We recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Harry Pickavance, an English teacher who trusted us to organise his first ever school trip. Harry’s feedback shows exactly why we love what we do. As this was his first time as a trip leader, he wanted guidance throughout the process to make it as successful as possible.
From the very beginning, Harry explained that his decision to work with us came down to confidence and clarity. Planning a school trip can be overwhelming, but with WST’s structured approach, the process became far less daunting thanks to clear communication and attention to detail throughout.
Harry’s initial aim was to create an enriching opportunity for his students while ensuring the trip was easy to plan on his side. We asked the following questions about his experience:
Q: What were your main objectives when planning this trip to London?
A: With it being my first trip as a trip leader, I wanted someone to guide me through the process. Especially with our HR staff being so busy, I was looking for additional support. I wanted to create an enrichment opportunity for students, while also keeping the planning process simple and I managed to achieve that.
Q: Did WST help to make your first time planning a school trip easier?
A: Definitely. Carolyn was brilliant at putting me at ease when things were going wrong on my end, such as when students weren’t signing up or paying deposits. It was great to have that support and guidance as a first-time trip leader. The handover to Carole as the tour operator was superb, and communication throughout was excellent. When we were working through finer details and last-minute changes, everything was handled so smoothly it was such an easy process.
Q: Did you feel supported by WST before and during your trip to London?
A: Yes. Carole checked in regularly with our operator to make sure everything was running on time. We also had the Vamoos app, which was amazing. We always knew where we needed to be, when to be there, and had all our details in one place. The bus drivers, the tour itself, and the venues were all fantastic. Overall, it was an extremely well-planned trip, and nothing went wrong.
Q: Did you feel the itinerary balanced educational content, cultural visits, and leisure time effectively?
A: Yes, definitely. That was really important to me. We wanted a walking tour, but not the usual fact-heavy version. I chose to organise my own and escort 40 students through London on my own, which went well. It was great that there was flexibility within the itinerary to include activities we wanted to organise ourselves. The cultural side was excellent too, seeing Matilda, exploring Harry Potter-related attractions, visiting the London Eye, and spending free time in Covent Garden.
Q: How was your experience going to see Matilda on the West End stage?
A: The students absolutely loved it! We were greeted as soon as we arrived at the theatre and taken straight to our seats, bypassing any queues. The whole experience was seamless, and not having to wait around made a big difference.
Q: Were there any standout student moments that captured the value of the experience?
A: One thing that stood out to me, especially as a first-time trip leader, was how efficient everything was when we arrived at the hotel. We had a list of students and their assigned rooms, all pre-arranged by WST. The hotel had already labelled all the room keys, and it took less than five minutes to distribute them. The students were really grateful, as they were exhausted after such a long day. I’d also say the Harry Potter tour was a standout moment for them.
Q: What advice would you give to teachers who may be worried or hesitant about planning their first school trip?
A: I’d say don’t worry just have faith in WST, the tour operator, and the sales team organising everything for you. The whole process is seamless from start to finish, and any questions you have will be answered. It’s such an easy process, so just go for it!
Q: Would you travel with us again and recommend us to other teachers?
A: Definitely, I’ve already recommended WST to other teachers who now have provisional bookings, and I’m also rebooking the same trip later in the year!
We’d like to say a massive thank you to Harry for sharing his experience with us, we look forward to working with him again soon!
Receiving feedback like this makes us incredibly proud of what we do. We pride ourselves on delivering high-quality, easy to organise, and great value school trips.
If you’re interested in booking a trip with us, all we need are a few details. Our experts can start planning your trip right away, click here to get started.
