TRIP PLANNING
Members of the School Travel Forum offer advice on how to manage the costs of planning UK-based school trips and get the most value for money One tried and tested way to minimise costs for your pupils and school is to approach other subject leaders to collaborate on a cross-curricular trip, whether they sit in your department or not. A trusted school trip organiser will be able to provide you with an educational trip that ticks the boxes for learning outcomes. Some schools may limit the number of trips run annually, which means this option not only supports students but teachers through a collaborative approach. MAXIMISE COACH SPACE When travelling within the UK, schools will typically opt for the coach option. Some coaches may vary in size so if the coach has space for 47 it may be worth opening the trip to more students. Not only will it widen the opportunities for other students to experience learning beyond the walls of the classroom, but the cost of the trip per student can be spread across the group to lighten any pull on the purse strings. Remember an increase in students may mean a need to bring extra staff so find out the maximum number of seats on the coach. Nichola Dixon, operations manager, WST
Travel, offers more tips on how to get the most from a UK-based school trip: “Every school trip is different so your tour operator should always work with you individually to get the best value for your money. However, when planning a UK trip you could look out for ways to save such as looking out for free visits. There are plenty of excellent free museums and galleries across the UK. “Most places in the UK can be explored in a day meaning you can save on accommodation costs. “Smaller group sizes can sometimes benefit from cheaper transport costs by using the train. “You should also look out for special offers such as early booking discounts, free places and multi tour discounts.”
Written by the School Travel Forum
Money saving tips for trips
destination for your next educational trip. UK destinations are growing in popularity, with the increasing number of accommodation providers such as Travel Lodge and Premier Inn providing safe, School Travel Forum audited and affordable accommodation within easy reach of most major city destinations. “The gentrification of many former industrial locations has revitalised what UK cities can now offer schools – a good example of which is Hull, which is the European City of Culture for 2017. Another good example is Belfast, which is a much underrated destination for humanities departments, with numerous opportunities to cover both current history and geography curriculum – WW2, industrialisation, the Troubles, human rights, and conflict resolution. With the Giants Causeway, North Coast Road and the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, you have a world class location to experience tectonics and coastal erosions, and the impact of tourism. “UK tours also benefit from more accurately quoted tours, as they avoid both flight costs and volatile currency exchange rates which are at times difficult to predict during the early planning stages. Dietary requirements and disabled access are often better provided for in the UK than in overseas destinations, and of course there are no language barriers. “One of my personal favourite trips is to the Florence Nightingale Museum in London, a superb visit for history students studying ‘medicine in war’ topics.” E
School Trips
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net
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UK BOUND Darren Davies, educational tours manager at Travel Places, explains the benefits of staying in the UK for a school trip. He says: “It is definitely a good time to consider a UK
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