School trips abroad have become part and parcel of the academic year for many educational institutions around the UK. However, for new teachers, the idea of planning for a trip can be daunting. Here, we explain the benefits and offer some tips on how to get to grips with this task.

The benefits of school trips:

Whilst many teachers who have never organised a school trip before often have worries about the process, the fact remains that there are huge benefits for the pupils who go. Studies have shown that pupils' achievement and participation can benefit greatly from becoming involved in activities away from the classroom.

Regardless of whether it's a school ski trip or a tour of historical attractions in another country, this time away helps to bring the lessons learned in the classroom to life so those learning German can enhance their language skills whilst they enjoy the slopes of the Austrian mountains, or brush up on their history knowledge as they explore a new city.

In terms of what is expected of the teacher on a school trip abroad, their role is one of a group leader, who organises each and every aspect of the trip. This should come easy to most teachers, as the profession itself requires them to juggle multiple issues on a day to day basis. Whatever your planning, be it a school ski trip or something else, it is crucial to have a very structured, clear approach to arranging the trip and to keep an eye on the entire process, spotting weak areas of the plan, as well as risks and missing information, before these issues become too problematic.

In terms of choosing a destination, it's imperative that teachers do the necessary research and gather the required information, so that when the time comes, they will be able to provide their colleagues, as well the students' parents and the students themselves, with this info. In addition to this, everything which is learned about the destination will help the teacher to make a more comprehensive and appropriate itinerary.

If the school trip is to somewhere that the teacher is unfamiliar with, or the amount of students going on the trip is quite large, it may be worth using an external organisation to help with the organisation of certain aspects of the trip, like the accommodation and the main activities. This will allow the teachers involved to share the burden of arranging the trip and will also help to ensure that the process goes as smoothly as possible. Parents and students should be told about every detail of the trip before the final reservations are made including the specific location, the accommodation, what health and safety measures will be taken to keep the students safe, what insurance will be used, transport and flights. The student's parents will need to be provided with contact telephone numbers and a copy of the day to day schedule for the trip, so that they have an idea of where their child throughout their time away.

AUTHOR BIO:
Andrea Devon writes regularly for a number of widely-read blogs, websites and print publications. A teacher as well as a writer, she herself has organised a school ski trip for her own students.