Travel insurance and GCSEs

Andman999

I could do with some help.  Holiday booked for Japan.  I travel on 15th June.  Wife and son come out on 22nd June.  Last GCSE exam for my son is 16th June.  However, since booking we have been told there is the potential for exams to be pushed back for a variety of reasons, such as strikes, or the weather is too hot.  In terms of travel insurance, where would this sit if we had to cancel, or I had to fly home earlier than expected?  Any help welcomed.

eskbanker

It doesn't sound like a risk that would typically be covered, but you'd need to check the terms of your policy.

DullGreyGuy

Andman999 said:

I could do with some help.  Holiday booked for Japan.  I travel on 15th June.  Wife and son come out on 22nd June.  Last GCSE exam for my son is 16th June.  However, since booking we have been told there is the potential for exams to be pushed back for a variety of reasons, such as strikes, or the weather is too hot.  In terms of travel insurance, where would this sit if we had to cancel, or I had to fly home earlier than expected?  Any help welcomed.

Policies come down to their wordings... almost all are written on an insured peril basis, ie the policy has to say it will cover it otherwise it doesnt (rather than an all risks basis which means its covered unless it explicitly says it isnt)

Looking at a random Aviva travel policy they cover:

1. You are injured, fall ill, are quarantined or die.
2. One of the following people is seriously injured, falls seriously ill or dies: a. a close relative; or b. a close business colleague; or c. the person you were going to stay with.
3. You are called for jury service or as a witness in a court of law during the period of insurance.
4. You are made redundant.
5. Your home is made uninhabitable by fire, storm or severe/adverse weather.
6. The police need to speak to you because your home or place of work has been burgled.
7. You are denied boarding because there are too many passengers for the seats available and no suitable alternative flight could be provided within 12 hours.
8. You are the victim of a violent crime which has been dealt with by the police.
9. You are a member of HM Armed Forces, the Emergency Services or a Government Department and leave is cancelled due to an unexpected posting or an emergency in the UK. 

There is no clause for exam date changes

Surely he is still in term on the 22 June and so should be at school anyway?

TELLIT01

DullGreyGuy said:

Surely he is still in term on the 22 June and so should be at school anyway?

Once exams are finished most schools are not concerned about kids not attending.  They won't be having any meaningful lessons after the exams.

DullGreyGuy

TELLIT01 said:

DullGreyGuy said:

Surely he is still in term on the 22 June and so should be at school anyway?

Once exams are finished most schools are not concerned about kids not attending.  They won't be having any meaningful lessons after the exams.

Can only go by my own school where attendance post exams was the same as any other time but then over 95% of GCSE students went on to 6th form in the same school.

Spendless

Schools do say this, (mine left in 2016 & 2019)  though not normally well in advance - something you've discovered. In practice I suspect it is rare. 
Though compulsory education for a yr11 is until the last Friday in June, so for this year is Friday 30th June, most don't ask the kids to attend once the last exam is sat (some do though!). 
Not much you can do other than change your hol by a few weeks or hold your hat and hope that one of his exams doesn't get cancelled. I'd pretty much assume if it did, he'd be expected to sit it at school like the others rather than being able to take it elsewhere. I doubt you insurance would cover this eventuality.
The school should have an examination officer though, you could email in and ask what would the situation be if any exam was cancelled.  

gbhxu

TELLIT01 said:

DullGreyGuy said:

Surely he is still in term on the 22 June and so should be at school anyway?

Once exams are finished most schools are not concerned about kids not attending.  They won't be having any meaningful lessons after the exams.

Unless things have change since I did my GCSEs in the guinea pig year of 1988 once you finished your exams, that was it.

 I then went back to school the day before the next school year started to confirm I still wanted to take the A Levels I had chosen after I had received my mock GCSE results.

eskbanker

gbhxu said:

Unless things have change since I did my GCSEs in the guinea pig year of 1988 once you finished your exams, that was it.

How many of these powers applied in 1988?

https://www.gov.uk/school-attendance-absence/legal-action-to-enforce-school-attendance

Legal action to enforce school attendance

Local councils and schools can use various legal powers if your child is missing school without a good reason. They can give you:

• a Parenting Order
• an Education Supervision Order
• a School Attendance Order
• a fine (sometimes known as a ‘penalty notice’)

Spendless

School leaving age - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)  

England

You can leave school on the last Friday in June if you’ll be 16 by the end of the summer holidays.

You must then do one of the following until you’re 18:

• stay in full-time education, for example at a college
• start an apprenticeship or traineeship
• spend 20 hours or more a week working or volunteering, while in part-time education or training

(as I said earlier up, the last compulsory day for yr11 this year s Friday 30th June. Most schools do not ask pupils to attend though after their last exam has taken place - though some do)  

NoodleDoodleMan

I would be astonished if any travel insurer would cover for missed exams.

I'm unable to comment on the scenario elsewhere in the UK, however in Scotland there is recognition for pupils who miss an exam(s) in "adverse circumstances" - that would include illness (with a medical certificate) or family bereavement etc.

The student can claim to have an exam pass granted on appeal  with the submission of coursework over the academic session, supported by appropriate teachers and confirmed by the head.

This is academic recognition only - wouldn't be accepted as grounds for insurance claims for missed holidays.

disney_cjd

We have a similar situation and I am not having much fun either. My son is at uni and has failed one of his first year medical exams (a common thing) we had booked a holiday based on the published dates of exams and resits and ensured we were available for all the dates. 

But the resit date has been notified to them as being two weeks earlier. Sod now we cannot go. 

A lot of money sadly lost. 

I did raise this with the uni. They have now changed the website of dates to add a caveat so at least others won’t rely on that. 

Gutted for him but nothing I can do.