School has cancelled trip but said they won't refund

pinkshoes

maisie_cat wrote: »

Well done, but expect the school to reduce or simply stop school trips because they simply cannot afford the risk

This wasn't about a risk though.

The trip had been paid for, there was no government warning about travelling to London, and the company running it were still running it.

Someone at the school made the IDIOTIC decision to cancel, and that person has now cost the school a lot of money.

Indeed the money will have to come out of their budget somehow... It was a lose lose situation though as the kids would suffer one way or another.

I wonder how many of those families who were refusing to let their child go will now insist on a refund...?

unholyangel

maisie_cat wrote: »

Well done, but expect the school to reduce or simply stop school trips because they simply cannot afford the risk

The risk of what? Having incompetent people in decision making positions?

Someone who's competent would have checked the legal position before cancelling. They wouldn't have just went full steam ahead thinking it was okay because it wasn't their money at risk.

harrys_dad

When I first read this thread I could not believe any school would act in this way, a complete knee jerk reaction. Before retirement I had 35 years as a teacher, head teacher, governor, etc etc and have never come across something quite as stupid and financially reckless before.

It would be interesting to know who took the original decision to cancel the trip and why. Did they get any advice at all before making such a poor decision, and if so who from? Did the person cancelling the trip have the authority to do so? Have the governing body given approval for the consequent expenditure from the ever diminishing school budget to pay for refunds?

It is also totally wrong to try and guilt trip parents into not accepting the refunds. The school should have taken legal advice before they cancelled the trip not after they got asked for refunds.

Gavin83

NorthernLassie wrote: »

Hi everyone,
Well, as advised a group of us did get together and sent a letter asking for a refund and on Friday we had a letter home saying that having sought legal advice the school had been informed that they were obliged to provide everyone with refunds (even those who'd withdrawn their kids prior to cancellation which I was really pleased with as ultimately this proved irrelevant as the school cancelled the trip anyway). The tone of the letter was rather grudging and suggested that we may want to donate our refund cheques to the school but overall I pleased with the outcome as all the parents now have the option of taking the refund or not as they choose. In lots of ways the school is brilliant and I'm very grateful to the teachers for the work they do with the kids, I think this situation has been mishandled but hopefully things can move forwards now. Thanks for all the advice and good luck to everyone in a similar situation.

This school is run by idiots. Firstly for unnecessarily cancelling the trip in the first place and then actually having to seek legal advice for this, surely it's common sense. The tone of the letter would anger me too.

Along with receiving a refund I'd be raising a complaint in regards to the terrible way this whole thing was handled, from start to finish. Someone really needs to consider their decisions.

Gravedigger

In any event I would be asking for copies of receipts of all monies paid and to who. Then I would ask all those who had been paid money if any refunds had been made. It's a lot of money in total that someone has been at least negligent with.

DCFC79

The school should have spoken/wrote to the parents and asked them if they were still happy for the trip to go ahead.

vacheron

harrys_dad wrote: »

......................
It is also totally wrong to try and guilt trip parents into not accepting the refunds. The school should have taken legal advice before they cancelled the trip not after they got asked for refunds.

On the other hand, what a useful fundraising scheme that could turn out to be.

Maybe next year they can arrange a 6 month world tour at £10,000 per pupil, then cancel it without any good reason or consultation and send the kids back to class while suggesting the parents simply donate the money otherwise they are damaging the school by their greedy actions!