Signed up for a school trip which ds nolonger wants to go on ( being bullied) but I still have to stump up the cash. Any wise words for me or help?

[bananaknickers]

To be honest I don't feel right about sending him either. He is very depressed about this.

I have paid a deposit only but signed a form to say I would pay the rest in full if we backed out after October. Have a legal leg to stand on?

I would go to the head and say "DS does not want to go on this trip because he is being bullied by X. I want a full refund of my deposit and I will not be paying the balance."

It says on the form that we have to stump up unless the space is filled. I asked her if she would make an effort to fill it and she said probaly nobody wants to go now. Trip is in April.

Can they take me to court?

I would plead extenuating circumstances. If the school managed to sort the bullying presumably your DS would still want to go?

SCHOOLS FAULT your son doesntwant to go tell them t hat

Have you reported any of the bullying to the school and asked them to deal with it? (sorry if I have missed your threads on this). If this is the first the school will have heard of it, then i would expect them to feel a bit aggrieved if you do not pay if you have taken the problem to them and asked them to deal with it - and they have not, then it is their repsonsibility, i think, that they have not made it possible for your DS to feel comfortable about going.

Could they do anything now to help and make sure he is protected? It seems a big shame that he should miss out because of bad behaviour by others.

Presumably they have had to pay the costs?

What blu said. If your ds is being bullied the school need to remedy that

Surely the bullying is the bigger issue here - I would be tackling the school about how they intend to deal with this and discuss the trip as a secondary concern. Because presumably your ds is being bullied now - I wouldn't even be thinking about the trip until that had been dealt with. The school could whistle for their money! After all, you can take them to court if they don't address bullying concerns.

Yes I have spoken to the school about this. Last time I spoke to them was only about a month ago.

Last year I had to take him to the GP because he was kicked in the stomach so hard. This child was sorted.

I started working at the school a couple of weeks ago. He came to me in tears because they had been saying " you have a fat mum" and basically being horrible about me. I only work in the kitchen, so have no influence over the teachers.

Got to go to work now but will be back later. Thanks. I have made another appointment tonight about the bullying.

Is it a big, expensive trip - i.e. overseas one with travel insurance?

Someone I knew took child to the GP because they were being bullied at school. GP wrote a letter, and that meant they could claim in full on the travel insurance.

I woud see the head firstly to say that the bullying has continued since you last spoke, and that consequently your DS does not wish to go on the school trip, Tell him you will not be paying, i'm sure you wont be forced to as the school wont like you bringing up the subject of bullying any further than the head and yourself. They cannot guarantee your sons safety if he is being bullied and that there is no chance he is being placed in that situation. Nobody will sue, pretty much 100% sure of that.
good luck