Xplore Group Travel

TAILOR-MADE

GROUP TRAVEL

Schools, Colleges and Sports Teams UK • Europe • Worldwide xploregrouptravel.com

Welcome!

Xplore is an independent company, run by people with passion, experience and valuable industry knowledge.

We pride ourselves on our flexible service and on delivering programmes that more than fulfil our customers’ requirements and expectations.

At

Xplore we specialise in providing tailor-made solutions to educational and sports groups, combining the very best of outdoor education, adventure activity and cultural experiences.

Delivering our programmes in safe and secure environments, young peoples’ welfare is our number one priority. Whatever the programme and wherever the destination, at Xplore we will support the personal and learning development of all the young people in our care.

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What makes Xplore GREAT...

Whether the emphasis of your trip is education, culture or sport, we are dedicated to creating opportunities that will inspire and engage young people.

From schools looking for an outdoor education or culture trip to a sports team wishing to go abroad on tour, Xplore is here to help provide the ultimate learning experience.

We have: • 30 years’ experience providing tailor-made travel and education packages • Accreditations endorsing our excellent education and safety standards • A passion for motivating young people to achieve

We offer: • Fully inclusive, challenging and rewarding activities that help build self-confidence • Tailor-made educational programmes covering all Key Stages and a range of subjects • Cultural experiences and social interaction with students from diverse backgrounds • Lifetime memories from fun and engaging experiences

This is where your journey starts and the Xplore team will be with you every step of the way…

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Primary Schools We believe in the power of outdoor education. It inspires students to learn in a way that continues to benefit them when they return to the classroom. They become energised, realise what they are capable of, grow in confidence and learn more about themselves and their peers. Whilst residential trips help students to gain independence, our experienced instructors encourage and support them at all times.

The pupils had a fantastic time, more than that they have learnt something about themselves or others in the class. I would recommend Xplore to other schools looking for a provider of outdoor education.

Assistant Head, Sir Robert Hitcham Primary School

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Research and direct feedback shows that residential trips are a fundamental way of positively enhancing both teaching and learning and as an LOtC accredited provider, Xplore ultimately want to bring every subject of the curriculum to life, at all Key Stages.

Using our expertise in delivering unique outdoor adventure learning experiences, we work with and support teachers prior to arrival, to create a programme that meets and enhances the desired learning outcomes.

Our Activities

All activities are led by our trained instructors. Depending on your learning outcomes we have a variety of activities to choose from including bushcraft, trust trail, orienteering, quad biking, climbing, abseiling, archery, low ropes, kayaking, raft building and many more.

Evenings are spent round the campfire or taking part in themed events or team challenges. They might get wet, they will get muddy but they’ll be smiling all the way.

Our activities focus on developing life skills such as positive group interaction, creativity, leadership skills and problem solving. We teach pupils to work together and support and encourage each other.

Our Support

Organising an activity day or residential trip for your school can be a daunting task. We offer teachers our full support to create a programme that best suits your class requirements and budget whilst taking care of all the paperwork and risk assessments.

We are happy to visit your school to present the programme to your parents and answer any questions. Once on-site, our centre staff will be there to oversee the smooth running of your programme and ensure that teachers are able to relax and enjoy the experience.

Our Centres

We can offer your school a variety of destinations in the UK or further afield. All centres are chosen for their location and the facilities they offer. Healthy meals are plentiful to keep the energy levels up and dormitories are warm and comfortable after a long day.

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Primary Schools

Our Programmes

Unique Venue Education In addition to Xplore’s own residential centres, we also deliver our programmes in the grounds of historic estates where we provide a unique environment to teach any subject.

We want to enable teachers to bring a subject to life. A historic estate such as Blickling Hall can offer the opportunity for teaching within a whole new context such as mathematics in an ornamental garden or art in an orangery.

There are many opportunities to inspire and educate young learners and we are confident that your class will return motivated and eager to learn. Programmes are tailored to your school’s specific curricular needs ensuring they positively reinforce previous and future classroom based learning. This new learning environment is an excellent introduction to residential trips and puts a fresh perspective on pupil/teacher relationships and peer friendships.

Xplore take care of all logistical planning and execution of the programme. Outside of academic learning activities Xplore staff will provide free time activity support as well as evening entertainment and night duty.

When planned and implemented well, learning outside the classroom contributed significantly to improving pupils’ personal, social and emotional development.

Ofsted, LOtC: How far should you go?

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Primary Schools

Multi-Activity All our programmes can be adapted for residential or day trips and include a wide range of activities. Taking children out of their everyday environment, they are encouraged to learn outside the classroom with fun activities that cover many of the key curricular areas.

