been in this position before WIBU to ask the teacher if this is possible??

OP posts:

Masterbuilders · 07/05/2018 12:19

Of course you can be sick once and still be ill. It’s people thinking like this and sending their well child into school. That cause the problems we are now having where so many people have come down with it. They will close the school if parents can’t be responsible. Not to mention it puts children at risk is they have certain medical conditions and staff.

We’ve all just had Noro. Confirmed as son has a medical issue. He was ill for days. Ds2 got it and was sick twice then absolutely fine 6 hours later. Could’ve gone to school with no time off. Other two Ds’s vomiting for two days. Husband was sick twice but rough. I was sick once then fine, I could’ve gone to work. However wasn’t allowed.

Seriously what nonsense on this thread. Good job op has some common sense and consideration.

Mumofkids · 07/05/2018 12:27

@masterbuilders you are describing a completely different scenario. You knew it was a serious bug because it went through your family and they had various different symptoms. The problem is not the parents who think things over and compare and research, it's the ones who's kid is sick in the morning and they still send them into school. You are barking up the wrong tree. I've lost count of the number of times mine have been sat next to someone who's puked that day and ends up getting sent home.
Unfortunately they don't close schools when they should and that is a massive problem. You had a week off work because you kids caught Noro. You should blame the school of anyone not other parents as you have no proof. Kids get ill. And goodon your school for saying they will close.

Dancergirl · 07/05/2018 13:56

Can't believe all the people saying send her in, absolutley disgusting

Totally agree. And those who are saying it can't be a bug as she was only sick twice - complete rubbish. My dd picked up a sickness bug at Center Parcs, she was only sick a couple of times but it was definitely a bug - dd1 got it a few days later. People are affected in different ways, some people only suffer symptoms only mildly but can pass it on others who get it worse.

OP, please don't send her in. And definitely it's worth asking the school if it's possible to get your money back.

Mousefunky · 07/05/2018 13:59

Personally I would send her. If she doesn’t vomit today and she’s fine in herself still in the morning, send her. You won’t get a refund, I lost out on school trip money once when DD had chicken pox. Nothing could be done and I had to suck it up.

Fluffybat · 07/05/2018 14:55

Just noticed all comments about packed lunches. All KS1 children are entitled to a free hot dinner and so are entitled to a free packed lunch. In addition to this, any KS2 children who have free school meals should also be offered a school packed lunch. I teach KS2 and we always offer school packed lunches to those who normally have hot dinners. The majority say no as they love taking their own packed lunch on a trip. Some do take the school packed lunch and it's fab. I've bought it myself a few times. A sandwich on wholemeal bread, a chunk of cheese, two pieces of fruit, vegetable sticks and some homemade cake. School dinners have improved!

Peaspleaselouise · 07/05/2018 15:58

I can’t believe everyone advocating keeping quiet and sending their child in anyway despite the 48 hour rule. It’s there for a reason. You’re saying that you have to take the time off work - well yes, and so will the next person whose child your little one passes the bug too and they won’t have had the weekend so they’ll have to take longer too.

And what about immunosuppressed kids? And their families - who may be on a waiting list for a major op or having cancer treatment. Not really very fair, is it.

Think you need to just suck it up unfortunately.

Wolfiefan · 07/05/2018 16:04

My DD was sick just the once. It was a big because she kindly gave it to me.
It's a pain about the school trip but it won't suddenly cost the school £20 less if one child is off. They still have to cover the transport etc.

GoJohnnyGoGoGoGo · 07/05/2018 16:07

I doubt they'll give it back. They would have calculated the cost of the trip per pupil. As it's such short notice they won't be able to fill her space and if they refund you the trip could run on a loss.

PattiStanger · 07/05/2018 16:16

RTFT everyone, there is NO COST OF TRANSPORT

Mumofkids · 07/05/2018 16:16

@fluffybat that's great at your school, our schools packed lunches are dreadful. And since the ks1 free meals the quality and selection of school meals offered has fallen drastically, particularly if you're vegetarian.

chocolateworshipper · 07/05/2018 16:45

At the school where I work, the child can go back to school if it has been at least 24 hours since they were last sick - so as long as she wasn't sick after 8.30 this morning, she'd be fine to go on the trip tomorrow. The money would only be refunded if you had a doctor's note because then they could claim it off their insurance.

