Choosing the right school tour operator is an important part of planning a successful school trip. Budget will naturally play a part in your decision, but it’s also worth considering their experience, safety standards, financial protection, level of support and what other teachers say about them.
Based on the questions teachers regularly ask us when planning their school trips, here are 11 things worth asking any tour operator before you book.
Organising a school trip involves lots of moving parts, so it’s important to choose a tour operator with plenty of experience. Ask how long they’ve been organising school trips, how experienced their team is and how well they know your chosen destination.
At NGT, we have over 35 years’ experience in student travel. Our four brands (WST, Anglia Tours, Study Experiences, Sport Experiences) specialise in making it easier for teachers to plan seamless educational trips.
We have expert knowledge of around 40 destinations, and strong relationships with accommodation, restaurant, and educational-visit providers across the world.
Keeping your students safe will naturally be one of your biggest priorities. Ask your school tour operator what safety standards they follow and look for recognised accreditations that can give you extra reassurance.
NGT is an STF member, and we hold a LOtC Quality Badge. Membership requires us to pass independently audited annual safety and risk assessments for transport, accommodation, and excursions, giving you assurance that we adhere to strict safety standards.
We also have a dedicated Safety and Compliance Manager who monitors the delivery of all our trips and the quality of our suppliers.
No one wants to discover unexpected costs after booking a school trip. Before comparing quotes, check exactly what’s included in the price, from transport and meals to visits and attraction entry, as well as anything you may need to pay extra for.
We’re always transparent about what is or isn’t included in your school trip quote. We know you don’t want any surprises or hidden costs, so we always aim to provide clarity at every stage of the booking process.
If you’re unsure whether something is included, simply ask our team to clarify it for you.
Before booking, make sure you understand what financial protection is in place for your trip. It’s also worth asking about school trip travel insurance, including what’s covered and whether there are any exclusions you need to know about.
You are financially protected when you book a tour with us. We are ABTA members and hold ATOL and ABTOT protection for educational tours, so you know that your trip is safe in our hands.
When you book a trip with us, you’re also covered by our group travel insurance with Howden.
Collecting payments from parents can be one of the trickier parts of organising a school trip, so it’s worth understanding the payment schedule from the start. Ask about deposits, payment deadlines and what happens if your student numbers change.
Your deposit amount and payment schedule are dependent on the overall cost of the trip, the number of students attending, and how far in advance you plan your tour.
We’ll keep you updated on payment deadlines and send reminders ahead of time, so that you give parents plenty of time to transfer funds.
We know that student numbers may go up or down, so let us know and we’ll always do our best to accommodate these changes.
You can also use our free school trip payment planner to help keep track of payments.
No two school groups are exactly the same, so your itinerary shouldn’t have to be one-size-fits-all either. Ask how much flexibility you’ll have to tailor your trip around your students, learning objectives and budget.
We want to help create your ideal itinerary with learning at its core. Whether you want to visit a place of particular interest to your students, or you’re adding personalised pilgrimages to your battlefields trip to Ypres – you can rest assured that your tour will be designed in partnership with you.
If you want to reduce the cost of your trip, we’re also happy to suggest budget-friendly or free visit options, so just let us know your individual requirements.
There’s plenty to organise before taking a group away, so having the right support can make the planning process much easier. Find out whether you’ll have a dedicated contact and what help is available with everything, from parent communications to travel documentation.
We can provide you with a tailored PowerPoint presentation to promote your tour to students or parents and to help boost excitement ahead of your trip.
We also offer numerous free resources that your tour operator will share with you, plus many more that are available in the resources section on our website.
Your designated tour operator will support you and communicate with you throughout, as well as advising you on all aspects of your tour, including travel documentation and what’s required pre-departure.
Even the best-planned trips can sometimes face unexpected situations. Knowing who you can contact and what support is available while you’re away can give you extra peace of mind.
We have a 24-hour emergency phoneline, giving you peace of mind that if anything unexpected happens on your tour, we’re always there to help.
We also have regional tour representatives on selected WST trips to assist your group on the ground, as well as history guides that act as tour managers on our fully guided experiences with Anglia Tours.
We’ll always advise what additional support is included or available, so you can choose what’s right for you.
A great educational school trip should give students the chance to bring classroom learning to life. Ask how the itinerary supports your learning objectives and whether visits are linked to the relevant curriculum or exam board specifications.
All our educational trips are designed to enhance learning and link to the relevant curriculum.
Our itineraries are carefully curated to balance curriculum-linked learning with cultural experiences and time for bonding and exploring.
Selected tours have also been endorsed by Pearson Edexcel Exam Board, including geography trips to Iceland with WST and several guided history trips with Anglia Tours.
Reviews from other teachers can give you a good idea of what it’s really like to travel with a particular company. In addition to testimonials on their website, look for recent feedback on independent review platforms and recommendations from other teachers.
We’re proud to regularly receive excellent feedback from our customers, which we showcase throughout our website and dedicated testimonials page.
You can also take a look at what teachers say about us on independent review platforms such as Kaddi and Feefo.
Once you’ve covered the essentials, ask what makes one provider different from another. This could be specialist expertise, exclusive experiences, strong supplier relationships or extra support that you wouldn’t receive from another school tour operator.
Behind every trip we organise is a team who genuinely cares about getting it right for you.
As a six-time winner of Best School Tour Operator, want to provide the best support to you throughout the planning and booking process of your school trip.
We are also proud to be the only school tour operator independently accredited by Customer Service Excellence. Every year, our service undergoes a rigorous external assessment, where existing customers are asked to verify that we deliver on our promises, and our team is interviewed to demonstrate how we foster a culture of exceptional service.
Our approach is to build a personal relationship built on trust and the shared objective of giving your students the best possible learning experience beyond the classroom. We always want to do the right thing for our customers.
If something isn’t clear, don’t be afraid to ask for more information before making your decision. A good tour operator should be happy to answer your questions and make sure you understand what to expect.
Asking detailed questions before booking will help you select a provider that delivers safe, educational and well-organised trips.
Whether you’re planning an educational school trip in the UK or an overseas school trip, look at the overall value a provider offers rather than price alone. Their experience, safety standards, financial protection, support and understanding of your group can all make a real difference to your trip.
Once you’ve compared your options, speak to your chosen provider about your destination, learning objectives, budget and preferred dates so you can start planning a trip that’s right for your students.
Remember to use this checklist when comparing operators so you can evaluate experience, transparency, support and overall value fairly, not just the price.