HUNDREDS of schoolchildren are facing disappointment after a range of school trips were cancelled for the next 12 months.

Youngsters at schools across East Lothian were planning to visit a wide range of places before the end of the 2020/21 term.

However, East Lothian Council has taken “the difficult decision” on public health grounds to cancel those residential trips.

The local authority has written to families confirming the news, with the decision taken following extensive work involving its education, health and safety, legal and insurance teams, and taking account of Scottish Government guidance on travel, which is in place until the end of 2020.

Councillor Shamin Akhtar, cabinet member for education and children’s services, acknowledged that many youngsters throughout the county would be disappointed, with the cancellation affecting any trip with an overnight stay.

She said: “I know that this will be very difficult for our children and young people who will have been excited about residential trips; however, we strongly believe it is necessary to protect them and our staff.

“It’s also necessary to protect the finances of everyone involved.

“Deposits for school trips are often paid many months in advance, with instalments then collected throughout the year.

“The insurance position is challenging and we cannot run the risk that monies paid by families will be lost to them or to the council.

“We have already seen in the past few weeks that the travel environment with Covid-19 can change rapidly and impact upon quarantine arrangements both at home and abroad.

“With this degree of uncertainty affecting every element of planning, we feel it is better to make this decision now and be clear why it is essential.

“Our schools work hard to develop residential trips that offer educational and social benefits and I know that they will now look to see how they can find new ways to enhance students’ learning.

“In the meantime, our school teams, supported by our education service, will begin refunding families any monies they have already paid.”

East Lothian Council outlined three key reasons for making the decision, including the risks associated with adults and pupils from different households travelling together and sharing facilities.

The local authority has also taken into account evolving transmission rates and local spikes in other countries leading to necessary changes to quarantine rules, often at short notice, as well as the financial risks to families and the council from paying for trips many months in advance in an uncertain and rapidly-changing environment.

However, the risks associated with day trips are lower and they can continue with the necessary assessments and mitigating measures in place.

Last term, East Lothian Council announced the cancellation of a number of trips.

Trips affected included: Athelstaneford Primary School – Scottish Outdoor Education Centre; Dirleton Primary School – Scottish Outdoor Education Centre; Dunbar Primary School – Innerwick Outdoor Centre; Dunbar Grammar School – battlefields, activities week home packages, California, Germany; Elphinstone Primary School – Lockerbie Manor; Gullane Primary School – Scottish Outdoor Education Centre; Haddington Primary School – Benmore; Knox Academy – Italy, Paris, London and PGL France Watersports; Law Primary School – P7 Lagganlia residential camp; Longniddry Primary School – York; Loretto Primary School – Lockerbie Manor; Musselburgh Grammar School – Paris, Normandy and Dalguise; Musselburgh Burgh Primary School – Lockerbie Manor; North Berwick High School – New York, Washington, Malawi, S3 residential; Pencaitland Primary School – school camp; Preston Lodge High School – Paris, London, Valkenburg, north-west England, Leicester; Ross High School – Spain, Manchester United, activities week home packages; Saltoun Primary School – Lockerbie Manor; Yester Primary School – Benmore.