Paying insurance for school trip (walk in to town).

[LynetteScavo]

DS (Y7) is going on a class geography trip, walking to the town center to see what businesses are there, etc.

It's only a 10 min walk to town (I would imagine, never actually done it) and they'll be out all morning.

The school have asked for 50p to cover insurance. I've never come across this before. Is it normal?

Not normal at all.

But then nothing surprises me any more.

Query it (and then tell us what they say). Very odd.

Crazy. The school should have a blanket insurance that covers all "normal" activities- walking to town would be in this category.

You'd need to pay insurance if he was going skiing with the school, but it would be covered in the advertised cost.

If its a state school I don't think they can do this. If it is private then I'd be very very worried about their financial state.

It's a state school....DS has said the actual cost of the insurance is actually £1.50, but the school are asking for a contribution of only 50p. The school is in an affluent area, so not sure why they are only asking for 1/3.

DS hasn't actually handed the money or permission slip in yet...they are now very worn and crumpled in his blazer pocket!

I will email the school, and let you know the response!

That's hilarious.

Ds's private school tried to automatically enrol me in their insurance scheme. I refused to pay saying that if he were seriously injured due to their negligence I would sue them under their public liability that they must legally hold.

If he was injured through no ones fault (sports accident, tripping up etc) I'd just have to take the consequences the same as i would in everyday life!

Medical insurance is compulsory at dds school but that's due to the increased likelihood of injury & needing specialist physio etc.

My DC have always had such trips for free, and if they are a required part of the curriculum they have to be free (eg. GCSE Geography trip to town to count people), even if they incur costs such as coach hire - they can ask for a voluntary donation.
They don't need special insurance to leave school premises, just appropriate permission. If it is so risky that it isn't covered by their normal insurance my DC wouldn't be going. (By year 7 most children travel to school by themselves.)

I am responsible for arranging the insurances at our school. I don't even know how you'd go about getting this kind of insurance for a one off walk. Ask to see the policy

Sounds odd to me. We now have to increase the costs of trips to include the costs of teacher cover. Walking into town is never charged for.

I think they must have costed out how much the insurance is and are trying to recoup some of the costs from those doing the activities. It sounds reasonable to me, I'd send the 50p.

There's no way insurance to cover half a day and 30 kids walking into town costs £15, even if they have tried to cost it out.

I'd probably send the 50p as a donation to the school too, or just because I'd be embarrassed not to, but it really isn't for insurance