Audree · 07/05/2018 16:52

There is no harm in asking for your money back. The worst thing it can happen is that they’ll say no. They might even make an exception to the rule, if there is one.
There had been times when I asked for my money back - and I got it back even if it was against the policy.
Many times I don’t and I consider it a donation.

blueskypink · 07/05/2018 16:59

If she was only sick last night and is fine today I don't for one minute believe she has a bug. She would definitely have some symptoms - temperature/tummy ache/headache.

If she is still fine tomorrow morning I would definitely send her in.

It could well be something she ate, even if you all had the same thing. It only takes one small area of food to be contaminated. I once got salmonella from a family meal out. DM and I had exactly the same food.

blueskypink · 07/05/2018 18:28

Oh, and as money is so tight for you I absolutely would ask what the policy is on refunds if you decide not to send your dd in.

Original poster

georgiadronea · 08/05/2018 11:01

I kept DD off today, I couldn't get through to the school office to ask advice about the sickness, she is still absolutely fine and full of beans so its likely it was the sun or maybe something funny we ate.

I also added to the absence message to ask if they could call me back in regards to what happens on a paid trip if the child doesn't attend. When they call back I will just ask if it was paid upfront or on the day and go from there. I don't "need" the money bad enough I want it taken from the school's budget but if it was to be paid to the venue today and DD wasn't there then having the money back (especially having had to take morning off from work - GPs watching her for the afternoon) would be a big help.

OP posts:

woosey35 · 08/05/2018 17:59

A lot of folk saying send her in. I really don’t think you should!! There are children that have weak immune systems that you’d be putting at risk. Maybe your daughter caught a bug, and was only sick twice as her immune system was stronger.
There’s a reason for the 48hr rule!! I can’t believe pp’s are overlooking this!!

ilovemakkapakka · 08/05/2018 18:27

I think you have been v responsible in keeping her off and if I were a teacher I would want to refund the money so as not to penalise people who do the right thing

wildchild554 · 08/05/2018 18:52

At our school even if my kids have a bout of reflux and projectile vomit we also have to follow the 48hr rule even though once we treat the reflux and they're completely fine but quite simply because you can never be 100% sure its not a bug. I've questioned this before as in trouble with attendance because of the amount of times kids have been off ill over this year and even then they still say must follow 48hr rule.

WaxOnFeckOff · 08/05/2018 19:15

I think 48 hours is erring on the side of caution. depending on when she was sick you could be looking at 40 plus hours after sickness before the trip. If she is genuinely fine on Tuesday morning (and has been since she was sick) then I'd anti bac her and take her in with a light lunch of her own.

ChopOrNot · 08/05/2018 19:32

If it helps Schools cannot make a "profit" from school trips - so if they have not paid upfront (non-refundable from the venue) then they should refund you. So do not worry about asking.

If it is paid and non-refundable then there is little they can do.

MsDugong · 08/05/2018 19:38

I hope so,some called you back OP. Well done for not sending her in.

My children's school have had a couple of sickness bugs spread like wildfire because of parents like some on this thread. The assumption that a child being sick only once or twice means it can't be a bug is absolute bollocks. It also makes me really angry. I remember one like that that spread through the school so badly that one class ended up with over half the children off at the same time. It hit every single year group with vomit in classrooms, toilets on staff...yuk! The majority of children only vomited once or twice (so probably too many parents sent their. children in, causing it to spread so much). But a few children were very ill for a couple of weeks. One child had to be kept off for over a week, just as a precaution, because of a suppressed immune system.

If you're child has been sick and you cannot be utterly sure why, keep them off!!!

Hushhush89 · 08/05/2018 20:15

No wonder sickness spreads round schools like they do... How can you all say 'if she seems fine send her in'. What happens if it turns out she was sick at school and then she could pass it on to others...

Schools say 48hours after last episode for a reason and that's to try and stop illness spreading....

Sorry OP can't help with your problem as haven't been in that position yet but it's definitely something I will be asking school about as I wouldn't want to lose out if dc can't make trip due to illness, especially when some can cost a fortune x

blueskypink · 08/05/2018 21:25

No wonder sickness spreads round schools like they do... How can you all say 'if she seems fine send her in'.

Quite easily. She was sick on Sunday night and apparently 'fine and perky' yesterday morning. If, as the op suggests, she had no other symptoms since being sick - no temperature, tummy ache etc and continued to be fine this morning, then what's the problem?

Pastaagain78 · 08/05/2018 21:32

Good decision OP. Well done. Sick once and then fine can absolutely be a bug. DS was sick once and then fine, unfortunately he gave it to my poor DM who is has health issues and she was ill for a month.

woosey35 · 08/05/2018 21:43

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