Terms and Conditions
List of available tripsWe maintain a four-year list of planned major trips; this list will be updated as dates and prices become available.
Applying for a place and Parent Consent Information about applying for a place on a trip will be sent to parents of the relevant year group by e-mail. To apply for a trip you will normally log in through the Educational Trips Management System (Operoo) where you will give consent for the trip. In order to give consent for a trip, the Trip Pupil Profile must be verified.
Allocation of places depends on the nature of the trip. For some trips we operate on a first-come, first-served basis, so an early application always helps.
When you give parent consent for a trip you are consenting to all the Terms and Conditions contained in this document.
Payment for TripsAll payments for trips must be paid as per the payment schedule included on the consent form through the ParentPay system include link. All payments must be paid prior to the date of the trip.
Costing of Trips The school will always endeavour to make trips as affordable as possible and never seeks to make a profit from a trip. However, trips are expected to be self-funding as not all pupils will benefit from each trip.
Every effort is made to ensure that all costs are captured when planning the trip and the costing will reflect this. If once the trip has been completed and been reconciled there is a surplus then this will be refunded to parents via ParentPay.
From time-to-time additional costs that were not previously foreseen do crop up, in these rare circumstances the school will endeavour to look at the itinerary and see if there is any way to incorporate the additional cost within the existing pricing structure. However, if it is not possible to do so then the school reserves the right to come back to parents with an increased cost. If this increase is small, then all parents will be required to meet the increased cost. If the school deems the increase to be significant then all parents will be given the opportunity to withdraw their child from the trip on the understanding that to do so may result in the entire trip being cancelled for all pupils.
InstalmentsThe school has moved away from charging for school trips on school fee bills, in part to simplify the school fee bills, but also to give parents greater flexibility in making payments towards the costs of larger trips. The use of systems like ParentPay allows parents to choose to make payments as and when best suits their own individual circumstances.
The school will divide the cost of the residential trips into instalments and set date by which that level of payment is required. These date and values are set in line with the payment plan to the tour operator/travel company.
Once the trip leader has confirmed your child’s place you are liable for the full cost of your child’s place on the trip.
We reserve the right to withdraw a child from a trip, when an instalment deadline has been missed. Refunds of amounts paid to date will depend on the place being filled by another child. Please contact the Finance Office if you are finding it difficult to meet payment deadlines, as they may be able to help.
Financial assistanceIf your child receives bursary support, we may be able to offer financial assistance for compulsory school visits. Bursary support does not guarantee financial support for trips so please enquire with the Finance Office to see if your child is eligible.
Cancellation of a placeShould you need to cancel your child’s place on a school trip, please let us know as soon as possible. Where possible we will provide a refund, e.g. if we are able to find another child to take your child’s place. However, please bear in mind that this is not always possible and if we cannot fill the place, you will be liable for the costs of the trip.
Change of plans by the SchoolOccasionally we will have to change plans in response to events at the time: perhaps the weather, or possibly due to a travel advisory note from the Foreign Office reflecting a situation abroad. In this event we will make any amendments to the itinerary we consider necessary for the safety of pupils and staff.
Very occasionally we may have to curtail or cancel a trip, for example due to extreme weather making travel impossible. If we cancel a trip before it has started, you will receive a full refund.
Refunds will be actioned in a timely a manner as possible. Please be aware that the school reserves the right to wait until funds have been received from the tour operator. In cases where an insurance claim was required this may cause delays. Once a trip commences if a trip attracts a refund or an insurance claim a refund will only be made to parents if the school has a surplus once the trip is completed and reconciled.
Risk managementAs you would expect, the school conducts detailed risk assessments for the whole of the educational trips programme. Adventurous activities are always led by staff or instructors holding an appropriate National Governing Body qualification.
SupervisionAs pupils gain more experience, and as they get older, they are expected to behave more responsibly. As part of this philosophy pupils may not necessarily be under the direct control of a teacher throughout a trip. Indeed, as pupils get older there will be elements of a trip where they are under ‘remote supervision’ – in other words, travelling in a group of youngsters, in contact with staff but not directly accompanied.
BehaviourA high standard of behaviour is expected of pupils on school visits. School rules and discipline continue to apply during school trips and in addition pupils must observe UK law and the law of the country they are visiting. If a pupil misbehaves very seriously, it may be necessary for the school to require the pupil to return home, with any additional transport costs being met by the parent. Please note the Pupil Behaviour Contract, Appendix 1.
Expectations for Parents and Pupils Regarding Travel and RoomingAll trips are led by experienced trip leaders and as such parents must respect that decisions made on travel and rooming are made in the best interests of the individual pupils and the group as a whole.
Passports and VisasPassports must be valid for at least three months after the date of your visit, but the ‘recommended’ limit is six months of validity (some border guards ask for this, though probably more for adults than children, due to a suspicion that travellers may try to stay for longer than 3 months).
Children who are not UK citizens must obtain any necessary visas. Please note that it is the responsibility of each family to ensure all the relevant official documentation is sourced in a timely manner for each pupil. This includes passports, appropriate Visas or ESTAs. When applying for such documentation we highly recommend recording all correspondence regarding the application (including dates and times,) so that if for any reason the document is not secured in time, we can pursue an insurance claim on your behalf, however, if for example a Visa requires a 3-month timeline and the application is only submitted 2 months prior to travel, we will not be able to pursue a claim and you will be liable for any monies that the school cannot reclaim from tour operators.
Operoo Trip Pupil Profile - Parental Contact Information, Medical Conditions and Dietary Requirements and AllergiesTo operate trips the school requires full contact details and your child’s medical and dietary requirements together with any special needs they may have.
In addition to the main school pupil record we keep a specific trip pupil record on our Educational Trip Management System (Operoo) containing parental contact information, medical conditions and dietary requirements. Parents are able to update this information in real time and it must be verified for consent to be given to attend a trip. Staff have access to and use this information whilst on trips so it is important this is accurate.
Note: parents are particularly asked NOT to hand a piece of paper to a trip organiser with new contact numbers on the day of departure!
Parents whose child has a life-threatening allergy or medical condition are also strongly recommended to make personal contact with the trip leader, in the weeks leading up to a trip, to confirm arrangements.
InsuranceAll trips in the UK and abroad are covered by the school’s travel insurance including limited cover for lost possessions. If you have to cancel a place on a trip due to illness or injury, you will be able to claim on that insurance. If your child is ill or injured whilst on a school trip, medical treatment is covered until they are able to return home, together with, if necessary, the costs for a parent to travel abroad.
In the event of a pupil having to miss a trip due to illness or injury, or if they lose or have possessions stolen, the school has travel insurance cover in place. There is also a separate personal accident policy.
If your child is ill or injured on, or prior to, the departure date. The bottom line here is that pupils must not travel against medical advice. If this may apply, please contact us as soon as you suspect it. In some circumstances it will be clear that your child simply cannot take part in the trip, and a refund will be sought from our insurers. For the insurance cover to work, a doctor needs to sign a note. In order to provide the necessary evidence, would you please phone your child’s GP and ask that they make notes of the conversation so they can sign the insurance form when you take it to them. It is essential that you consult a doctor if delaying or cancelling departure, since our insurers will not pay without this evidence
If your child is ill or injured during the trip. In this eventuality we’ll use our medical/first aid kits and training and also refer to local medical advice where needed. The insurance provides for all medical costs together, in extremis, for the cost of transporting a patient back to the UK, or of a parent travelling out
Belongings – your child’s property is insured against loss or theft whilst on the trip, providing that they take good care of it – the insurers will not pay out if possessions have been stored negligently (eg, left in a cafe unsupervised).
If you do have to consider delay or cancellation, or making a claim for lost possessions, please:
Let the teacher in charge of the trip know at your earliest opportunity
Obtain a doctor’s note or a receipt for the lost item
Contact School Finance office, to begin the claims process. An excess applies to any claims. In a medical case, you might usefully download this form and take it with you on the day you see the doctor so they can complete it there and then and save you the trouble of contacting them later.
If you have any general queries about our insurance cover, please contact the School Finance office. If you have a specific query about your child, please contact the teacher in charge of your child’s trip.
If you have any queries, concerns or suggestions about trips, please contact the Educational Visits Coordinator, Russell Hornby at rih@kingschester.co.uk.
PUPIL SAFETY AND DISCIPLINE
CONTRACT FOR OVERSEAS TRIPS
General Behaviour
A high standard of behaviour is expected at all times
Pupils must remember that they are representing their family, school and country and should therefore be courteous at all times
Some aspects of life abroad will be different but you must make the effort to adapt and learn from the experience
Badly behaved pupils may not be allowed to travel on future school trips and parents will be notified by telephone, if necessary
Any pupil guilty of serious misbehaviour will be sent home at their parents’ expense
Smoking, Vaping and the consumption of alcohol or drugs are forbidden at all times.
During the school trip pupils must:
Be punctual for all departures and briefing meetings
Be responsible for their own luggage and belongings at all times
Listen carefully to all instructions given by teaching staff, other representatives and ski instructors
Remember that vehicles drive on the right and so utmost care must be taken when crossing the road
Carry the information with the name and address of the hotel and the school mobile number at all times in case they become separated from the rest of the party
Keep rooms tidy
Adhere to all rules regarding bedtimes etc
Stay in groups of at least 4 when out shopping or when attending organised events
Carry medication (especially inhalers and epipens) with them during excursions and especially during travel.
We agree to adhere to and be bound by the above behavioural code and understand that any serious or consistent breach of these terms will result in the student named below being sent home at your own expense.