We encourage pupils to try something new, taking them out of their comfort zone, challenging them to work as a team and enhancing their confidence and self-esteem.

Social interaction and inclusion are at the heart of our fun and active programmes all taking place in a safe and secure environment.

Teachers can relax and enjoy the programme knowing that the Xplore team has everything covered.

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Secondary Schools Using the principles we have developed to achieve the Learning Outside the Classroom quality badge accreditation combined with our expertise in outdoor education, we work with teachers to create a programme built around particular Key Stage subjects.

We deliver our programmes at our residential centres in the UK or at specific venues across the world. We can also offer themed or subject specific activity days utilising the space at your school or college.

There are natural synergies between what students are studying in class and the core activities at our centres. Whether it is raft building for a group of engineering students, fluvial river studies for a geography class or problem solving for a mathematics group, most subjects and many vocations can be integrated into our outdoor programmes.

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Learning Away has shown that a residential learning experience provides opportunities and benefits that cannot be achieved in any other educational context or setting.

Learning Away Final Evaluation Report 2015

Secondary Schools

Our programmes are designed with a focus on the development of all students, taking them out of their comfort zone and giving them an opportunity to learn in a new environment.

Expeditions

Using the outdoors as a learning tool has huge academic benefits, creating scenarios that students may not have experienced before. Students are put to the test planning, preparing and carrying out their own expedition.

Survival & Camp Craft

We take students back to basics to not only learn survival skills but also to develop their independence, adapting to the basic instinct to survive. They will experience the importance and value of the tools provided within the surrounding natural environment.

Travelling Overseas An art trip to Paris, a history trip to Berlin, an MFL class to China or a technology trip to the USA, Xplore will work with you to provide a programme that meets your learning objectives.

An Xplore rep will travel with you to ensure everything runs smoothly so that you can relax and enjoy the trip.

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Sports Tours At Xplore we are passionate about sport and recognise the importance and value of building and rewarding teams through bespoke tours. We cover a multitude of sports and offer a great range of tour destinations and itineraries including: ● Pre-season, mid-season and end of season sports tours ● Team building days and weekends ● Specialist coaching sessions and workshops with professional coaches ● Excursions and sporting events ● Fixtures against local teams ● Destinations in the UK, Europe and worldwide ● Support and assistance from an Xplore rep throughout

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For many the highlight of a sports tour is playing a local team. Through our vast network of contacts we are able to organise competitive, evenly matched tour fixtures against local opposition.

As well as the match we also try to encourage both teams to socialise and get to know each other off the pitch, with a post-match meal and presentation.

If you are looking to include a festival in your sports tour itinerary then be sure to let us know at the point of enquiry and we’ll suggest travel dates with a local festival or tournament.

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Sports Groups – UK Sports Tours

Local Fixtures

In the UK We can offer: • Activity days and team building • Short-stay sports tours • Integration with other teams and schools Based at our residential centres across several locations in England, we are able to offer comprehensive value for money sports tours without compromising on service levels. Our venues offer the perfect environment for young people to unwind, bond as a team, perfect their skills and have fun.

We are able to combine on-site training and activities with tour fixtures and festivals plus off-site excursions, supervised by our experienced team.

Our centres offer comfortable accommodation in safe and secure surroundings, with full board catering available.

We had an absolutely fantastic time away in Nottingham over Easter touring and have come back closer and stronger as a group for it.

Ipswich YM RUFC

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Sports Groups – UK Sports Tours

Further Afield Our tours to destinations such as Portugal, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Argentina and Australasia are designed to: ● Create unique travel experiences ● Challenge the group as individuals and as a team ● Offer an experience of new cultures ● Make memories that last a lifetime Organising a sports tour can be a time consuming process. We aim to take away as much of the stress and hassle as possible, providing you with an enjoyable travel experience, whatever your budget and wherever you wish to go.

Our main priority is to ensure that your team is well looked after and gaining the most from the experience. Once on tour an Xplore representative will be on hand 24-hours a day to assist in the smooth running of your sports tour, so accompanying adults can relax and enjoy the sports tour too.

Tours Build Teams Tours build teams, uniting the players as well as the accompanying adults.

Players return from a tour with enthusiasm and self-belief, having gained new skills and experiences.

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CORPORATE

EVENTS &

TEAMBUILDING We offer fun and beneficial days for local authorities, charities or companies looking to improve their team’s communication, project management and leadership skills.

The programme of activities are not only enjoyable but will also bond your team and strengthen morale. Our staff are trained to get the most from each participant to ensure that everyone benefits from the experience with noticeable results.

We can also bring our activities and staff to you. Please contact us to discuss your next event.

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Teambuilding

Venue Hire Our residential centre in the heart of Suffolk is available to hire for exclusive use throughout the year.

Walnutree Manor is a beautiful mansion house set in 20 acres of Suffolk countryside. It is an ideal venue for team building days, corporate events, family gatherings or groups with an educational, cultural or sport focus. We have accommodation for up to 100 people on-site along with the option of taking part in adventure activites. We can offer your group a catered or self catered package.

Facilities include a meetings room, sports hall, dining hall, quad bike track, large playing fields and archery and air rifle ranges.

Whatever your group’s requirements, we can provide you with a tailor-made package.

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Contact us for more information.

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Travel Safely with Xplore We have years of experience organising school trips and youth travel, to a variety of venues and destinations throughout the UK, Europe and the world.

We are acutely aware of the responsibility we have to ensure the safety of children and young people who participate in our activities and the trust placed in us by parents and teachers to do exactly that.

We have been granted the Learning Outside the Classroom Accreditation for UK activity provision through the AAIAC. This accreditation also awards us with the Adventuremark Quality Badge, demonstrating that our management of the potential risks of adventure activities has been inspected and found to meet the necessary standards of good practice in the adventure activity industry.

Using a badged provider means that you can book your trip with confidence and ease the process with your Local Education Authority. Xplore is also voluntarily registered with Ofsted.

We are an Assured Member of the School Travel Forum, the Awarding Body for the Study and Sports Tours Sector of the LOtC Quality Badge.

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Through ABLS, we have also been granted a Silver Award from TravelSafe, a safeguarding accreditation scheme for any organisation that provides overseas travel and educational services to children and young people.

We work with SAFEcic, a not for profit organisation who provide child protection and safeguarding training for our staff.

Xplore is a well-organised and well-run company with a great deal of expertise in the activity holiday market. Staff at all levels appear bright, energetic and enthusiastic about their work.

All bookings made with Xplore are insured

by Evolution, giving protection and peace of mind, as well as Endsleigh travel insurance included as standard for all groups and individuals travelling with us.

ABLS Accreditation

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Accreditation

Xplore has recently gone through a mandatory re-inspection by ABLS Accreditation and is now accredited to this UK Border Agency approved body until 2018.

Xplore are great people Ipswich YM RUFC Our staff are key to the success of our programmes and they make us who we are as a company.

We have stringent recruitment and selection procedures and all staff complete mandatory and ongoing training in specialist areas.

Our staff are fun, active, have a love of the outdoors and most importantly a genuine passion for working with children and young people from all over the world.

Whatever your programme, we want to make your trip a success.

We can provide marketing support and presentations to parents and students, assistance with risk assessments and other paperwork, a dedicated account manager in head office and of course an Xplore rep while you are away.

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They work very hard and still manage to deliver the programme in a friendly, yet safe manner.

Parkdale Primary School

Xplore Work Staff with & Centres Us

Work with Us School Integrations

Each year we welcome pupils from schools across the world to our residential centres for language and culture programmes.

The visiting school group often requests to spend time within an English school, integrated with English students.

English students benefit greatly from sharing their school, culture, education and language with the international students. They have the opportunity to compare and contrast elements of their lives and learn from each other’s cultural differences. This can lead to future exchanges between the schools and also covers elements of Ofsted SMSC. We would like to share this fantastic opportunity with your school, please contact us for further information.

Academic Year Placements in English High Schools

Xplore provide academic year placements in high schools for students aged 14 – 18 years, placing them in local host families who they live with for the duration of their stay. The demand for this programme is such that we are always looking for more high schools who have places for students from within the EU along with host families to care for them.

Hosting a Sports Team

We cater for touring sports teams throughout the year and we are often asked to arrange fixtures with local teams. If your team could host a match against national or international teams please contact us for information.

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CONTACT Please contact us for more information about our programmes and destinations, we would love to hear from you. xploregrouptravel.com info@xploregrouptravel.com

Xplore 12 Bury Street, Stowmarket Suffolk IP14 1HA United Kingdom T: 01449 742700

youtube.com/TheXTWChannel facebook.com/XploreTheWorld @Xplore_TheWorld

More from Xplore Academic Year Placements • For students aged 14 to 18 • Broad choice of schools located in the USA, Germany & China • Boarding and homestay accomodation available • Rewarding study abroad experience

Short-Term Junior Language Courses • For students aged 6 to 17 • Language, culture and education • Spring & Summer Integrated Courses • Year Round School Group Travel • Term Time and School Integration • In-School Delivery • Season Specific Programmes

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