What are the best times to take school trips abroad?

There are a number of considerations that teachers and EVCs need to make when booking a school trip abroad. Whether it’s for financial reasons, or to avoid the cold or peak times, there are several things to focus on, according to the experts.

Ben McCafferty, head of sales and product at Halsbury Travel, said: “It really depends on the destination, subject and type of trip when it comes to working out the best time for your school trip.

“One thing we really would strongly recommend is that you travel outside of the school holidays if at all possible (although we know it often isn’t). Term-time trips are often much cheaper, so more students can afford the experience, plus you’ll find far fewer crowds (which is much safer and more pleasant for your group). This is particularly the case for big cities and ski resorts.

“If you’re planning to visit a hot destination, it’s worth remembering that you’re usually much more active on a school trip than you would be on a family holiday. The summer heat around the Med is fine if you’re spending your days on the beach or by the pool, but not so much when you’re doing walking tours or sporting activities.

“So, spring and autumn are much better times to visit. And you could even travel to the southern Mediterranean over winter, as it’ll still be sunny (most of the time) and the temperature will still be pleasant.”

“The summer heat around the Med is fine if you’re spending your days on the beach or by the pool, but not so much when you’re doing walking tours or sporting activities.”

Ben McCafferty, Halsbury Travel

Nici Smith, sales team leader for Next Generation Travel Group, suggests that the time of year you travel should be dependent on the type of experieince you’re looking to give your learners.

She said: “There is no right or wrong time to travel overseas with your school group. There are benefits to travelling in the summer as it’s a great end of school year reward trip for your students and you can enjoy better weather.

“However, travelling out of summer you can find your destination will be less busy, you’ll have more availability on flight routes, ferry crossings and at accommodations, plus in many cases your tour price may be cheaper. Some attractions are closed or not easy to get to at certain times of year, so we also have to bear that in mind.

“But, ultimately your school calendar and study plan will influence the ideal time for a particular group of students to travel, so we make sure we’re on-hand to help schools travel at the time of year that works best for their needs.”

Lucy Simson, educational tours sales manager at Rayburn Tours, agrees that the time of year schools choose is down to wherever it is you’re going.

“It really depends on the destination,” said Lucy. “Take Morocco for example – it’s best to visit between October and May when the summer temperatures aren’t soaring. Most of our destinations are versatile and offer schools year-round education and adventure.

“You have the fun, food and festivities of Christmas markets in cities like Berlin, Munich and Bruges. You have the beautiful shores of the Bay of Naples in the summer. A trip to the Netherlands is popular year-round. It really depends on what suits the school – some schools only travel during the holidays; others prefer to use term time.”

Helen Clark, UK schools manager at Operation Wallacea said: “Many schools head overseas just before the start of the summer holidays. It’s a great time for a trip as exams are done and teaching is wrapped up, so it’s a real treat to end the academic year on a high.”

Product manager for The Gambia Experience, Karen Durham, added: “From October to April is a good time to head abroad. Discussing your requirements with a specialist tour operator that has expert knowledge of the destination, valuable local contacts and has a dedicated in-resort team to help.