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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

passports and school trips

20 replies

MaKettle · 16/03/2014 22:08

My Yr 7 daughter is going on a school trip at the beginning of July. The school has requested that she bring in her passport and EHIC card at the beginning of April, which the school then plans to keep for three months until the children go on the trip. Is this normal practice? The school is not applying for a collective passport. Although I'm happy to take in her passport so they can check and photocopy it, and to provide it a reasonable time in advance of the trip, it seems to me that 3 months is not a reasonable time period to keep a child's passport.

They are going to France for 4 days, ffs.

OP posts:

meditrina · 16/03/2014 22:11

I suppose they want to check that all are in date when there's still time to fix it if not.

Our school tends to do this by mildly menacing letter several weeks ahead (then take actual documents about a fortnight before).

Delphiniumsblue · 16/03/2014 22:11

I'm sure that if you need the passport they will give it it you, and if you don't need it where is the problem?

NCISaddict · 16/03/2014 22:14

DS's school always ask for them but by the time I get round to sending it in it's always about a month before. I don't mind unless we are going away in the interim as it does mean no panic the day before he goes.

HPparent · 16/03/2014 22:17

No, you are asked to provide a photocopy at booking and then bring it on the day.

Original poster

MaKettle · 16/03/2014 22:41

Thanks all for feedback - that sounds more reasonable.

OP posts:

Marmitelover55 · 16/03/2014 22:55

My DD1 in year 7 is also going to France, but in May. We have been asked to send in passport and EHIC, but they just photocopied them and we got them back straight away. This seems a bit OTT to me.

Picturesinthefirelight · 16/03/2014 23:05

Dd is going to France in a weeks time & we had to take in her passport & Eihc card at the end of Jan.

titchy · 17/03/2014 07:58

Our school also asks for them in advance - firstly to check they're in date, and no visa required if its not an eu passport, secondly as they have experience of kids turning up at the airport without it. Obviously if the child needs it then they give it back!

By the way no such thing as group passports these days!

TeenAndTween · 17/03/2014 09:29

We have to fill out a form around 4 months in advance with all the numbers etc. That means if you suddenly realise it is out of date you have time to sort it!

Then they have to be handed in a week or two in advance.

nipersvest · 17/03/2014 09:40

sounds like good planning to me to hand it is early. dh works for a uni and goes on an international trip with the students every year, and despite all the planning etc, you'd be amazed how many times the students turn up with an out of date passport, incorrect visa's, or even without their passport completely. one year, a student had to get her dad to drive from his home, to her uni house, pick up her passport and then drive with it to heathrow, the student had to wait on their own and get a later flight out. and these are 20 yr olds who are supposedly old enough to be responsible for themselves.

nowahousewife · 17/03/2014 09:47

Normally the school asks for passport, ethic, esta etc takes copies and returns to you. Then passport taken in a week or so before the trip.

Original poster

MaKettle · 17/03/2014 09:49

Thanks again for all your responses: useful to get some comparisons.I've no problem with planning ahead (checking/photocopying all passports now) and then bringing passports in say 2 weeks before departure. But I really don't see a need for them to keep it for three months. Delphiniums, I see the onus as being the other way round round - not that I should have to ask for it back if needed, but that the school should only ask for it when they actually require it.

OP posts:

BigBirdFlies · 17/03/2014 21:47

Dd is going on a school trip this summer and they are using a group passport. They do still exist, but the school have asked the children to provide them with their actual passport as proof of identity that they can travel on the group passport .

But they will not be taking their actual passports on the trip. I can only assume that it is easier for the school because they don't need to be responsible for 30 children's passports when abroad.

littledrummergirl · 17/03/2014 21:50

Ds1 went to Germany last year with school on a group passport. Just as well because he doesnt have his own.

pointythings · 17/03/2014 21:53

DD2's school had them travel on a group passport. DD2 couldn't be on this as she isn't a UK national, so we were asked to provide the passport 2 weeks in advance along with the EHIC and it was our responsibility to ensure she had a valid passport. Which is entirely as it should be.

TalkinPeace · 18/03/2014 13:21

All passports taken into school in January, photocopied and details checked.
Passports will be collected by the teacher as they board the coach to the airport
NO WAY
would school be allowed to keep my child's passport for 3 months

manfirstual · 18/03/2014 14:36

I organize school trips and we take our Y7-9's on a group passport. Not all children have them (we always take some children who have never been abroad and probably cannot afford a passport), although most do, but also we feel the children cannot be responsible for them and it is not fair to ask staff to be responsible for 40+ passports either. We do ask for EHICs in advance and keep them for up to 3 months (depending on how quickly they bring them in), however if a child needs theirs for a holiday beforehand we take a photocopy. I can see this seems a long time but it is born of bad experience. Sixth formers, naturally, are responsible for their own passports and for turning up on the day with what they need!

pigsinmud · 18/03/2014 15:23

We hand in EHICs in advance and take the passport with them the day they go.

manfirstual · 18/03/2014 16:30

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that most children who hadn't been abroad couldn't afford a passport, obviously many of them can - but some certainly can't.

Pantah630 · 19/03/2014 08:07

Strange. DS2 went on ski trip in February with school. About a month before they had a form to fill in with passport number, EHIC number and expiry dates, as well as parental contact details. Boys had to make sure they had their passports with them on coach, then teacher collected so easier with customs and to hold for duration. They were given their passports back on the return journey after clearing customs. The EHICs were kept by the boys, and luckily weren't needed. He is yr9 but there were boys from yr8-10 on the trip. I'm pleased his school teaches personal responsibility to their pupils.

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