Kingsmead School, Somerset cancels school trips to France, Germany and Spain fearing further terror attacks

Kingsmead School in Wiveliscombe cancelled trips to Spain, France and Germany next year after terror fears Google Street View

A school in Somerset has cancelled two trips to France and Germany next year amid fears of terrorist attacks.

The trips, including one to Spain at Easter, were cancelled this year by head teacher Mark Griffin at Kingsmead School in Wiveliscombe.

The school was due to take 60 pupils from year 7, aged 11 to France and Germany on their annual trip to help them learn the languages, reported ITV local news.

The Somerset County Gazette reported that the head sent a letter out to parents earlier in the week and children had been informed in the morning assembly on Friday.

The letter reportedly said that in such uncertain times, they did not want to put the students and staff in potentially dangerous situations.

Mr Griffin told the local newspaper: “I would rather have taken this decision so that the children can be disappointed with me and not their parents.

He said he did not discuss the intention to cancel the trips with parents for fears they may decide to take their children out of the trip, which would make it no longer viable anyway.

If the decision was not made last week, which was the last week of school term, money already paid might not have been able to be refunded.

The Somerset Gazette quoted Mr Griffin saying: “This is something I thought long and hard about following the events in Paris and it is a decision which we have not taken lightly.

“I posed the question to my senior leadership team, ‘would you be comfortable sending your children on these trips’, and they said they wouldn’t.

“One member of staff also expressed their relief after their own child’s trip aboard was cancelled by the school they went to.

“We have had a small response from some parents expressing their disappointment but before taking this decision we also had several parents saying they would withdraw their child from the trip."

Mr Griffin added he would take his family abroad, but noted it was very different to taking 30 children and being responsible for all of them.

The year 7 pupils were reportedly very sensible about the change and asked questions about an alternative.

The school is now planning replacement trips within the UK for the students.