School Trips to the Netherlands
Only a short flight, ferry or coach ride away from the UK, the Netherlands continues to be one of our most popular school trip destinations for students of all ages.
The country’s unique culture, rich history and wealth of world-class attractions make it a perfect place to bring learning to life outside of the classroom. Whether the focus of your group is art, music, geography or a more general learning experience, NST can help tailor the perfect itinerary for you.
What better place to start than Amsterdam. The tall, narrow houses of the nation’s capital are a hallmark of Dutch architecture, as is the sprawling canal network that ranges over 30 miles in total and features 1281 bridges! Amsterdam is also home to several of the most prestigious museums in the Netherlands, including the Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk and the Amsterdam museum.
For classes focussing on art and design, the city is also home to a number of specialist museums dedicated to Dutch masters such as Rembrandt and Van Gogh. With fascinating exhibits on all year round, students have the chance to experience great works of art firsthand, as well as understanding more about the artists who created them.
If you’re looking to give your class a firmer grasp of World War II history, the Anne Frank museum is a moving experience that serves to remind us of the extreme hardships facing Jewish people during Nazi occupation and the Holocaust. NST also offer a guided walking tour of the former Jewish district that allows groups to visit a number of famous monuments, memorials and synagogues.
For geography classes, the fact that more than half of the Netherlands is technically below sea level means that the country is an incredible case study for how people can deal with extreme geographical conditions. A day trip to the Deltapark Neeltje Jans and Delta Works theme park on the west coast offers unique insight into the issue of flooding, whereas the famous harbour cruise in Rotterdam shows how tourism and business can thrive together on a huge scale.
The Netherlands is also a fantastic choice for music teachers that are looking to arrange a school tour. The areas of Valkenburg and Maastricht in particular are renowned for their range of quality performance venues, such as the Kasteelruine, the Mondriaan and St Jan Church.
We’ve been organising school trips to the Netherlands for decades, so it’s fair to say we know how to take the stress out of arranging travel, accommodation and tickets. Get in touch with our team of travel experts today on 0845 293 7970 to talk through your options and arrange your ideal Dutch school trip.
Browse our curriculum-linked school trips to the Netherlands
Amsterdam
Amsterdam
What better place to start than Amsterdam. The tall, narrow houses of the nation’s capital are a hallmark of Dutch architecture, as is the sprawling canal network that ranges over 30 miles in total and features 1281 bridges!
You can find more information on each trip we offer below, or by visiting our page about Amsterdam school trips.
Art & Design
Amsterdam is an ideal destination for an art school trip if you want your group to study a wide spectrum of art in one visit. From Van Gogh and Rembrandt to many other renowned artists, an art and design trip to Amsterdam has it all.
Geography
Geography trips to the Netherlands are excellent for the study of physical, human and environmental geography at KS3 and GCSE.
History
A history school trip to Amsterdam allows groups to explore all aspects of Jewish life and culture prior to WWII through a series of well-preserved sites and excellent museums.
Religious Studies
A theology trip to Amsterdam allows religious studies groups to learn about all aspects of Jewish life and culture prior to and throughout WWII.
Science
A science trip to the Netherlands offers groups a whole variety of exciting hands-on experiences, ‘a journey through the human body’, space exhibitions, micro-organisms and other fascinating visits to enthuse and educate your group.
Amsterdam & Dutch Coast Music Tours
The coastal resort of Noordwijk is a consistently popular, great value destination. It is ideally positioned for the many coastal venues as well as a visit to Amsterdam on any school music tour of the Netherlands.
The Dutch Coast
The Dutch Coast
The Dutch coast is wonderful affordable destination which offers a great range of beach resorts and attractions.
Visit our Dutch Coast school trips page for more information
Primary School Trips & Tours
The Dutch Coast is an ideal destination for your first primary school residential tour abroad.
Music
The Dutch coast is a superb music tour location combining traditional seaside resorts with artistic Amsterdam.
Valkenburg
Valkenburg
Music
Situated close to the borders of Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg, Valkenburg is a great base for an 'international' music tour.
You can find out more information about our school trips to Valkenburg here.
Netherlands school trip experts
Hundreds of students travel with NST to the Netherlands every year, and members of our team regularly visit Amsterdam, the Dutch Coast and Valkenburg to really get to know the ins-and-outs of the area, from logistics and visits to our range of student-friendly accommodation.
Your dedicated Tour Co-ordinator will use their knowledge to create an itinerary that’s tailor-made, perfectly timed and meets your exact school travel needs.
They’ll be able to share their first-hand experience, suggest options you might not have considered and give you insight into the feedback other teachers have given us too.
Planning your first school trip?
If you're planning your first school trip, our essential guide will take you through each step of the process.
- Choosing your destination
- Gaining approval from your Local Authority and/or your Head
- Promoting your tour in school
- Confirming your booking
- Tailor-make your tour
- Completing your risk assessments (including a sample risk assessment)
- Quick reference timeline
- Pre-tour checklist
Additional support, resources & information:
Tour planning service
Tour planning service
With NST, you’ll get your own dedicated, knowledgeable Tour Co-ordinator who’ll work with you from start to finish. You’ll benefit from their unrivalled destination knowledge, and their experience gained from working with many other groups too. They’ll tailor-make your itinerary from scratch and take care of everything for you:
- Pulling together an itinerary that runs smoothly
- Planning the right balance of visits every day with realistic timings
- Pre-arranging and pre-booking your visits, entrance tickets, passes and meals
You’ll receive your final itinerary a full 4-weeks before you travel too.
FREE school trip promotion pack
FREE school trip promotion pack
We’ll support you and provide everything you need to advertise your school trip around school and to parents. Our free school trip promotion pack consists of:
- Parents’ letter & permission slip template for you to complete
- A3 posters to promote your trip around school
- PowerPoint presentation templates which you can tailor to your own needs
- Parents’ leaflets covering how NST manage safety, financial protection and details of our travel insurance
- Online parents’ video which showcases the benefits of taking a school trip
For selected destinations, we’ll provide a trip launch web page using video footage and imagery. This web page is provided by a weblink and can be shared with pupils and parents in many ways.
Risk assessment support including preview visits
Risk assessment support including preview visits
Risk assessment plays a vitally important part in the planning and organisation on any school tour.
Our risk assessment guide aims to help you understand more about your obligations and how you can more effectively manage group safety on your next educational visit and provide you with risk assessments for your trip.
Planning first school trip
Planning first school trip
Organising your first school trip can appear to be a daunting process. If you're planning your first school trip, our guide will help to take you through each step of the planning process, answering frequently asked questions and providing tips and support along the way. Our helpful guide covers the following:
- Choosing your destination
- Gaining approval from your Local Authority and/or your Head
- Promoting your tour in school
- Confirming your booking
- Tailor-make your tour
- Completing your risk assessments (including a sample risk assessment)
- Quick reference timeline
- Pre-tour checklist
Get live updates on your group's tour location
Get live updates on your group's tour location
Locate My Trip uses GPS technology and is the easy, convenient way for your school to follow your location whilst on tour. Specifically designed to provide reassurance to both parents and teachers, NST will know where your group are 24/7. If your schedule needs to change, we’ll put plans in place to keep your tour on track.
With Locate My Trip your group can also share photos and videos with the school and parents, via a secure link, to keep them updated on your experience whilst you’re away.
Watch our short Locate My Trip video here.
Your online school trip organiser - My Tour Manager
Your online school trip organiser - My Tour Manager
Save time and stay on track with your school trip admin with our online orgnaniser - designed to help busy teachers like you.
With My Tour Manager, you'll be able to download FREE resources and access trip paperwork online and in one place. Your personalised checklist details what you need to do and by when, plus you'll receive fortnightly reminders too.
What's more, you can take all your trip documents on the go whilst on your tour with our app, My Tour Manager-On-the-Go.
Find out more and watch out short My Tour Manager video here
Free classroom resources
Free classroom resources
We've created a range of free resources and educational posters to brighten up your classroom!
Take a look at our downloadable posters here
Brexit & your school trip
Brexit & your school trip
How will Brexit affect my school trip?
Following the end of the transition period there are several changes that will affect groups travelling with us to the EU.
For more information on these changes, visit our dedicated Brexit page here.
If you're travelling with NST and have any specific questions. please contact your Educational Travel Advisor.
Why choose NST...
Here's why thousands of teachers choose NST each year...
- Unrivalled knowledge
Your dedicated Tour Co-ordinator will use their unrivalled local knowledge and expertise of the Netherlands to create a tailor-made, curriculum-linked itinerary to meet your group’s exact needs.
- Making it easier for you
With our online school trip organiser, travel app, free classroom posters and trip launch resources to support your in-school promotion.
- Free group leader inspection visits
We offer a free inspection visit to your chosen destination to support your risk assessment planning.
- Value for money
We’re committed to bringing you the best possible value trips to help make every penny count.
- More than 50 years’ experience
With over 50 years’ experience, with NST you can rest assured that your group is in safe hands.
- Risk assessment guidance
Our risk assessment guidance will help you to manage group safety on your next educational trip.
- Peace of mind
Your group’s location can be followed with our trip tracking device - Locate My Trip - plus you’ll have 24/7 support from us whilst you’re away.
- Offsetting carbon emissions
For every trip taken, we'll plant a Maya nut tree in Peru to support reforestation, local communities & biodiversity. Plus, we'll offset an additional tonne of CO2 to guarantee carbon emission reductions.
Looking for protection on your next school trip?
Booking with a school travel company is the best way for you to protect parents’ money and give yourself peace of mind.
Don’t forget – if your school arranges transport, accommodation and other services directly, you’ll be liable under the Package Travel Regulations – meaning you’ll have all the responsibilities of a travel company, both legal and financial.
Financial protection from the moment you book
NST are fully bonded:
- ABTA
- ATOL
- IATA
Managing safety on school trips
For your protection, NST's independently audited Safety Management System covers:
- 24-hour emergency cover
- Audited accommodation & transport
- Excursions & school visit assessment
- Group leader preview visits to assist with risk assessment planning
We're LOtC Council’s Quality Badge assured
The Department for Education advises schools to always look for the LOtC Quality Badge when choosing a school travel provider.
