Top tips for teachers planning a school trip abroad
School trips abroad are a wonderful way to help pupils connect and experience different lifestyles. Getting the chance to travel to new and exciting horizons can be even more meaningful when they go with their fellow pupils, especially after a year of hard work.
When embarking on an educational school trip, students are offered compelling learning opportunities through experience. These experiences allow students to discover other parts of the world, exposing them to rich and vibrant cultures, different languages and interesting cuisines whilst making lasting memories.
The logistics and planning of a school trip abroad can seem daunting, but with the right tips and advice, it can be easy and fun! Here are our top tips for teachers planning a school trip abroad:
Set time aside to plan
When it comes to planning any major event, time is a beautiful asset. It allows you to immerse in the possibilities available, seek better deals and packages and gives you room to consider realistic and viable options. Give yourself as much time as possible to plan a school trip abroad because there are many elements to organise and arrange.
Do your research
It's essential to do your research and find the right service and travel experts who can assist you with all the logistics. They can also help make sure you get the best deal, inform you of what to expect and things to prepare. You also need to research locations and decide on the types of activities you would like to experience on your school trip abroad.
Consider your budget
Weighing up the costs involved may be a little less fun, but it’s an absolute must when planning an overseas school trip. When looking into logistics it's necessary to consider your budget and what kind of activities and attractions you want to include. It's always best to discuss the budget with the people helping plan your trip. Experienced travel experts like us can help guide you on which locations tick more of your boxes in terms of activities. Of course, we can also support any arrangement and develop bespoke trip itineraries.
Talk to your students
Gathering insight and opinions is a great way to sound out any budding ideas you have, so it can be hugely beneficial to get input from your students to ensure maximum attendance and success. Have an open conversation and find out what kind of activities seem to be popular and what types of destinations they are interested in. Making it a collaborative process will help school students to tap into their planning and organisational skills, and choosing together makes them feel part of the process. This considered approach will help make the trip more enjoyable for everyone and ensure that students and staff are excited and happy on their school trip abroad.
Choose the right time of year
Not many students want to eat ice cream on the beach in the rain, so when planning a school trip abroad, choosing the right time of year and thinking about the effects the climate can have is vital. Bad weather can severely impact your travel plans and activities. So make sure that you do thorough research into whether the time of year selected is suitable for your requirements. This will avoid any wasted money, missed opportunities and disappointment.
Get help from experts
Having the right amount of support and guidance can be so helpful when planning educational travel. Seek support from experts to help with the organising and any complicated arrangements to ensure that everything runs smoothly.
Here at NST, we've had the pleasure of being entrusted with planning fantastical and unforgettable school trips abroad that enrich the lives of students.
Planning a school trip abroad can be such a magical and rewarding experience. We want to help you and your students have the best trip possible, so get in contact today, and let's make your next thrilling school trip abroad happen.
