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Original poster

School trip - have paid deposit, ds doesnt want to go. School say I must still pay full amount. Is this right?

24 replies

bunny3 · 10/01/2009 11:47

Ds, Yr 4, is meant to be going on a residential trip in Feb. I paid deposit of £20 and the full amount is due on Monday. Ds has decided he doesnt want to go and I have informed the school. Today I received a letter from the bursar telling me I have to pay full amount (another £67)anyway. Nowhere in the original letter does it say that by paying the deposit one is agreeing to pay the full cost so I do not intend to. Who is right, me or the school?

OP posts:

inscotland · 10/01/2009 11:49

I'd say the school. They may have paid for the residence upfront. The fees may cover other things like insurance, general expenses etc which may already have been paid based on the fact that your DS was going. Might be wrong though.

EldonAve · 10/01/2009 11:50

Unless stated otherwise I'd expect to be able to cancel and lose the deposit

roisin · 10/01/2009 11:52

If you have not had any terms or conditions or an explanation that signing up to the trip involves a commitment to pay the full amount, then you are not liable.

Having said that - as someone who does the admin/finances for several residential trips each year - this sort of thing is extremely frustrating and annoying for the school. The money you were to have paid would have gone towards the transport and the accommmodation/food, which will be booked by now and will have to be paid for. So that money, if you don't pay it, will have to come out of some other school funds that would have been used elsewhere for the benefit of all students.

When did he decide he didn't want to go?

Why does he not want to go? Lots of children get cold feet at this point, and still go along and enjoy it.

Hulababy · 10/01/2009 11:52

If they can't fill the place with another child I can understand why the full cost would still need to be paid.

The cost of the tripp is worked out by dividing all costs between the pupils. If you don't pay the costs still have to be met - where will this money come from?

Original poster

bunny3 · 10/01/2009 11:54

The school claim that the residential centre is unable to refund the school the cost of the trip therefore I have to pay - this echoes what your post says inscotland. However, this wasnt explained in any of the letters about the trip so, like Eldonave, I would expect to be able to cancel and only forfeit the deposit.

OP posts:

scienceteacher · 10/01/2009 11:58

A lot of school trips are paid by installment, rather than a deposit then final amount.

They may have viewed your initial payment as the first installment.

The school will be paying a fixed cost for the field centre based on the number of initial sign-ups. If the numbers drop for any reason, the monney still needs to be paid.

If he has changed his mind, he might change it back again! Why doesn't he want to go?

chopchopbusybusy · 10/01/2009 12:00

I can see why it's a bit annoying, but as others have said the cost will be worked out already and if you don't pay then either the school will have to pay out of their funds, or the cost will increase for the other pupils. If it were me, I'd feel obliged to pay up.

sarah573 · 10/01/2009 12:00

I would only expect to loose the deposit unless I had been told specifically otherwise.

Original poster

bunny3 · 10/01/2009 12:02

posts crossed.

the trip was always £87 so it wasnt based on dividing a total cost between no of pupils going.

roisin, I can see it is frustrating for the school but then they should make it more explicit in the correspondence that you are undertaking to pay the full amount non? Ds is SN and has a few reasons why he doesnt want to go:

severe eczema (will no doubt be set off by itchy bedding);

severe food allergies (this makes me nervous too as I have to vet everything he eats);

Social issues (he has friends but finds the whole social thing hard and is having lots of help at school, has been assessed by paed, EP etc for these problems);

severe and chronic constipation (he has medication for tihs but any change in routine is disruptive and he is understandibly very embarrassed by it).

these are all resons why I understand his hesitation and why I am not going to push him to go.

OP posts:

chopchopbusybusy · 10/01/2009 12:02

And just to add, I'd be having a chat with my DC to explain that once you commit to something like this, you have to follow it through. My DDs know that if I pay in advance for an activity they are expected to go.

chopchopbusybusy · 10/01/2009 12:03

Were there a limited number of places available at #87? If yes, then there will still be a shortfall.

