Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

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

Original poster

Can the school force me to pay for the trip?

16 replies

mosschops30 · 12/02/2009 18:25

dd was going to Eurodisney with school, on the agreement that she got no 'H's in her school diary between Xmas and now (homework has been a running issue).

Trip money was due this week (have paid a deposit) and she 'lost' her homework diary
of course it was obvious and last night she admitted to having a 'H' after several lies to get out of it.

I told her to tell the teacher today that she will not be going and apparently the teacher said I had to pay for the trip whether she was going or not?

Surely the whole idea of a deposit is just that??

OP posts:
lou031205 · 12/02/2009 19:00

Not sure tbh. A deposit is a promise of future payment.

hercules1 · 12/02/2009 19:10

I cant see how they could do this. Just write to them and say you do not have the money. I very much doubt they will pursue it in any way.

Tamarto · 12/02/2009 19:13

No they can't.

bevelino · 12/02/2009 20:11

Paying a deposit is an indication that you will pay the balance. It is not a promise as such and you are not legally obliged to pay the balance unless you have entered into a contract with the school obliging you to do so. However, it is likely that you will lose your deposit in the circumstances you describe unles another child can be found to take your child's place.

LadyGlencoraPalliser · 13/02/2009 16:49

Did the school know that your daughter's presence on the trip was dependent on this condition?

roisin · 13/02/2009 18:21

I do all the admin/organisation for European trips at my school. If someone pulled out in this way I would be cross, especially if they'd just sent a message with the child on the final day that the money was due in, rather than contacting me earlier to explain. It's unlikely at this stage that we could find a replacement to take up the space.

In order to avoid scenarios like this we have payments by instalments:
£70 October
£50 December
£110 Feb
£110 April

This system is a pain in the neck to organise, but the sole reason for it is that if we asked parents to pay £35 in October (what the Travel Company demands) and £305 by April (optional instalments), then we would have stacks pull out at the last minute.

Having said all that if I had a family in the situation you describe, I would not be pursuing the payment. But I would try hard to try and find a replacement, as we would be out of pocket, and I couldn't suddenly go to the other students and say "Sorry, we need an extra £10 from everyone because Lucy isn't going, but we still have the coach and driver to pay for."

cory · 13/02/2009 18:23

tbh I don't think it's fair to arrange your discipline in such a way as to inconvenience other people or leave them out of pocket. Pulling out for a genuine reason, such as illness or bereavement, is a different matter. But I suspect that if the school had known of this condition, they might have suggested that your dd stay off the trip altogether.

duckyfuzz · 13/02/2009 18:27

agree with roisin, organising school trips is a nightmare when people drop out at the last minute. If you were prepared to let her go you should have just let her, and sort out the homework issue some other way - since she didn't respond to the bribe it isn't effective anyway

HecateQueenOfGhosts · 13/02/2009 18:34

It's not on really. The school have costs to meet. They have probably booked everything based on confirmations. It's not their fault that you made this agreement with your daughter and they shouldn't be out of pocket because of it.

seeker · 13/02/2009 19:55

It does seem a pretty extreme punishment too...I know that's not what this thread's about, but even so!

BoysAreLikeDogs · 13/02/2009 19:57

What's a H ?

Original poster
mosschops30 · 13/02/2009 20:50

seeker if you knew the stress and drama we've had over dd and moving from different sets and her performance in school and attitude and lying generally you wouldnt think that! She knew the score, she only had to do her homework for 2 months fgs!

Well I guess she'll have to pay for it out of her savings then and not go

'H' is for homework which the teacher write in the diary when its not received

OP posts:
hercules1 · 14/02/2009 09:26

Oh I misread the thread and thought it was the school who said she couldnt go. Not sure know what I think.

mumeeee · 16/02/2009 22:34

The deposit is so the school can book your childs place as they would have to pay a deposit to the travel company. They will have also had a date by which they have to pay the full amount.
So as the trip money was due this week it is to late to pull out.

Dropdeadfred · 28/02/2009 23:15

That IS harsh...sorry, I know you must e frustrated and cross with her, but could you really bear for her not to go?

I couldn't, but I'm a soft touch

MarmadukeScarlet · 28/02/2009 23:18

Just out of interest, how old is she?

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread