School travel sector asks for support and clarity on trips

A consortium of school travel associations are working together to ask for greater clarity and support for both schools and educational visit providers during the coronavirus pandemic.

The consortium is comprised of the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom, Outdoor Education Advisers’ Panel, School Travel Forum, Institute for Outdoor Learning, Association of Heads of Outdoor Education Centres, British Activity Providers Association and the Expedition Providers Association.

The consortium is seeking action in three areas:

Government guidance that requires all school insurance providers to follow best practice as established by the government-backed Risk Protection Arrangement (RPA) which is accepting all overseas and UK travel cancellation claims due to COVID 19 and FCO Travel advice.

A Government emergency hardship fund specifically to allow schools to make refunds to parents most in need, as a way of mitigating the delay experienced whilst providers and insurance companies endeavour to provide refunds to schools for cancelled trips.

Government to provide some certainty to all schools by setting an official embargo for school visits, with an end date (the end date may differ between domestic and overseas trips and may be extended at any time). A government enforced embargo will mean schools will not have to pay further payments on trips due to depart during this period, and will be able to refer to their insurance companies for any deposits or payments made to date.

The group is also working closely with ABTA to ensure that ministers within BEIS, DCMS and DfE are aware of the specific challenges and concerns regarding the short and long-term impact on the educational travel and visits sector.

The consortium will continue its discussions with the Department for Education, Welsh Assembly and the Association of British Insurers to press them to work towards these points. We believe that as well as providing reassurance for parents and schools, the above steps will provide a solution to the immediate crisis facing the educational visits sector that benefits all parties.