Original poster

bunny3 · 10/01/2009 12:05

Ds was always hesitant. I did explain this to his teacher and we agreed that I would pay the deposit anyway. Chopchop, for the reasons listed I dont want to force him to go. With things like swimming lessons, yes I do make him complete the course once he has committed to going and it has been paid for but this is different, it is residential and he is still very young (a very young 8 with a variety of SN).

Will feel bad at school having to pay out but they should take it up with the residental centre - a large part of the cost is 3 days of food which he wont be having.

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lou031205 · 10/01/2009 12:05

Surely a deposit is just that? A deposit securing a place on the trip. The contract is only made when full payment is received, or the service has been provided.

I would say that although inconvenient for the school, if the term used was 'deposit' rather than 'first installment' you are in the clear.

However, you should look at your school handbook to see if there is anything explicit that states that all places booked must be paid for in full, and what the exceptions are i.e. sickness.

Having said that, if your son originally wanted to go and you have paid money, then I think that in parenting terms, it might be wise to explore his reasons, try to resolve, and if they aren't good reasons insist he go as a life-lesson. But that is a separate issue.

Original poster

bunny3 · 10/01/2009 12:08

I would be so proud of him for going, I know it will be difficult for him but if he were to overcome his fears he would have a huge sense of achievement. Maybe I should start another thread about coercing ones child into going on a trip!

OP posts:

Original poster

bunny3 · 10/01/2009 12:10

Lou, the first payment is referred to as a deposit not first installment. I am sure it is common practice to lose a deposit but not the unpaid full amount. surely noone would pay the full cost of a holiday if the had to cancel once a deposit had been paid??

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roisin · 10/01/2009 12:17

In order to avoid this scenario at my school we insist on payments by instalments. So for a £340 trip in June this year we have to pay the travel co £35 in October then the balance in May.

Parents have to pay the school £70 in Sep/Oct, £50 in December, £110 in Feb and £110 in April. Once payments are made they are non-refundable unless (in the early stages) a replacement is found to take the space.

This sort of system is a pain to administer (chasing every payment with at least half of the students), but it is necessary to avoid the situation you have caused.

roisin · 10/01/2009 12:19

In your position I would ask for a meeting with someone who is running the trip and yourself and your son. Inform them in advance of some of your/his concerns and see what attempts they are able to make to relieve his worries and address his needs.

Original poster

bunny3 · 10/01/2009 12:20

Sounds an admin nightmare Roisin! We are just discussing whether or not to insist ds goes.

OP posts:

Original poster

bunny3 · 10/01/2009 12:21

Roisin, he has an excellent teacher who is going. Perhaps he could talk to ds, ds worships him! Good idea.

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compo · 10/01/2009 12:22

from your post stating the reasons why he can't go, wll they be providing staff qualified to look after him properly while he is away?

LiffeyOink · 10/01/2009 12:25

Yes deposit is usually taken to mean securing your place, but if you don't want the place you lose the deposit. Taht's fair.

Otherwise it's called an instalment

roisin · 10/01/2009 12:30

I think it's important to not spend too much time agonising with him over the decision, as that will make him worry more. I would investigate a few facts yourself, discuss with the teacher asap, find out (for instance) whether school and the centre appreciate his food allergies are real and serious not just faddy eating, etc. Then you make the decision, and tell him it is final.

We take older children, but I have been through all sorts of processes with children with nut allergies, epilepsy, all sorts of medical conditions, extremely fussy eaters, homesick, worried in advance about going, autism, etc. We do all we can in advance to ensure we are well-prepared and making whatever arrangements we can to meet their additional needs, and then also work extremely hard during the trip itself to ensure everyone is safe and happy.

lou031205 · 10/01/2009 12:42

I am so sorry Bunny, I didn't see your post re: his SN when I posted about life-lessons.

I think that on balance, if your Son is going to find it that hard, then he should be able to tell you he doesn't want to go. I should imagine that some of those conditions would be quite embarrassing for him if he gets into difficulties.

I do think you should be able to stand your ground re: the deposit.

roisin · 15/01/2009 22:59

Is there an update on this?

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