Educational School Trips
Learning outside of the classroom is an essential part of personal development for all pupils. Educational school trips allow classes to build a deeper understanding of a particular subject while working as part of a team on interactive tasks and hands-on projects.
Even beyond the curriculum, teachers and school have a responsibility to prepare children and young people for similar social and educational experiences later in life – and educational visits are an opportunity to do just that.
NST have worked with thousands of schools over the past twenty years, so we know exactly how to strike the balance between learning, fun and safety on every educational school tour we organise.
There are plenty of educational trips for students to choose from, take a look at some of our fantastic options below...
Learn more about our educational school trips
Art School Trips
Art School Trips
Each of our art school trips showcase a diverse range of art to put your pupils' learning in context.
Business School Trips
Business School Trips
We work hard to bring you a choice of business-related school visits so that you can mix and match to create your ideal business school trip.
Classics School Trips
Classics School Trips
Our range of itinerary packages have been tried and tested by hundreds of groups on our classics school trips.
Concert & Music Tours
Concert & Music Tours
There's no substitute for being there and that's why we've been helping to create concert and music tours which enhance performance skills, build confidence and develop a sense of independence for more than 20 years.
Find more information about our concert & music school trips here
Cultural & Transition Year School Trips
Cultural & Transition Year School Trips
These trips build interpersonal skills by encouraging young people to step outside of their comfort zone, meet interesting people, try new things and understand more about the world we live in. The connections made on a cultural school trip will last a lifetime.
Find more information about our Cultural & Transition Year school trips here
Drama & Performing Arts School Trips
Drama & Performing Arts School Trips
It’s little wonder that Paris is such a popular choice for school trips, with a range of educational visits to enjoy, why not visit the world famous Disneyland® Paris during your drama study tour too! Enjoy the rides and attractions in both the Disneyland® Park and Walt Disney Studios® Park, participate in Disney Performing Arts OnStage then take a Disney Performing Arts Workshop.
Find more information about our drama & performing arts school trips here
English School Trips
English School Trips
From Shakespeare and Charles Dickens, to Harry Potter TM and even the Royal Courts of Justice, you certainly won’t be short on choice with our updated selection of literature and creative writing experiences.
French Language School Trips
French Language School Trips
There’s really no better way to reinforce your classroom-based learning than by surrounding your pupils with native speakers and immersing them in the culture and daily rhythms of French life.
Find more information about our French language school trips here
Geography School Trips
Geography School Trips
With a wide range of fascinating destinations to choose from, our geography field trips programme will enable your pupils to discover the exciting world of geography outside the classroom.
German Language School Trips
German Language School Trips
There’s really no better way to reinforce your classroom-based learning than by surrounding your pupils with native speakers and immersing them in the culture and daily rhythms of German life.
Find more information about our German Language school trips here
History School Trips
History School Trips
Bring history to life with NST, we offer a range of history school trip destinations to enrich classroom-based learning and to inspire a deeper interest in history. We can personalise your tour and theme your itinerary to suit the learning requirements of your group.
Media & Film School Trips
Media & Film School Trips
Our media & film school trips have been specifically designed to give your group a thrilling insight into the world of media & film studies.
Find more information about our media & film school trips here
Primary School Trips
Primary School Trips
Our destinations have been chosen with primary school groups in mind. Our safe, secure accommodation options and range of engaging visits provide an ideal introduction to the world outside the classroom.
Religious Studies School Trips
Religious Studies School Trips
Inspire your pupils and deepen their understanding of key study topics with a religious studies school trip.
Find more information about our religious studies school trips here
School Theatre Trips
School Theatre Trips
A school theatre tour will leave your English, drama and performing arts pupils feeling excited and inspired! From the bright lights of Broadway to the magical experience of a West End show. There are so many popular options to choose from and we can book any show for your group.
Science School Trips
Science School Trips
We understand that the best way to learn about science is for pupils to have fun trying things out for themselves, that's why we work hard to bring you the very best choice of science school trips.
Spanish Language School Trips
Spanish Language School Trips
There’s really no better way to introduce your classroom-based learning than by surrounding your pupils with native speakers and immersing them in the culture and daily rhythms of Spanish life.
Find more information about our Spanish language school trips here
Meet the experts
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.
There’s a lot to contend with when travelling abroad, and many teachers find the service of NST’s Representatives invaluable. We can arrange for your representative to meet you on arrival, assist you with hotel check-in, advise on points of interest and public transport and provide your group with 24 hour emergency assistance. With NST, you can be safe in the knowledge that you’ll never be on your own on your school tour.
They’ll also be happy to discuss your programme of visits, offer an insight into your destination and suggest popular evening activities too.
Planning your first school trip?
If you're planning your first educational 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
- Online parents’ video which showcases the benefits of taking a school trip
Risk assessment support including preview visits
Risk assessment support including preview visit
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.
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 geography resources and educational posters to brighten up your classroom!
Take a look at our downloadable posters here
Why choose NST...
Here's why hundreds of teachers choose NST each year...
- Unrivalled knowledge
Your dedicated educational tour co-ordinator will use their unrivalled local knowledge and expertise 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 to support 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 20 years’ experience
With over 20 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.
Financial protection from the moment you book
NST are fully bonded & licensed:
- ABTA
- ATOL
- IATA
- Commission for Aviation Regulation
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
Package Travel Regulations 2018
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.
We're LOtC Council’s Quality Badge assured
For groups travelling from Northern Ireland... the Department for Education advises schools to always look for the LOtC Quality Badge when choosing a school travel provider.
